Soil is a perennial topic, something that needs to be discussed on a recurring basis, and last time we did so was with Dr Bill Crooks some years ago now.

In this episode, we hear from agricultural consultant and soil management enthusiast Lorna Galloway and talk all manner of things, from improving the uplands, raising soil pH, integrating clover, managing drainage and highlighting the support available for soil sampling under Preparing for Sustainable Farming.

Soil forms the foundation of just about everything we do in agriculture, we like to think of our society as being at the cutting edge, but this is not a new idea. “To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil” – Xenophon, 400 B.C. More recently, Leonardo Di Vinci is attributed as saying “We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot”.

Want to get in touch with Lorna? She can be contacted at SAC Consulting Stranraer on

01776 702 649 or via email at Lorna.Galloway@sac.co.uk.

FAS Related Materials

https://www.fas.scot/publication/podcast-the-thrill-of-the-hill-lime-soil-health/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/technical-note-tn656-soils-information-texture-liming/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/valuing-soils-practical-guidance-scottish-farmers/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/practical-guide-soil-sampling-i-take-soil-sample/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/farming-better-climate-practical-guide-field-drainage/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/practical-guide-understanding-soil-carbon/

THRILL OF THE HILL | A Damming Conclusion: Part II with Davy McCracken

Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.

Beavers and their presence in Scotland continues to divide the agricultural community, for some they generate hope for a more nature-rich Scotland and more dynamic landscape, for others they cause damage and threaten the viability of various farm enterprises. Last year we heard a passionate take on the issue from Euan Walker-Munro who articulated the frustration felt by many in the industry. In this episode we hear from Professor Davy McCracken and cover the positives around beaver reintroduction, the ecology of the species and the opportunities brought by them. We also discuss what to do if the challenges caused by beavers are too much, what his experience was with getting a license and the need for collaboration and knowledge transfer on the issues faced.

Want to get in touch with Davy, he can be contacted at SRUC on 01292 525 299 or via email at Davy.McCracken@sruc.ac.uk. Those with questions for NatureScot can make contact via beaver@nature.scot.

Related FAS Resources

https://www.fas.scot/publication/thrill-of-the-hill-a-damming-conclusion/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/beavers-translocation-ecology-and-mitigation/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/living-alongside-beavers/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/accommodating-beaver-impacts-on-a-farm/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/mitigating-beavers-impacts-on-a-farm/

Related External Resources

https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-species/protected-species-z-guide/beaver/beaver-mitigation-scheme

THRILL OF THE HILL | Farm Business Survey: Part II with Sascha Grierson

Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.

With change on the horizon, being on sure footing can be the difference between having a successful business and not. The Farm Business Survey is Scotland's way of establishing the state of our farming communities, benchmarking business performance and generating the data that drives decision-making at the policy level. It is a free service, not costing anything other than time and provides a participant with a set of management accounts, providing valuable insights into your business, it can also be a useful way of collecting the data for those increasingly important carbon audits! It's a win, win, win for those serious about data and keen to progress their business in an informed, measured way.

For those interested in participating in the survey, or if you have any questions for Sascha and the team, you can get them on 07557 661316 or alternatively you can email scottishfarmbusinesssurvey@sac.co.uk.

Related FAS Resources

Thrill of the Hill - The Farm Business Survey | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Whole farm benchmarks | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)