24 Hours in Farming
Why Community is the Beating Heart of UK Agriculture
Every August, Farm24 gives us more than a trending hashtag or a day of social media buzz - it offers a window into the daily realities of farming life across the UK. For some, it’s a celebration. For others, it’s a lifeline. For all of us, it’s a reminder that behind every loaf of bread, every pint of milk, every Sunday roast, there’s a web of people, places, and unseen stories.
This year, Farm24 lands at a time when the world feels especially turbulent. As someone who’s lived both the joy and heartbreak of farming, building a business from scratch, facing the very real possibility of losing it all, and finding new ways to stay connected, I know just how much community means when the ground beneath you shifts. Today, I want to use my little corner of the internet to amplify the voices who inspire me, and invite you to join a movement that’s bigger than any single farm or story.
Why Farm24 Matters (Now More Than Ever)
Farming is about more than growing food. It’s about resilience in the face of uncertainty, hope in the middle of heartbreak, and the relentless pursuit of something better for land, people, and planet. In 2025, UK farmers are navigating storms, literal and political. Policy changes, climate extremes, and a public more disconnected than ever from the realities of rural life.
But here’s my “why”: I still believe in farming. Not just as a way of life, but as a foundation for our food security, our rural communities, and our connection to the land. Even as I face the possibility of losing my own farm, I can’t let go of the conviction that farming - done with care, integrity, and community - matters now more than ever.
The truth is, it’s an uphill struggle. A record number of farms are shutting their gates for good (read more), squeezed by policy, costs, and a system that too often rewards scale over sustainability. Every time a farm disappears, we lose more than a business. We lose local knowledge, biodiversity, food security, and the fabric of rural life.
That’s why Farm24 isn’t just about celebration - it’s a call to action. Farmers need more than applause. They need real, ongoing support from consumers, policymakers, and local communities. Our choices: what we buy, who we listen to, how we vote all shape the future of farming in the UK.
Farmer Spotlights: Stories That Deserve the Spotlight
This year, I want to introduce you to farmers and advocates who embody the best of what UK agriculture can be—people whose work is rooted in care, honesty, and a fierce commitment to their land and communities.
From Substack
- - Stuck on The Farm:
Nick’s writing is a breath of fresh air in a noisy world, his words carry the weight of generations. In posts like Remembering Fred, Nick shares moments that rarely make the headlines: rescuing an elderly Sussex farmer from hospital so he could spend his last days with his cows. It’s a reminder that farming is first and foremost about people - about compassion, memory, and the ties that bind us to place and each other. Nick’s voice is one of emotional honesty, grounded in the realities of rural life. - - Farm, Food and Rural Living:
A recent discovery for me, Georgie Smith is a fourth-generation farmer who brings wit, warmth, and a journalist’s eye to her Substack. Her reflections on rural living, food, and farming are equal parts informative and entertaining. Georgie’s writing is proof that farming stories can be both deeply personal and universally relevant. - - Smallholder Journal:
Jackie is a first-generation smallholder whose work is quietly radical. Through her Smallholder Journal, she writes with gentle clarity about slow farming, permaculture, and the intersection of agriculture and mental health. Jackie’s honesty and vulnerability offer a rare window into the joys and challenges of starting out, and her advocacy for small farmers shines through in every post. She’s also the author of The Land Ladder—an essential, practical guide for anyone dreaming of renting farmland and starting out in the UK.
From ‘Off’ Substack
Fred Price – Gothelney Farm (Somerset):
Fred leads a true family enterprise at Gothelney Farm, weaving together baking, butchery, pork production, and arable cropping into a living, circular system. Heritage grains become sourdough at the Field Bakery, pigs graze on multi-species leys, and everything feeds back into the health of the land. Fred’s farm is a living case study in agroecology—resilient, chemical-free, and built on relationships. His story is proof that farming can be both traditional and innovative, rooted in community and open to change.
Amy Chapple – Redwoods Farm (Mid Devon):
Amy is part of the next generation at Redwoods Farm, where she’s driving change through regenerative, pasture-based systems. Her pigs and chickens move across diverse pastures, building soil health and producing food with real flavour. Amy’s commitment to soya-free, locally sourced feed and mobile chicken systems shows what’s possible when you put animal welfare and biodiversity at the heart of your operation. Her energy and optimism are infectious - a bright light in UK farming.
James Rebanks – Matterdale, Cumbria:
James is a shepherd, a writer, and a force for hope in British agriculture. On his Lake District farm, he’s blending centuries-old practices with modern ecological thinking: rewiggling streams, planting hedgerows, and letting wildflowers return to the meadows. Through books like The Shepherd’s Life and English Pastoral, James has become a global voice for a regenerative, community-rooted farming future. I first heard him speak at the Oxford Real Farming Conference—his words on resilience and belonging have stayed with me ever since.
Honorable Mentions
Who else should be on this list? Let me know in the comments or share your favourites in the AgStackers Community thread!
AgStackers Community: Join the Conversation
If you haven’t joined the AgStackers Community yet, now’s the perfect time! I’ve just launched a new discussion thread where farmers, writers, and advocates can share their own Farm24 stories and articles. I’m gathering content for the first monthly AgStackers newsletter, featuring work from across Substack and beyond. If you’d like to be featured, simply drop your posts in the chat (free subscribers welcome!). Together, we’re building a supportive space for sharing, learning, and lifting each other up.
20% Off Paid & Supporter Subscriptions – Farm24 Special
In celebration of Farm24 and this amazing community, I’m offering 20% off both paid and supporter subscriptions.
Paid subscribers get exclusive articles, deeper dives, and behind-the-scenes insights.
Supporter subscribers help sustain my independent writing and community-building efforts, with occasional extra perks as a thank you.
If you’ve found value in my work or want to champion independent agricultural voices, this is a great time to join and your support truly makes a difference.
Why Your Support Matters
Thank you for reading, for supporting UK farmers, and for being part of this community. Farm24 is about more than just one day. It’s about seeing the people behind the produce, recognising the struggles and triumphs that shape our food and our future and remembering that we’re stronger together.
If you take one thing from this article, let it be this: farmers can’t do it alone. We need your support, your buying choices, your voices, your advocacy to keep farming alive and to protect our food security for the next generation.
Every little bit of support helps keep these stories and the real people behind them alive and heard.
If just 5% of my readers tipped £1/$1 this essay would pay for itself in terms of time spent working on it.