In this episode, Ben travels across the pond to Alvin, Texas, to meet Tyler Froberg — a fourth-generation farmer and agri-influencer who is reshaping how people connect with agriculture. Tyler shares the story of his family’s farm, Froberg Farms, which started with just 22 acres of strawberries in 1936 and has now grown into the largest “You-Pick” strawberry farm in Texas.

Tyler talks about his path to farming, which wasn’t a straight line. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Washington state. Upon returning to Texas, he worked in the Pearland Parks and Natural Resources Department before ultimately coming back to the farm. He also completed a degree in agriculture from Texas Tech University — all of which contributed to his approach to farming today.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Tyler co-created the Farming for Dummies podcast with Noah Young to help bridge the gap between farmers and the public. He also began sharing his own story online, quickly gaining a loyal following across TikTok and Instagram with his educational and often humorous takes on everyday life on the farm.

This conversation covers:

The evolution of Froberg Farms over four generations

Tyler’s journey through the military and back to agriculture

The challenges and opportunities of direct sales and “You-Pick” operations

Using social media to connect with non-farming audiences

Why storytelling is key to the future of agriculture

Froberg Farms – frobergfarm.com

Follow Tyler on Instagram – @tylerfroberg

Farming for Dummies Podcast – [Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts]

🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Image credit: Tyler Froberg

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Emma Burnett – Senior Researcher in Agriculture and Sustainability, Fielden Whisky

Øistein Thorsen – CEO, FAI Farms

Julia Kirby Smith – Better Food Traders

Hannah Gibbs – Programme Manager, Sustain

Lucy Williamson – Registered Nutritionist & Advocate for Soil-to-Gut Health

What "regenerative" means beyond the farm

The role of consumer-facing brands in regenerative storytelling

The responsibilities and opportunities for retailers—big and small

Linking human health with soil health and biodiversity

Whether regeneration will become the norm or a niche

Fielden Whisky

FAI Farms

Better Food Traders

Sustain

Lucy Williamson Nutrition

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts—it really helps us grow the show.

🎧 Next episode: Ben speaks with Texas farmer Tyler Froberg.

Image credit: Ben Eagle

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this milestone 300th episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle sits down with Tim Parton, farm manager of a 300-hectare arable enterprise in Staffordshire and a leading voice in regenerative agriculture. Tim shares his journey from conventional farming to pioneering biological, no-till methods that have dramatically cut synthetic inputs while boosting yields and soil health.

We discuss his innovative drill modifications, the importance of cover crops and microbial brews, and the challenges and rewards of shifting to a regenerative system. Tim also opens up about the life-changing accident he suffered in 2024, his remarkable resilience, and how he continues to inspire and consult within the farming community.

🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Image credit: Tim Parton

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this big-picture episode, Ben Eagle is joined by two expert voices—Emily Norton and James Bolesworth—to unpack how global forces are shaping the future of UK farming. From the war in Ukraine and climate extremes to trade policy and political unpredictability, we examine how these shocks are influencing prices, planning, and resilience on the ground.

🧭 What We Cover:

Part 1: Global Forces in Flux – Wars, Trade & Market Volatility

Which global events are driving the most pressure on UK agriculture

How the war in Ukraine disrupted grain markets and commodity flows

Trade policy shifts post-Brexit and their on-farm implications

Are UK farmers more exposed to international risk?

Part 2: Climate, Weather & Risk – Farming in an Era of Extremes

How climate volatility is reshaping investment and land use

The financial and production risks of extreme weather

Global climate impacts on food security and commodity markets

Part 3: UK Response – Policy, Politics & Farm-Level Strategy

Assessing the UK’s agricultural policy response to global pressures

Closing Thoughts – Looking Ahead

One global trend UK farmers must pay closer attention to

📢 Final Messages:

🎧 Next Episode (300!): Join us for a milestone conversation with regenerative farming pioneer Tim Parton.

💬 If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show or share it with a fellow farmer.

📲 Follow us: @meetthefarmerspodcast | www.meetthefarmers.co.uk

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, Ben Eagle heads to Stithians in Cornwall to meet Peter Green, a fifth-generation farmer, Nuffield Scholar, and host of Cornish Mutual’s Farming Focus podcast. Peter shares his remarkable journey from studying physics and working as a chartered accountant, to returning home to Cornwall to rebuild the family farm after the tragic loss of his parents in 2007.

Now running a grass-fed Stabiliser beef herd, Peter talks about:

Transitioning from corporate life back to farming

Managing grief and responsibility following the death of his parents in a car accident.

The decision to sell, and then restock, the farm's herd.

Building a sustainable, low-input beef business in Cornwall

Selling direct to customers through beef boxes

His work with the Prince’s Countryside Fund

Co-hosting the Farming Focus podcast and engaging the South West farming community

Balancing life as a farmer, podcast host, and dad to five-year-old twins

This episode is a powerful reminder of how purpose, resilience, and people can shape a meaningful farming future.

Farming Focus Podcast – Cornish Mutual

Royal Countryside Fund – Farm for the Future

🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Image credit: Peter Green

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this episode, we’re heading to County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland to meet a next-generation voice in farming — Sophie Bell.

Sophie is part of a rising wave of young farmers who are not only tackling the day-to-day challenges of running a farm, but also using social media to share their stories, connect with wider audiences, and bring attention to rural issues. From climate resilience to the pressures of food production, Sophie is navigating what it means to farm in the 21st century.

In this conversation, Ben and Sophie discuss:

Her journey into farming and how she came to take over the family farm

The unique pressures facing young farmers in Ireland today, including access to land, financial sustainability, and changing weather patterns

How Sophie is using platforms like Instagram to engage both farmers and non-farmers, build community, and advocate for the industry

Her hopes for the future of farming and what she’d like to see change for the next generation

Whether you’re in the field, behind a desk, or just curious about rural life, this episode offers a thoughtful, honest look at modern farming through the eyes of someone living it every day.

Follow Sophie Bell:
📸 Instagram: @sophie_bell__
🎥 TikTok: @sophie_bell__

Support the show:
If you’re enjoying Meet the Farmers, please consider leaving a review or sharing this episode with someone who’d love it.

Image credit: Sophie Bell

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, we focus on the inspiring story of Damian Barson — a man who made the life-changing decision to enter the world of sheep farming in his fifties. Formerly a professional dog trainer, Damian took his first steps into agriculture in 2021. Today, he manages a flock of around 150 ewes, including Mules, Swaledales, and other breeds.

Damian shares the highs and lows of his journey so far — from venturing into farming to facing the emotional toll of caring for a close friend and coping with the personal isolation that farm life can bring. This episode offers a raw and honest example of when farming life meets the challenges that life can bring in general.

🧠 Topics Discussed:

Prices and lambing 2025.

Damian’s journey from dog training to sheep farming.

Expanding his flock.

Mental health and tackling isolation in rural life.

Farm safety and the importance of having connections.

Dog training tips from Damian.

What’s next for Damian?

Image credit: Ryan Day

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, Ben Eagle is joined by Will Arden — arable and deer farmer from Lincolnshire, founder of The Farmyard Gym, and head judge of Britain’s Fittest Farmer. With five competitions under his belt and a recent win in the men’s under-40s category, Will shares his passion for fitness, mental health, and how farmers can stay strong in both body and mind, on and off the farm.

Apply for Britain's Fittest Farmer 2025 competition here - Farmers Weekly - Britain's Fittest Farmer - About the competition

Image credit: Will Arden

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency.

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here.

About Ben and RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message.

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening.

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here