Field Talk: A Monitor Farm Scotland Podcast
Welcome to Field Talk, the Monitor Farm Scotland Podcast. Each episode will follow one of the nine farms chosen to take part in the four-year programme. The Monitor Farm Scotland programme is farmer led and farmer driven, with support from specialists and experts to assess farm performance, explore opportunities, and develop solutions to the challenges farmers face. Our host, Wallace Currie, will speak with farmers about what they've been implementing on their farms, sharing both their successes and the challenges they've faced. We’ll also bring in industry experts to dive deep into key topics and offer valuable insights.
Field Talk: A Monitor Farm Scotland Podcast
Series 1 Episode 7: Suckler Cow production in a National Park
Auchernack is an 800ac farm in Strathspey. The family have farmed here since 1936. Today, it is run by Malcolm Smith. He farms alongside his sons Calum, who is employed full-time, and Hamish, who works part-time. Sammie, Malcolm’s wife is also a partner in the business and she runs a successful self-catering business.
Farming in the Cairngorms, the Smith family are no strangers to change over the generations. From tenant farmers, to owner occupiers and milking cows to beef production, Malcolm Smith chats through how their farming business has adapted over the years and how the family plan for the next generation to take the lead.