Agricology Podcast S4E1 - Agroecology around Arran Meat and Livestock

About this episode

The episode explores agroecology practices in meat production on Arran, featuring insights from local farmers.

From the early days of crofting and subsistence farming to the present day, animal protein has provided an essential and highly valuable source of nutrients for Arran’s population. While sheep and beef production have always been central to Arran’s farming economy, venison is now also being embraced as a sustainable protein source that can help to combat the growing threat that the wild deer population poses to island ecosystems. In this first episode of our new series  Agroecology Around Arran , we explore how the production of meat on Arran embraces the ethos of agroecology, how farmers are working together to reduce carbon emissions from livestock farming, and what we can learn from their example. Guests Alistair Currie Alistair talks to us about his livestock farm based in the Shiskine Valley. He maintains a herd of around around 30 native-breed beef cattle which are fed on pasture and home-grown silage. Colin Currie Colin Currie is an upland hill farmer who has been farming sheep and beef at Bridge Farm with his wife Laura since the 1970s. Bridge Farm is situated within a SSSI-designated site that is home to a rich diversity of flora…

People in this episode

Guests: Alistair Currie, Colin Currie, Zoë Hughes

Topics covered

• agroecology
• sustainable farming
• livestock production
• carbon emissions
• island ecosystems

Keywords

• agroecology
• meat production
• sustainable protein
• livestock farming
• carbon emissions

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Arran, Shiskine Valley, Bridge Farm, SSSI

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