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 4 Episode 3: Switching the System: Cows on the Hill, Sheep Down Below
In this episode, we sit down with farmer David Whiteford, who has turned tradition on its head by flipping his grazing system—moving sheep onto the in‑bye ground and returning cows to the hill. This bold shift has helped him cut wintering costs, improve grass use, and build a more resilient, low input farming system.
David shares the mindset change behind rethinking a long established model, the breed choices that now fit his land and management goals, and the practical adjustments that make the system workday to day.