The Plodcast

Join Jules Hudson, host of Escape to the Country, as he shares practical tips on transitioning from city life to the countryside. Explore the appeal of rural living, renovating rural properties, and integrating into a new community. Don't miss listener letters expressing gratitude for the podcast's influence and exciting plans for future countryside-themed episodes.

Mackenzie Crook, known for The Office and Detectorists, talks about his new Worzel Gummidge film and his love for nature. Topics include filming challenges, connecting children with nature, lockdown experiences, friendship with a robin, and creating adaptations. The podcast also discusses the absence of hedgehogs, love for Suffolk, and different bird species like Nightjars and Nightingales.

Author Nick Hayes discusses the lack of public access to English countryside, historical land ownership, benefits of opening land to the public, promoting nature education, challenging trespassing regulations, and advocating for greater freedom to roam.

Georgie Bray, Manager of Hope Farm in Cambridgeshire, discusses sustainable farming practices integrating agriculture and wildlife conservation. Topics include crop rotation, Fair to Nature certification, profitability through crop sales, diverse habitats for bird species, and managing wildlife-friendly farming practices. The podcast explores the rich ecosystem beneath the soil surface, increasing bird populations, and the challenges of navigating gender dynamics in farm management.

Modern herbalist Maria Fernandez-Garcia discusses foraging for autumn edibles like hawthorn berries and nettle seeds, dandelion roots for coffee, elderberries for immune support, and various plants for culinary and medicinal uses. Explore the abundance of nature's offerings and learn how to incorporate them into your diet and herbal remedies.

Join the host on a tranquil ramble through the Menai Straits in North Wales, encountering rare butterflies and curlews. Explore a forgotten peninsula with a mix of wildlife and historic landscapes, including old docks and forts. Experience the calming sounds of the environment and the beauty of wildflower-filled sand dunes.

Horrible Histories, Ghosts, and Detectorists star Simon Farnaby discusses his new children's book 'The Wizard in My Shed' blending history with nature. He explores the importance of connecting with nature, writing for children, and his roles in Horrible Histories. Simon also reflects on the discovery of Richard III's remains and shares filming experiences in countryside-based comedies. Additionally, he talks about his favorite part of Britain and British wild animal preferences.

Join storyteller Martin Maudsley on a spooky dusk walk in Dorset as he shares eerie tales of spirits, strange events, and weird wildlife. From the mysteries of Blood Lane to haunting folk tales and ancestral memories in a graveyard, be prepared to be thrilled and chilled this Halloween season.

Hunter-naturalist Rob Yorke discusses wildlife, farming, hunting, and rewilding in the Black Mountains. They explore the unique landscape, conservation efforts, modern farming practices, changing bird populations, challenges in rewilding upland areas, and the complexities of food waste and environmental impact.

Nature writer Helen Macdonald discusses her new book 'Vesper Flights' and her passion for wildlife. Topics include her childhood connection to nature, academic journey, glowworms, favorite British landscapes, and themes of belonging and hope in her latest book.