Agri Culture Farm Advisory Service

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Kirsten Williams.  Kirsten is a livestock specialist with SAC Consulting and she also runs a farm business on Ranna Farm in Aberdeenshire with her husband Ross.  They have sheep, cattle, and a turkey enterprise on their rented farm.  They were new entrants, working hard to secure a tenancy and build up their business to support them and their family.  Kirsten has a really positive outlook on life and she tells us how determination and hard work have helped them succeed.    
FAS Resources  
Women in Agriculture (WiA) Discussion Group at Farm Advisory Scotland (fas.scot) 
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 
Twitter: @FASScot 
Facebook: @FASScot 
National Advice Hub 
Phone: 0300 323 0161 
Email: advice@fas.scot 

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by some of the team at Glenrinnes Estate at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Moray.  Estate manager Ali Laing tells us about the estate as a whole, and we are joined by head keeper Gordon Aitchison, distillery manager Martin Peroni, trainee farm worker Alex Shearer and head gardener Damon Powell.  They all share their stories of working on Glenrinnes Estate and how their skills and enthusiasm come together to help run a successful community focused Scottish Estate.     
 
Other Resources  
Glenrinnes Organic Estate 
Eight Lands Organic Spirits (eight-lands.com)  
Pre-Apprenticeship | Ringlink Scotland 
 
 For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 
Twitter: @FASScot 
Facebook: @FASScot 
National Advice Hub 
Phone: 0300 323 0161 
Email:  advice@fas.scot 

Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to John Scott and Jock Gibson from Farmstrong Scotland.  Farmstrong Scotland is a new initiative which is inspired by Farmstrong New Zealand and Doug Avery’s visit to Scotland a couple of years ago.  John and Jock tell us what Farmstrong is, why they want to be involved in it, what wellbeing means to them, and give examples of how they implement Farmstrong’s five steps to wellbeing in their own lives.   
FAS Resources  
Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 
What's Stopping You - Wellbeing | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 
Other Resources  
Farmstrong Scotland - Live Well, Farm & Croft Well 
Step-Guide.pdf (farmstrongscotland.org.uk) 
 
For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 
Twitter: @FASScot 
Facebook: @FASScot 
National Advice Hub 
Phone: 0300 323 0161 
Email: advice@fas.scot 
 

Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Lawrence Martin who was a new entrant to farming. After doing an HNC in agriculture at college, he started an apprenticeship with Lantra and SRUC. The apprenticeship gave him the opportunity to get out on farm and ultimately became a farm manager. He tells us of his farming journey, how the apprenticeship scheme works and how you can get involved in the scheme. 
 
FAS Resources  
Managing People | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 
Other Resources  
Carbeth Home Farm – an an adventure in ecology, agriculture and tourism 
From apprentice with no farming background to farm manager | The Scottish Farmer 
Apprenticeships - Lantra 
Study at SRUC | Apprenticeships 
Modern Apprentice Lawrence Martin tells us how much he enjoys his career in farming - YouTube 
 
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 
Twitter: @FASScot 
Facebook: @FASScot 
 
National Advice Hub 
Phone: 0300 323 0161 
Email: advice@fas.scot 

Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Lucy Mitchell.  Lucy was an active member of Young Farmers from her early twenties and went on to become national chair of SAYFC from 2022 to 2023.  Lucy has recently handed over this role, and she tells us about what Young Farmers is, what sort of opportunities it gives young people, and what her year as national chair was like. 
Related Resources: 
Lucy Mitchell | LinkedIn 
The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs | SAYFC 
You searched for lucy mitchell - Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (sayfc.org) 
Scottish Rural Leadership Programme | Elevator UK 
Challenge of Rural Leadership - Worshipful Company of Farmers (farmerslivery.org.uk) 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 
Twitter: @FASScot 
Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 
Phone: 0300 323 0161 
Email: advice@fas.scot 

Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Ana Allamand. Ana grew up in Chile before moving to Scotland. She tells us about agriculture in Chile and her work over here with the Soil Association. Ana works to bring farmers together to learn from each other and foster innovation, and has great knowledge about how culture and agriculture fit together.
FAS Resources
FAS Connect | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

Other Resources
Agreocology project series:
Facilitating the Transition; Enabling the Transition; Strengthening Livelihoods.

Soil Association Scotland
Our Work In Scotland (soilassociation.org)
Twitter: Soil Association Scotland (@SoilAssocScot) / X (twitter.com)

Soil Association (UK wide)
Soil Association
Twitter: Soil Association (@SoilAssociation) / X (twitter.com)

Other organisations Ana mentioned:
Nourish
Nature Friendly Farming Network
Landworkers Alliance
Pasture Fed Livestock Association
Scottish Crofting Federation
Parkhill Farm
Aipple cider

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: advice@fas.scot