Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Dr Lindsay Whistance
Release Date: 11/07/2024
To Till or Not to Till - In Conversation with Jonathan Storkey
Agricology Podcast
In the last episode of the series, plant ecologist Jonathan Storkey treats us to fascinating insights on biodiversity in production systems and soil microbial communities, emphasising how context is crucial when choosing your tillage approach. He shares his journey from birdwatching ecologist to leading weed scientist at Rothamsted Reseach, where he has been studying tillage and biodiversity interactions for over two decades. He dives into the concept of “functional biodiversity"- pollinators, predators, and microbes that support food production, and how tillage impacts those delicate...
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To Till or Not to Till - In Conversation with John Pawsey
Agricology Podcast
In this episode with farmer , we talk about the role of tillage in organic systems, balancing weed and pest pressures, how regenerative overlaps with organic, and how diversity drives success. John shares his journey from conventional spraying to organic, mixed farming (over 25 years ago). He explains why he ploughs selectively (once or twice in a six-year rotation) and how organic farming pushes innovation through the limits of its standards. His approach is rooted in observation, adaptability, and profitability. We explore how he adjusts tillage depth based on weed type and the importance of...
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To Till or Not to Till - In Conversation with Julia Cooper
Agricology Podcast
The third episode of the series welcomes the ’s Julia Cooper who shares her expertise as a soil scientist. We look at soil health from a scientific perspective, focusing on nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and the nuanced role of tillage across different soil types and farming systems. Julia explains how soil health is context-specific, emphasising the importance of balancing biology, water management, and soil structure, rather than seeking one-size-fits-all solutions. We dive into how tillage affects water retention, soil productivity and microbial life, and discuss trade-offs...
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To Till or Not to Till - In Conversation with Mark Measures
Agricology Podcast
This second episode with explores the role of tillage in organic systems, the misunderstood relationship between tillage and soil carbon, the balance between weed control and nutrient cycling, and how tillage fits into wider farming systems. Mark reflects on 40 years in organic advice, with deep roots in research, education, and farmer engagement. He argues that tillage, especially shallow and strategic, plays a crucial role in organic farming; not only for weed control and seedbed preperation, but also for stimulating nutrient release and building long-term stable carbon. He explores...
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To Till or Not to Till - In Conversation with Tom Martin
Agricology Podcast
The first episode of our latest series introduces both Wallace Currie, guest podcaster from the Isle of Arran (search ), who will be chatting to guests throughout the series, and Cambridgeshire farmer . They discuss transitioning to no-till, the emotional and practical side of regenerative farming, redefining success through mistakes, and the value of community and biodiversity in agroecological systems. Tom shares his life journey from Universal Pictures to working back on the family farm, explaining how those soft skills transferred to his role as a regenerative farming advocate. The farm...
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Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Dan Stevenson
Agricology Podcast
The penultimate episode of this season sees us in conversation with Dan Stevenson, the Head of (IFM) at . Dan comes to this topic with nearly 20 years’ experience as a farm animal vet. He discusses his veterinary background and the arc his career has followed; moving on to working with LEAF, and along the way starting to think more holistically about livestock production, with a focus on a whole systems approach. We explore the key role nutrition plays within livestock systems and finding the balance between nutrition and animal health. Further to this, Dan touches on mental health, we...
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Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Robert Barbour
Agricology Podcast
We are joined by the 's Senior Researcher Robert Barbour for our sixth episode of this season. Tune in to discussions surrounding methane, carbon footprints, and the complexities and challenges of measuring environmental impacts associated with livestock. Robert draws on his experiences as a researcher and his family farm (an upland beef and sheep farm that also produces timber in Highland Perthshire, just north of Pitlochry), to dive into the positive role livestock can play from a food systems and environmental perspective. He considers grazing strategies, livestock breeds, and the role...
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Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Simon Fairlie
Agricology Podcast
The fifth episode of the season finds us in conversation with Simon Fairlie, recorded earlier this summer when he was still running his dairy operation at Monkton Wyld Court in Dorset. Simon, who was once described by the Guardian as “the most influential and unusual eco-activist you might not have heard of”, brings us a wide ranging conversation that looks at the micro and the macro of carrying capacity. You’ll find us discussing how he managed his herd of two as he produced a range of dairy products for the ‘intentional community’ at Monkton, and how he dealt with grazing and hay...
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Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Bill Grayson
Agricology Podcast
In this fourth episode we are joined by renowned conservation grazier Bill Grayson who brings us his perspective on the concept of optimal carrying capacity and the way that it is deployed as part of the Morecambe Bay Conservation Grazing Company. He discusses how they go about planning putting animals on to a piece of land, the various practical considerations, and the role livestock play and the benefits they can bring to the land, along with the main challenges in relation to the conservation grazing picture against a backdrop of a pervading opinion of ruminants causing climate change. We...
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Optimal Carrying Capacity - In Conversation With Kate Still
Agricology Podcast
This third episode of the new Agricology podcast season features Kate Still from the ’s Farming and Land Use team. Kate comes to the conversation with a whole farm approach in mind and the need to balance what farms can support to create healthy animals, healthy farmers and a healthy farm bank balance with as few inputs as possible. Her quiet wisdom comes across as she considers strategies and approaches to optimising rather than maximising livestock production. We discuss the highlights from some of the field labs Kate’s been involved with, which have looked into strategies including the...
info_outlineIn this episode we are joined by Dr Lindsay Whistance, Senior Livestock Researcher at the Organic Research Centre. Lindsay, who started her working life as a dairy herds-woman, comes to the conversation through the lens of animal welfare. The episode is an enlightening exploration of thoughts and ideas relating to optimal carrying capacity. It covers topics including the important partnership between humans and livestock which can be lost when animals are reduced to being just a tool, and the need for wider acknowledgement of animals' fundamental place in the ecology of a landscape, being critically important to ecological health. Lindsay touches on how we can provide for animal’s needs, farming in a way that allows animals to adopt natural behaviours, and approaches that can help balance the relationship between human, animal and environment. She also considers peoples different conceptions of "good animal welfare" and the challenges associated with focusing on health in the round.
Show notes: Access the David Fraser paper and the poem by William Henry Davis that Lindsay mentions here: https://tinyurl.com/5dr8kv75.