Farming Today

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Farming Today: 23/08/21 - Making money from native breeds, Queen of the Herdwicks, Gleaning

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23/08/21 - Making money from native breeds, Queen of the Herdwicks, Gleaning

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 23/08/21 - Making money from native breeds, Queen of the Herdwicks, Gleaning

How can you make rare and native livestock breeds pay?

Caz Graham is rubbing shoulders with royalty! She visits Jean Wilson in the Lake District - known as the ‘Queen of the Herdwicks’.

One of the reasons some native breeds of livestock have become endangered is because of a perception farmers can’t make a profit by keeping them. But the Rare Breeds Survival Trust says rare and native breeds can hold their own in the market place and there are “exciting opportunities” for future growth. They’ve been examining commercial trends in rare breeds by speaking to 250 farmers who keep them. 

She's known as the "Queen of the Herdwicks" and has been compared to Beatrix Potter for championing the distinctive, hardy Lake District sheep. We kick off a week-long series in which we ask five different people to tell the story of their farming life, with a trip to Ullswater to meet Jean Wilson. Still farming at 79, she's got a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

Surplus crops on some Cornish farms are being picked and delivered to local food charities, rather than being left to rot in the fields. The centuries-old tradition of "gleaning" is being given a 21st century revamp and co-ordinated via Facebook. 

Presented by Caz Graham
Producer for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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23/08/21 - Making money from native breeds, Queen of the Herdwicks, Gleaning

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