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The Pasture Pod

Michael Blanche

The No 1 Pasture based farming podcast in the Forgandenny parish. Join the search for 1) better profits for cattle and sheep; 2) top (to middling to absent) banter. Most amateur podcast on the internet thingy. Monthly.

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  • 21 episodes
  • Avg 2 hr 9 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • S3 · E5
    September 2 · 2 hr 18 min

    Dallas Mount

    HOT DAWG! This was fun ... and also informative. We talked about the Planning for Profit course alot. There are more courses coming this Autumn. See https://www.planningforprofit.org/ if you fancy knowing more. Sam Charlton is really helpful and on occasions, quite fun. Both Louis Theroots and Jeremy Parkson were suggesting you join The Pasture Pod's Patreon thingy: patreon/thepasturepod. Annual subscriptions are also available and they are cheaper pro rata but maybe try it first because you might find it excruciating.

  • S3 · E4
    February 19 · 3 hr 13 min

    Claire Whittle

    Claire can be found on Instagram as dr_dowhittle The Regenerative Vet website: https://theregenvet.co.uk/ The Carbon Calling Panel session with Claire, Nikki, Amy and Sarah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3APZqJpHwbQ&t=3007s Become a Patron on Patreon ("It's quite good actually"): patreon.com/thepasturepod Farmax website: https://www.farmax.co.nz/ Cows and Effect on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/cows-and-effect/id1823193312 Cows and Effect on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/32Bo5Rie5F8mqXzm7Fgt3z

  • S3 · E3
    Jul 29, 2025 · 3 hr 47 min

    Duncan Morrison

    Working Cows Episode on leased cows: https://workingcows.net/ep-063-aaron-berger-leased-land-and-cow-herds/

  • Jul 3, 2025 · 1 hr 18 min

    Introducing (another) Cows and Effect. Episode 1. Five billion, there's no snakes in Ireland and an upside down graph.

    A blatant misuse of the Pasture Pod platform means I'm plugging this Cows and Effect project again. Episode 1 dives into the science with an Irish research paper that looks at the yields of multi species pastures (along with the various different plant species that go into them) at several levels of Nitrogen (including zero). Which grasses work best in different systems? Why bother with Plantain and Chicory? Which plants drive yield? There's some chat about ewes and Red Clover and there's a smell under the table. Link to the main paper Moloney et al, 2020. http://archive.sciendo.com/IJAFR/ijafr.2020.59.issue-1/ijafr-2020-0002/ijafr-2020-0002.pdf Links to the other two Moloney papers in the trilogy. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27041764?seq=1 and https://www.jstor.org/stable/27041763 Link to the Egan et al 2025 paper on plantain hoovering up nitrate in the soil. This may be partially behind a paywall, but the key bits are available. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167880924004948 Link to Mustonen et al 2014 which is the study on the effects of feeding red clover silage to ewes https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175173111400161X?via%3Dihub Link to the Innovative Farmers trial on ewes and red clover. https://www.innovativefarmers.org/media/l00oqr1t/mating-sheep-on-red-clover-final-report.pdf Link to an early UK study into red clover and ewe fertility; Newton and Betts 1973. Still behind a pay wall, but you can see the abstract without paying. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-agricultural-science/article/abs/effects-of-red-clover-trifolium-pratense-var-redhead-white-clover-trifolium-repens-var-s-100-or-perennial-ryegrass-lolium-perenne-var-s-23-on-the-reproductive-performance-of-sheep/DBE300E13E0D8D81BF0B6D00ED9B3E90 Link to a review paper/report not mentioned in the podcast which is Marley et al 2011. This is an IBERS report. https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Research%20Papers/Beef%20&%20Lamb/effects_of_legumes_on_ewe_and_cow_fertility_review_-_final_report_20jul11.pdf

  • S3 · E2
    Sep 23, 2024 · 2 hr 1 min

    Elaine Froese

    Elaine is coming to England at the invitation of AHDB with workshops between 21st October 2024 and 30th October. See: Discuss the Undiscussabull Not that I'm pushing this at all .... but .... Patreon link is: The Pasture Pod's Patreon link

  • S3 · E1
    Jul 17, 2024 · 3 hr 1 min

    Mat Boley

    Many moons and almost an equal amount of suns ago, our anti-hero MC Swardstick set off on his pilgrimage to find a mythical being. A dairy farmer who didn't work 90 hours a week. He found this creature and he was well cool and interesting. They spoke for almost 3 hours and MC left with his sound recorder full of wisdom. Unfortuneately, MC was very lazy and no where near committed enough and didn't do anything with the recording for a painfully long time. Today represents the end of the constipation and the episode has come out. The End.

  • S2 · E12
    Jul 12, 2023 · 2 hr 18 min

    Arron Nerbas

    A Canadian themed episode to bring "Season 2" to an end. Arron came over to the UK in January 2023 and spoke to loads of people over the course of a week. I went to see him at the AHDB meeting in Northumberland at George Burrell's and it was such a refreshing and positive experience. Even though he has such a different environment to contend with, the principle of system first is such a powerful thing. He popped into Culteuchar, met Mo, stayed the night (not in that way) and was polite about my handful of heifers and sheep. Hope you enjoy it. If you do, Arron is starting a new podcast of his own with Amy Hughes called Think Outside the Fence. 1st August 2023 release, I think. First guest is me and the interview has happened. I don't think I'm catastrophising but looking back on it I am definitely getting Gerald Ratner / Holly Willoughby vibes, so this might be the last Pasture Pod before I'm cancelled.

  • S2 · E11
    May 21, 2023 · 2 hr 56 min

    Chris Falconer

    After 12 years apart, two acquaintences meet. Everything has changed, Michael is even fatter and has less hair; Chris seems to have given Michael his extra body mass - he's lighter and fitter. Chris is also more self aware and intimidates Michael slightly less than in 2010. They talk for a long time and record some of it. Michael likes to think he and Chris have become friends whereas Chris doesn't think about Michael at all. They talk about life and farming, carbon and environmental services, calves on and direct selling, getting abuse for an episode of Country Calendar and not giving a shit. They talk about neurodiversity. The end. Link to Country Calendar episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FwM7mosNF-rQnuYygKLRqo7g2VB1SyxO/view?usp=sharing Pasture Pod hoodies, t shirts and beanies can be found at https://thepasturepod.myshopify.com/ For the hardcore, the Pasture Pod Patreon page is patreon.com/thepasturepod

  • Feb 22, 2023 · 1 hr 41 min

    It's About Time - Episode 6: The Final Countdown

    It's About Time was not on time this week - not perfect but at least it's definitely done! This is the last in the series and I want to thank everyone that was involved and everyone that is listened. Thanks to all those that took the trouble to message. Special, special thanks to the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust. This simply wouldn't exist without their help. Best book on time ever is Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks

  • Feb 13, 2023 · 1 hr 25 min

    It's About Time - Episode 5: The Do Do Sandwich

    If in doubt seek expert help. My quest gets closer to an inconvenient truth as I speak to coaches, consultants and, big potato grower with normal sized potatoes, Robin Griffiths. This is the proper time management episode and was a bit of a revelation to me. Mention is given to the pomodoro technique with insufficient explanation until closer to the end. The pomodoro technique is simply using a timer to spend 25 minuites on a task then having 5 minutes break with the option then to start again. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato which was the type of kitchen timer the inventor of the tehnique had at hand. Google it and you'll see one. References include websites: Clare Evans website Ram and EnableAg Sian Bushell

  • Feb 6, 2023 · 1 hr 35 min

    It's About Time - Episode 4: How to Beat the System

    I spent most of this episode in my pants watching YouTube. Clips used are for educational purposes. The series up to this point was on a roll with reviews like "I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would" - but this was a big test to keep the underwhelming momentum up. Systems is such a monster of a subject but I hope you get something from it. Additional thanks to James Sills (@JRDSills) off of Twitter for talking about Elon's 5 steps. Books and YouTube clips: Thinking in Systems by Donnella H Meadows Russell Ackoff example speech James Paine lecture Everyday Astronaut and Elon Musk

  • Jan 30, 2023 · 1 hr 21 min

    It's About Time - Episode 3: The Ballad of Andrew Freshwater

    Episode 3 sees me continue haphazardly like King Arthur in Monty Python's Holy Grail ... no horse and just coconuts as a sound effect. I eventually take my brave tablets and speak to "The Australian", then spend the rest of the episode trying to translate things to a UK Context. Luckily I have some sensible people helping. Can we nail down what is possible in terms of labour efficiencies in UK farming?

  • Jan 23, 2023 · 1 hr 16 min

    It's About Time - Episode 2: The Tale of Three Dairy Farms

    The quest for answers continues. Is our use of time the invisible handbrake on our lives and businesses that we leave on without realising? I visit three dairy farms and hear about their experiences and challenges, within them there are parables and wisdom and glimpses of the answer. Warning: may contain poor analogies. Books mentioned in this episode: Yes I Can: Achieve Success with the Life-Planning Toolkit by Con Hurley The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R Covey A Book for Life: 10 Steps to Spiritual Wisdom, a Clear Mind and Lasting Happiness by Jo Bowlby

  • #1
    Jan 16, 2023 · 51 min

    It's About Time - Episode 1: Is this even a subject?

    A departure from the normal Pasture Pod, I do my best attempt at being a poundshop Louis Theroux and go on a quest to find answers on how time affects farming and how we can use time to affect our lives and businesses for good. Episode one contains a record breaking number of metaphors per minute of narration ... so be prepared. Thankfully all is saved by those that were interviewed. Profound thanks to the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust for their support in the making of this. Episodes will be released weekly from 16th January 2023 ... there will be six or seven in total. There will also be at an opportunity to interact on the subject after this series is over through a couple of webinars in March.

  • S2 · E10
    Jan 9, 2023 · 1 hr 43 min

    Joel Williams

    Once apon a time soil was less cool than flares (when they weren't trendy) and plastic shoes. I may have been forced to wear the latter two items of clothing as a young adult but at least I wasn't studying soil science!! BUT times have changed, a revolution has happened and soil science might be - quite possibly - one of the coolest things going. Joel Williams is one of the people that have made it cool - a bit like Damon Albarn was to Britpop without the pretentiousness. If you get depressed at all the chat that sneers at carbon sequestration from those with the loudest voices, listen to this to feel a lot better. The power of rotational grazing and its benefits to soil health is very real - keep putting up those fences folks and keep getting pumped up by pasture! LInk to info on Joel's Foliar Nitrogen course: https://www.integratedsoils.com/foliar-nitrogen

  • S2 · E9
    Dec 24, 2022 · 3 hr 14 min

    Gus & Duncan Nelless

    Gus and Duncan are full siblings with impressive EBVs for 3 Hour Bantz; Low CoP and Positive Mental Attitude. They are both structurally correct with good locomotion and teeth but increasingly bare heads. The Pasture Pod returns to its roots with this episode - hardore farming chat and a glimpse into the motivation of a couple of awesome individuals.

  • S2 · E8
    Jul 25, 2022 · 1 hr 58 min

    Nikki Yoxall

    If Nikki is a human being, I am a slug. By this I mean - we share 80% of our farming DNA but it still seems we see things differently. This was a theraputic conversation that allowed me to accept the final 20%. "It is what it is" as they say in Love Island. It's OK not to think exactly the same way and maybe there's wisdom in other opinions. Now I feel like Jerry Springer. I mentioned "Scotland the What" and specifically the Balleter Toy Shop sketch. Link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzS3AdzZ0Nw Hope you enjoy this episode.

  • S2 · E7
    May 30, 2022 · 2 hr 31 min

    Holly Beckett

    Holly Beckett could possibly change your life. Quietly and without a lot of fuss she has been helping people become more focussed, less stressed and have a renewed appreciation of life. She has been introducing mindfulness to the UK farming industry and its making a difference to people. Keep an open mind. Even if mindfulness is not for you, I think this interview is full of wisdom and great stories. If you fancy trying the 5 day brain training challenge click here More generally, Holly's website is here: https://www.focussedfarmers.com/ The Steve Jobs speech Holly mentions is brilliant: Steve Jobs Speech - Joining the dots Holly also mentions research that suggests the human mind can have an effect on physical matter. Not quite as much as the girl from Stranger Things but ..... Slit experiment - detailed; Slit experiment - simpler

  • S2 · E6
    Apr 1, 2022 · 3 hr 29 min

    Alex Brewster

    This is enormous. Its the biggest and longest. Don't be scared. Alex Brewster is a fascinating chap whatever your own farming philosophy. In my opinion he is one of the best communicators in UK agriculture. A Soil Farmer of the Year, a Nuffield Scholar and someone who stole the show at the Oxford Farming Conference. You will soon know him as Beanie due to some sort of mystical unexplained force makes you ditch his real name. Try and play along with Beanie Bingo which involves drinking alot each time the phrase "Point of Balance" is used.

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