Chris Skinner's Countryside Podcasts

High Ash Farm
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Nature
  • Updated Weekly

  Nature, Wildlife and Countryside Living with Chris Skinner from High Ash Farm Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer, takes a unique approach to farming, prioritizing biodiversity and wildlife conservation in every practice. Tune in every Sunday morning as Chris, alongside broadcaster Matthew Gudgin, explores topics on nature, wildlife, and rural life. Join them for strolls through High Ash Farm and beyond, spotting wildlife and addressing your queries about the natural world. Email questions for Chris to answer to Chris@highashfarm.com

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 2.80 - Butterfly Banquets and Nettle Nurseries

    Send us Fan Mail On another scorching July morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin explore the extraordinary abundance of butterflies thriving despite the relentless heat. Among thistle-lined field margins they encounter meadow browns, green-veined whites, six-spot burnet moths, peacocks and a surprise brimstone butterfly, while Chris explains how drought, migration and nectar-rich wildflower crops shape the fortunes of Britain's summer butterflies. The pair then visit a carefully managed patch of stinging nettles, where Chris reveals why he deliberately mows sections each year to produce fresh growth for caterpillars. From eggs and hungry larvae to chrysalises and adult butterflies, he follows the complete life cycle of species including the small tortoiseshell and red admiral, showing how thoughtful habitat management can make a remarkable difference to wildlife. Along the way they admire brilliant blue chicory flowers glowing beside the farm walks, discuss their surprising culinary history, and enjoy yet more butterfly encounters among teasels and wildflowers. Listener letters bring plenty to ponder, including brimstone butterflies, haymaking and wildlife, horse mushrooms after summer thunderstorms, roosting rooks and pipistrelle bats, organic wildflower strips, protecting swallows during heatwaves, and a dramatic crab spider feasting on a bumblebee. This episode is a celebration of Britain's summer butterflies and the hidden importance of their humble food plants—ideal for discovering how nettles, wildflowers and careful conservation combine to keep the countryside alive with colour and life. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19479846-episode-2-80-butterfly-banquets-and-nettle-nurseries.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    47 min

  2. Jul 4

    Episode 2.79 - Hayfield Kites and House Martin Mud

    Send us Fan Mail On a glorious early-July morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner rises at 6 a.m. to follow Neil mowing hay across Cantley Hill. A swirling flock of lesser black-backed gulls and red kites follows the mower, hunting small mammals and insects disturbed by the blades. Later, they watch the tedder fluffing and turning the crop in the intense summer heat, while Chris explains the shift from traditional small bales to modern Heston bales. In the farmyard, a delightful surprise: house martins gathering mud for nests — late arrivals whose origin remains a mystery. A massive honeybee swarm forms a football-sized ball on a pine branch, the old queen and workers seeking a new home. They also admire vibrant sainfoin and colourful wildflowers, including beautiful field bindweed, in the meadows. Listener letters bring warmth: cockchafer beetles (“blind bees”), Scottish hedgerows, summer bird feeding, and more. This episode bubbles with the energy of high summer — ideal for savouring haymaking drama, bee swarms, late-arriving martins, and the colourful meadows of High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19441037-episode-2-79-hayfield-kites-and-house-martin-mud.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    38 min

  3. Jun 27

    Episode 2.78 - Foxglove Spires and Peregrine Kills

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy mid-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin stand among towering foxgloves in dappled woodland — spectacular spikes of purple, pink and white, buzzing with bumblebees. Chris explains their biennial life cycle, vast seed production, and the important heart medicine (digitalis) derived from them. Nearby, a sobering discovery: the fresh remains of a little owl, plucked by a peregrine falcon near a busy road — a stark reminder of the raw predator-prey balance on the farm. They then admire a vibrant stand of sainfoin (wholesome hay) in the wildflower field, its pink blooms alive with bees and its deep roots fixing nitrogen in the light soil. Listener letters add warmth: a rescued spotted turtle dove in Tasmania, sweet cicely’s aniseed burst, and more. This episode captures high summer’s beauty and its sometimes brutal realities — ideal for savouring the tall foxglove spires, nitrogen-rich meadows, and the unfiltered dramas of life at High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19360959-episode-2-78-foxglove-spires-and-peregrine-kills.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    39 min

  4. Jun 20

    Episode 2.77 - Dragonfly Dances and Bee Swarm Ball

    Send us Fan Mail On a glorious hot mid-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin begin at the maturing lake, alive with emperor dragonflies laying eggs, banded damselflies, and thousands of tiny fish fry (young roach and rudd) shimmering just beneath the surface. Swallows and house martins swoop low for drinks while a little grebe dives nearby. The pair then witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles — a huge honeybee swarm forming a football-sized ball on a pine branch, the old queen and thousands of workers in holiday mood seeking a new home. They walk through vibrant wildflower areas filled with sainfoin, field mint, woundwort and the beautiful pink-and-white trumpets of field bindweed — a plant farmers dread but which dazzles in the sunshine. Chris reflects on the start of hay cutting and the changing rhythms of high summer. Listener letters add delight: cockchafer beetles (“blind bees”), Scottish hedgerows, feeding birds in summer, and more. This episode is a sun-drenched celebration of high summer’s bounty — from dragonfly-studded waters and bee swarms to colourful meadows — ideal for savouring the warmth, wonder and busy life of the countryside in full swing. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19376539-episode-2-77-dragonfly-dances-and-bee-swarm-ball.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    44 min

  5. Jun 13

    Episode 2.76 - Pyramidal Splendour and Honey Fungus Worries

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy, showery mid-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin walk through the magnificent wildflower meadows, now refreshed by welcome rain after weeks of drought. The pyramidal orchids are at their spectacular best — tall, vivid pink-purple spikes rising through oxeye daisies and yellow rattle — while Chris reflects on their long life cycles, chalk-loving habitat, and the extraordinary numbers appearing this year. They also admire viper’s bugloss with its striking blue flowers and snake-like features, and discover dyer’s weld, an ancient dye plant linked to Neolithic cloth-making. A dramatic close-up encounter with a young hornet feeding on sugary extrusion from an oak tree (possibly honey fungus) adds fascination, alongside swallows skimming low, skylarks rising, and a marsh harrier quartering the fields. Listener letters bring extra warmth: advice on managing new wildflower fields, redstarts and sand martins on Dartmoor, swift callers succeeding, RSPB summer feeding guidance, and more. This episode celebrates the colourful revival of high summer — ideal for savouring the orchid-rich meadows, ancient dye plants, and the busy dramas of insects and birds at High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19341757-episode-2-76-pyramidal-splendour-and-honey-fungus-worries.mp3?download=true Learn about chalk stream ecology Explore hornet nest biology Include listener Q&A topics Think Harder Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    47 min

  6. Jun 6

    Episode 2.75 - Bee Orchid Wonders and Mistle Thrush Meadows

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy early-June morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin walk through one of the glorious wildflower meadows carpeted in oxeye daisies, yellow rattle and other species. Chris reveals the hidden wonders of bee orchids — their pink, bee-mimicking flowers, extraordinarily long life cycle involving mycorrhizal fungi, and the fact that the plants die completely after flowering once they’ve set seed. They also enjoy a large gathering of mistle thrushes on the horse-grazed pastures near active rabbit warrens. Chris explains rabbit social hierarchy, burrowing habits, double digestion (re-eating soft pellets), and their long history in the British countryside. Listener letters bring extra interest: brimstone moth identification, brown-tail moth caterpillars spinning colonial webs on spindle, moth trapping at High Ash, tawny owl boxes, and more. This episode is a beautiful celebration of wildflower meadows, mysterious orchids, and the everyday dramas of rabbits and thrushes — ideal for savouring the rich tapestry of early summer at its colourful best. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19304173-episode-2-75-bee-orchid-wonders-and-mistle-thrush-meadows.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    52 min

  7. May 30

    Episode 2.74 - Firethorn Butterflies and Heatwave Heartbreak

    Send us Fan Mail On a breezy, sunny late-May morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner rejoices in an extraordinary influx of Painted Lady butterflies drawn to the pyracantha (firethorn) bushes around his house. He explains this “eruption” — a mass arrival from southern Europe fleeing extreme heat and nectar shortages — turning the thorny evergreens into a fluttering feast for these powerful migrants. The pair also enjoy green hairstreaks dancing along the long new hedgerow, their iridescent green underwings flashing in the sun, and visit the maturing lake where yellow flag iris (queen of the marshes) shines and the first damselflies and emperor dragonflies hawk over the water. A charming little grebe (dabchick) dives nearby. Chris reflects on the sad loss of around 20 swallow chicks during the recent 30°C+ heatwave in the stables. Listener letters add warmth: tawny owl nesting and pellet advice, ladybirds mating, a brave sparrow vs squirrel, whirligig beetles, swift callers bringing new arrivals, wildlife camera recommendations, and more. This episode captures the dazzling highs and occasional lows of a changeable late spring — ideal for marvelling at butterfly migrations, wetland beauty, and the unstoppable rhythm of the seasons at High Ash Farm. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19265370-episode-2-74-firethorn-butterflies-and-heatwave-heartbreak.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    45 min

  8. May 23

    Episode 2.73 - Holly Blue Heaven and Fox Cub Frolics

    Send us Fan Mail On a bright late-May morning at High Ash Farm, Chris Skinner is thrilled by the appearance of a stunning male holly blue butterfly basking in one of the wildflower meadows. He explains its remarkable two-brood life cycle — using holly in spring and ivy later in the year — and the joy of seeing these tiny blue gems after a cold spell.  The pair then head to Cantley Hill Plantation, where a family of young fox cubs has taken over an old badger sett. Chris shares trail-camera footage of the adventurous six-week-old cubs exploring, learning their territory, and playing near rabbit warrens, while discussing fox family behaviour, vocalisations, and the natural balance between predators and prey.  A drive along the farm’s flourishing 2007-planted hedgerows showcases the growing biodiversity, with new oak trees and wildflowers supporting butterflies and birds. Swifts finally arrive, drinking from the lake, signalling high summer. Listener letters bring extra delight: first swifts in North Norfolk, whirligig beetles, a brave house sparrow chasing a squirrel, sand martins on Dartmoor, and an explanation of Heston bales.  This episode is a joyful celebration of summer’s winged arrivals and the lively antics of young foxes — ideal for savouring the bright beauty and natural dramas unfolding across the countryside. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/19226835-episode-2-73-holly-blue-heaven-and-fox-cub-frolics.mp3?download=true Support the show Please email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast to Chris@highashfarm.com This podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-12 or from the Podcast page here: Podcast | High Ash Farm

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

  Nature, Wildlife and Countryside Living with Chris Skinner from High Ash Farm Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer, takes a unique approach to farming, prioritizing biodiversity and wildlife conservation in every practice. Tune in every Sunday morning as Chris, alongside broadcaster Matthew Gudgin, explores topics on nature, wildlife, and rural life. Join them for strolls through High Ash Farm and beyond, spotting wildlife and addressing your queries about the natural world. Email questions for Chris to answer to Chris@highashfarm.com

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