161. Can cattle save the planet?

161. Can cattle save the planet?

Author: Our Media August 23, 2022 Duration: 1:06:11
Film-maker Peter Byck (left) reveals how cattle can be farmed to enhance the soil and biodiversity – and offer solutions to climate change. Annabel Ross interviewed him at a special screening of his films Roots So Deep at The Lost Gardens of Heligan with environmentalist Tim Smit. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: editor@countryfile.com Visit the Countryfile Magazine website: countryfile.com PPA Podcast of the Year! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, The Plodcast offers a gentle, immersive journey into the landscapes and stories of rural Britain. Produced by Our Media, this series is more than just a guide; it’s a thoughtful audio companion that connects the science of natural phenomena with the deep cultural roots found in villages, coastlines, and rolling hills. You’ll hear from naturalists, historians, farmers, and artists whose lives are intertwined with the land, providing a rich tapestry of perspectives on place and society. The weekly episodes, released every Tuesday, delve into specific topics, from wildlife biology and conservation efforts to the social history embedded in ancient footpaths. Then, on Fridays, the pace shifts to a reflective Sound Escape-a chance to simply listen and unwind with the ambient noises of the outdoors. This podcast serves as a regular invitation to slow down and appreciate the complexities and simple wonders of the countryside, all through carefully crafted audio. It’s a blend of curious inquiry and peaceful respite, designed for anyone with an interest in travel, nature, and the quieter aspects of British life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 644

The Plodcast
Podcast Episodes
Sound Escape 118: Relax to spring birdsong in a Dorset garden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:47
It's late morning in a springtime Dorset garden. The morning was cool and rainy, but as the wind blows in the trees and mist clears; you look out over the hills as the bird song comes to life. Wood pigeons coo from trees…
195. A quest for peace with Charlotte Church in deepest Wales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:38
Head with us to deepest Powys in mid Wales to The Dreaming. This wonderful house and surrounding landscape has been opened up as a place of retreat by sing-songwriter Charlotte Church. Our own Margaret Bartlett went to m…
194. A quest to find St Patrick in Northern Ireland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:47
We’re in Armagh in Northern Ireland, following in the footsteps of St Patrick. The patron saint of Ireland lived in the 5th century and his incredible story has helped shape Ireland since then. But why was he drawn to Ar…
Sound Escape 116: A stream sparkles through Silent Valley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:07
Ebbw Vale in South Wales holds many secrets, not least within the water-rucked hillsides that feed the valley. On one such slope there is an ancient woodland. At its base a river sparkles beneath a canopy of fresh beech…
193. An unlikely pilgrimage with Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:10
In episode 2 of season 16, we’re talking about walking, but in the context of a curious new film: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry starring Penelope Wilton and Jim Broadbent – about a man in his 60s who embarks on a…
Sound Escape 114: Skylarks ascending over a field of barley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:23
We're on the northern edge of the Cotswolds in South Warwickshire – a vast open field of young barley stretches to the horizon. Quietly at first, then all of a rush, a hidden chorus of skylarks rises from the vegetation,…
Sound Escape 113: Enjoy the stirring cacophony of a rook colony [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:11
We wandering in deeply rural County Armagh. It's early spring and the rooks rule the woodlands. Nesting close together in the canopies of a dozen roadside trees, the birds create a bustling city of more than 300 birds. P…