BBC Local Radio is handing the airwaves to farmers across England this Thursday as part of a full-day farming special for BBC Farmwatch.
The initiative will run for 24 hours across all 39 BBC Local Radio stations, highlighting the people, stories and challenges behind British farming today.
From sunrise milking to late-night harvesting, the broadcasts will give listeners a first-hand account of life on the land, featuring stories from every corner of the country.
Special programming will be led by Harriet Cowan, known for her work on Clarkson’s Farm, and The Great British Bake Off’s Mike Wilkins. Together they’ll host a live show on each BBC Local Radio station, sharing updates and speaking with farmers working in fields, barns and dairies.
One of the highlights will be ‘Combine-Cam’ – a live video feed from a combine harvester allowing audiences to follow the harvest in real-time and interact with the farmers mid-field.
Features will include:
* Jo Lawrence in Herefordshire, who took over her family’s 200-acre farm aged just 17 and now manages more than 1,500 sheep and cattle.
* A look into the impact of farm fires in the East and West Midlands.
* A profile of a fifth-generation wool farmer in County Durham.
* A 12-hour live outside broadcast from a Somerset farm that also makes gelato.
Chris Burns, Head of Local Audio Commissioning at the BBC, said: “Farming communities are the lifeblood of this country and we’re proud that BBC Local can once again bring their real stories to our audiences.”
Farmwatch will also extend to BBC Sounds, BBC News, and even make its way into The Archers on BBC Radio 4, where characters in Ambridge will be shown tuning into their local Farmwatch broadcast.
BBC Farmwatch starts Thursday 7 August on all BBC Local Radio stations and on BBC Sounds.
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk