LEAFcast (LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming))

The first in our series of LEAF Open Farm Sunday podcasts, where we meet LOFS host farmers from across the UK who will be sharing their experiences, magic moments and top tips to running an event. 

This week LOFS manager, Annabel Shackleton discusses  the joys of growing up with LOFS on farm, with long term host farmer Rebecca Dawes from Hilton of Aldie, Kinross, Scotland. 

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Join our series of LEAF Open Farm Sunday podcasts, where we meet LOFS host farmers from across the UK who will be sharing their experiences, magic moments and top tips to running an event. 

This week, we meet LOFS host farmer Tanya Robbins from Didcot Farm, chatting about fond memories and some useful tricks, such as ticketing and the LOFS website that have been picked up along the way. 

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Lewis Davies, Group Environmental and Sustainability Manager at Wynnstay and Clare Mike, LEAF’s Director, Business Development discuss partnerships, people, projects and the LEAF membership offer. 

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In this episode we join LOFS Ambassador for the North East, Anne Mair Chapman who chats to Cameron Harrison about his fascinating story of elephant garlic and his first time taking part in LEAF Open Farm Sunday last year, and how his event differed from Anne's event, who also took part for the first time!  A chance to hear how every farm has something fascinating to show visitors. 

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Lucy and Ally discuss how his events have been his favourite days on farm, how local marketing really worked for his events, and some fun activity ideas they have used after the initial worry of having nothing of interest to show the public due to having no livestock on farm!

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LOFS Ambassador for the East of England,  Jon Myhill speaks to Jane Louden from Crown Point Estate about hosting their first LOFS event in 2021, the practicalities of running a larger event in conjunction with another organisation, and how help is key! 

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LEAF’s 10 year strate­gic direc­tion (2021−2031) builds on our core capa­bil­i­ties and strengths and deliv­ers against 8 com­mit­ments. In this series of pod­casts, LEAF Chief Exec­u­tive, Car­o­line Drum­mond explores each of the com­mit­ments and exam­ines how each feed into LEAF’s wider ambi­tions. Today we learn about ​‘Growing Education and Engaging Society’.

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In this episode LOFS ambassador in Scotland,  Rebecca Dawes and Caroline chat about the benefits of hosting a LEAF Open Farm Sunday event for a diversified farm business!

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Lucy Redmore, LEAF Assurance Manager explains how LEAF Marque works with Certification Bodies and the role they play in LEAF's monitoring and evaluation programme. She also talks us through the application process for Certification Bodies to work with LEAF.

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This week we’re in Cornwall with our Ambassador for the South West, Rona Amiss, talking with chicken and arable farmer Jenny Olds about how they found hosting their LOFS event for the first time last year, county show clashes and wet weather plans! 

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Join Elle Vercoe-Gibson, LEAF's Certification Manager talking through the LEAF Marque Standard v16.0. Focussing on the latest changes to the Standard, what these changes mean for LEAF Marque growers and touching on a general overview of LEAF Marque as a whole. 

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In this episode, we discussed SEAMS (Sus­tain­abil­i­ty in Edu­ca­tion and Agri­cul­ture using Mix­tures), a four-year project funded by the Esme Fairbairn Foundation and coordinated by the James Hutton Institute, as the project draws to a close. The project focused on crop mixtures and aimed to develop, promote and implement crop species mixtures as a sustainable crop production system for Scotland and as a resource for knowledge exchange on food production, agricultural ecology and environmental sustainability. We were joined by the project lead of SEAMS, Rob Brooker from the James Hutton Institute and Thomas Veitch from Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, who was involved in running trials as part of the project. In this discussion, Rob and Thomas reflected on the project's outcomes and legacy and looked at the next steps for crop mixtures within sustainable crop production systems.

The data platform mentioned in the podcast is already available here, but will be officially launched at this year’s Arable Scotland in July 

For more information on the SEAMS project please visit:
https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/seams-sustainability-education-and-agriculture-using-mixtures 

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In this episode, Elle Vercoe-Gibson, LEAF Marque Certification Manager, discusses the LEAF Sustainable Farming Review, how it works, what it delivers for farmers, it’s role within an Integrated Farm Management approach to more sustainable farming and finally, how it fits in with LEAF Marque certification. 

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Our latest podcast takes a deeper dive into the roots of supporting tree health on-farm. Join Andrew Keyte , Farm Manager at LEAF Demonstration Farm, Ragley Home Farms, Dr Jake Morris who specialises in Plant Health Evidence & Analysis at Defra and LEAF Technical Officer, Eleanor Marks, as they talk tactics, technologies and teamwork for smarter, more integrated approaches to tree health management. 

Download A Farmer's Guide to Ash Dieback here.

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In this episode, LEAF Chief Executive Caroline Drummond discusses how Covid-19 might impact on global supply chains and how the food industry will need to adapt to the "new normal".

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LEAF Chief Executive Caroline Drummond talks about the impact the global pandemic is likely to have on the food industry, LEAF's wider strategic thinking as it approaches its 30th anniversary in 2021 and the importance of sustainability in a changed global farming landscape post Covid-19.

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In this episode, Justine Hards talks with Lucy Bates, LEAF's Project Co-ordinator for ELMS (Environmental Land Management Scheme). ELMS is Defra's proposed new system by which ‘payment for public goods’ fully replaces the Basic Payment and Countryside Stewardship Schemes by 2028.

Lucy discusses the tests and trials that LEAF is undertaking and explains how farmers can get involved.

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In the latest LEAF podcast, Caroline Drummond discusses the latest developments with the UK Ag Bill and the impact it might have on British farming and the work of LEAF.

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LEAF Project Coordinator, Lucy Bates, talks about the history of Integrated Pest Management and its relevance in the current agricultural landscape.

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LEAF Demonstration Farmer, John Renner, discusses how he uses IFM to manage livestock on his beef, sheep and arable farms in Northumberland with LEAF Assurance Manager, Jenny Clark.

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LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond, discusses the futures of LEAF and sustainable agriculture, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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LEAF Technical Assistant Emily Trivett chats with Ali Karley and Rob Brooker from the James Hutton Institute about the benefits of intercropping and the exciting projects that LEAF is involved with.

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Following her appointment on to the Government's Trade and Agriculture Commission, LEAF CEO Caroline Drummond discusses LEAF's preparations for Brexit and how the organisation is helping farmers prepare for change.

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In this podcast, LEAF Technical Co-ordinator Lucy Redmore discusses the importance of assurance schemes like LEAF Marque and how it differs from other assurance schemes.

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LEAF Senior Technical Consultant, Kathryn Green, discusses the importance of water management in agriculture and it's prevalence within Integrated Farm Management.

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Off the back of Storm Francis, LEAF CEO Caroline Drummond discusses the current situation with British farming in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.

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In the midst of Lockdown 2.0, LEAF CEO Caroline Drummond reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the British farming industry, whilst giving a glimpse into the upcoming LEAF Annual Conference, centred around Climate Change.

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With continuing political uncertainty, there has never been a more important time for farmers and researchers to start meaningful conversations about UK agriculture, as well as share best practice, show techniques, reveal trade-offs and demonstrate where farming creates environmental sustainability.  Caroline Drummond, LEAF CEO, Emily Trivett, LEAF Technical Coordinator and Charlotte Bickler, Knowledge Exchange and Policy Manager at the Organic Research Centre, discuss how LEAF's Speak Out Toolkit is helping to inspire, inform and reignite farmers and researchers communications expertise.

LEAF's Speak Out Toolkit has been developed with funding from H2020 DIVERSify project.
Access it here: https://leafuk.org/speakout 

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LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond, welcomes in our 30th anniversary year with a discussion around Brexit; the challenges and opportunities it offers to rethink current agricultural policy to address economic, environmental and climatic ambitions, and where LEAF’s new 10-year strategy fits in. 

Episode recorded on 13th January 2021.

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To mark the start of Zoom Into LEAF Marque week and the run up to COP26, LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond, chats through the role of LEAF in delivering and promoting Climate Positive action to build resilience and support the health, diversity and enrichment of farming and food systems.

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Caroline Drummond, LEAF Chief Executive, reflects on the recent ‘ZOOM into LEAF Marque’ spotlight week and the achievements of LEAF Marque growers, outlined in LEAF’s latest Global Impacts Report.

Read our 2021 Global Impacts report here.

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Caroline Drummond, LEAF Chief Executive, discusses our ambitious ten-year strategy, and why Integrated Farm Management must continue to advance and adapt to support the uptake of more regenerative, agroecological and resilient farming and food systems. 

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LEAF’s 10 year strategic direction (2021-2031) builds on our core capabilities and strengths and delivers against 8 commitments.  In this series of podcasts, LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond explores each of the commitments and examines how each feeds into LEAF’s wider ambitions. Today we delve into 'Delivering Climate Positive Solutions'. 

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Jenny Clark, LEAF Assurance Manager, and Jess Corsair, LEAF Technical Coordinator, discuss the latest LEAF Marque Independent Evaluation, reflecting on the positives and the learnings contributing to our continual improvement. 

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LEAF’s 10 year strate­gic direc­tion (2021−2031) builds on our core capa­bil­i­ties and strengths and deliv­ers against 8 com­mit­ments. In this series of pod­casts, LEAF Chief Exec­u­tive, Car­o­line Drum­mond explores each of the com­mit­ments and exam­ines how each feeds into LEAF’s wider ambi­tions. Today we learn about ​‘Beacons of Excellence’.

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LEAF’s 10 year strategic direction (2021−2031) builds on our core capabilities and strengths and delivers against 8 commitments. In this series of podcasts, LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond explores each of the commitments and examines how each feed into LEAF’s wider ambitions. Today we learn about 'Measuring Impact & Harmonising Metrics'.

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LEAF’s 10 year strategic direction (2021−2031) builds on our core capabilities and strengths and delivers against 8 commitments. In this series of podcasts, LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond explores each of the commitments and examines how each feed into LEAF’s wider ambitions. Today we learn about 'Building Sustainable Food Chains'.

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Building community engagement is one of the key elements of more integrated, sustainable farming.   We welcome two of LEAF's corporate members Samantha Balasuriya from Botanicoir and Mark Davies from Agrovista and hear about Botanicoir's work with communities in rural Sri Lanka and India to improve conditions and provide opportunities for local residents.  We also explore with one of their UK partners, Agrovista, how Botanicoir's ethos feeds into their own business approach.

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Lucy Redmore, LEAF's Assurance Manager discusses how the LEAF Marque Standard is kept robust, relevant and rigorous. Lucy outlines the current LEAF Marque Standard v16.0 draft public consultation – how it works, what it does, the different ways of getting involved and, crucially, the proposed changes.

Complete survey here.

Register for webinars here.  

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