Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace catching up after a busy few weeks of events, farm work and plenty of challenges along the way.

A big focus of this episode was peony season and the reality of trying to get thousands of stems picked, packed and delivered at exactly the right stage. We got into subscription boxes, customer expectations, delivery headaches and the challenge of managing fresh produce when timing is everything.

We also spoke about Cereals, what stood out from the event, regenerative farming, agronomists showing interest in lower input systems and some of the conversations happening around soil health and biological approaches to crop production.

There was plenty of discussion around direct selling too, from heritage apples and specialist grains through to why farmers often receive such a small share of the final value of what they produce. The conversation kept coming back to understanding your market, building relationships with customers and finding ways to keep more value on farm.

Alongside all of that we chatted about Britain’s Fittest Farmer, tractor runs, Highland Show, Groundswell and why sometimes the biggest opportunities come from simply putting yourself out there and trying something different.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace catching up right in the middle of what can only be described as peak peony madness.

A big part of this episode focused on the realities of direct selling during the busiest part of the season. We got into subscription boxes, picking peonies at exactly the right stage, managing labour, and the challenge of trying to get a product from field to customer as fresh as possible.

There was also a fascinating discussion around logistics and delivery. David shared the story of dealing with thousands of parcels during peony season, the impact of bank holidays, working with DPD and the reality that one delay can suddenly create hundreds of customer messages, emails and problems to solve.

We also spoke about tractor runs, community events and how those sorts of gatherings help connect farming with the wider public. Alongside that there was plenty of chat around direct selling, customer loyalty and why looking after existing customers is often more important than constantly chasing new ones.

One of the strongest themes throughout was value. Not just the value of a product, but understanding what it is actually worth, building trust with customers and creating systems that allow farmers to keep more of the value from what they produce.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace this time chatting right in the middle of peony season pressure, with everything starting to speed up very quickly on farm.

A big part of this episode was around direct selling and how different things become when you’re dealing with the customer yourself rather than supermarkets. We got into the reality of picking peonies at the right stage, managing subscriptions, handling labour pressure and trying to deliver quality at exactly the right moment.

There was also a really interesting discussion around regenerative farming and soil biology, with Martin explaining everything from cover crops and reduced tillage through to microbes, seed treatments and why farming systems have changed so much over the last few decades.

We also spoke a lot about social media and building value around what you produce. From apples and peonies through to grains and direct selling, the conversation kept coming back to the idea that farmers have more value in their products than they often realise if they can build trust and connect with people properly.

Alongside all of that there were the usual stories and tangents, from Chelsea Flower Show and tourists stripping apple orchards bare through to agroecology on Arran and the challenge of keeping farming viable in very different parts of the country.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Field to Front Door – Episode 6 on regenerative farming, soil biology and getting out your comfort zone

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace this time getting really stuck into regenerative farming, soil health and what changing systems on farm actually looks like in practice.

A big focus of this episode was David starting to move parts of the farm towards lower input and regenerative approaches, with Martin explaining everything from soil biology and cover crops through to seed treatments, ploughing depth and why modern systems may have stripped so much life out of soils over time.

We also got into the balance between wanting to farm differently and the reality that changing systems is scary when your business depends on it working. There was a really interesting discussion around biology, fertiliser dependency and whether farming can move back towards building healthier soils rather than constantly feeding crops directly.

Alongside all of that there was still plenty of the usual mix of stories and tangents, from agroecology on Arran through to David somehow finding himself at leadership events, embassy receptions and talking about peonies with people from all over the world.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace picking things up again with a real mix of what’s happening on farm right now and where things might be heading next.

We covered everything from late frosts and irrigation to how that actually impacts crops on the ground, through to peony season kicking off and the pressure of getting everything picked, packed and delivered at the right time.

A big part of this one was about selling direct and what that really looks like in practice. From pre selling crops a year in advance, to building customer trust, to the reality that you don’t need thousands of customers if you’ve got the right ones.

There was also a really interesting chat around niche markets and adding value, from linseed for eye packs to specialist grains and how finding the right outlet can completely change the economics of a crop.

We got into social media again as well, not just the numbers but how you actually use it to build something real, and why copying someone else isn’t the answer, it’s about finding your own thing and doing it properly.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace picking things back up again, this time right on the edge of peony season kicking off and everything that comes with it.

We covered a mix in this one from the reality of seasonal pressure with peonies and getting everything lined up for harvest, through to weather challenges across the UK and how different things look depending on where you are.

There was a really good discussion around direct selling, meat boxes and whether smaller scale, higher value systems actually stack up long term. We also got into social media, building a following and the reality behind it, not just the numbers but the constant effort needed to keep it going.

One of the most interesting parts was the chat around regenerative practices and composting. We got into Johnson Sue compost, soil biology, reducing inputs and trying to build systems that work with nature rather than against it.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace this time joined by Sophia as well, which brought a really good angle looking at the next generation and what farming looks like coming through.

We covered a proper mix in this one from peony production and how that whole system works, through to direct selling, subscriptions and building a customer base that actually values what you produce. There was also a good chat around logistics, online selling and the reality of getting products to people in a way that keeps quality high.

A big part of this episode was around the next generation. Sophia spoke about finding her own path, balancing farming with other interests like floristry and photography, and figuring out what she actually wants to do rather than just following what’s expected.

We also got into weather challenges, trying new crops like mustard, and how unpredictable farming can be year to year. Alongside that, there was a really interesting discussion on social media, AI and how quickly things are changing in how farmers connect with people.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace picking things straight back up where we left off, still very much figuring out what this is and where it could go.

This one was a proper deep dive into farming realities. We got into everything from sugar beet and margins through to regen, inputs and whether it’s actually possible to grow without sprays. There’s a real honesty in it, especially around trying things, getting them wrong, and learning as you go.

A big part of the chat was about working out what farming looks like going forward. Not just how we grow, but how we sell, how we add value, and how we actually make a living from it. Direct selling, milling, flowers, different markets, it all came into it.

What I liked most is there’s no pretending we’ve got the answers. It’s just a conversation trying to figure things out in real time, with a few laughs along the way.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.