Ear to the Ground / Clust i'r Ddaear

#128- Agroforestry advantage - shelter soil and livestock

Listen to find out why more and more farmers are planting trees for the sake of their stock, their soil, and their bottom line.   Agroforestry is one of the most exciting and fast‑growing areas of sustainable farming, and in this episode, we're breaking it down to what really matters, cutting through the jargon and get right to the practical stuff:  how to plan design agroforestry systems that work for your farm without overcomplicating it how shelterbelts and tree strips genuinely improve livestock wellbeing and performance, and what it really takes to get trees in the ground on a working farm. And we've got a seriously strong line‑up: Clive Thomas – Soil Association The planner shaping agroforestry systems that fit and strengthen commercial farm businesses. Dr Lindsay Whistance – Organic Research Centre Animal behaviour expert revealing why your stock absolutely have opinions on shade and shelter. Rhodri Lloyd Williams, Moelgolemen Farm, Tal y Bont Upland sheep and beef farmer who's already putting agroforestry into action and seeing the results. If you're curious about agroforestry or wondering how trees can genuinely make your farming easier, more resilient and more profitable, this is the episode to start with. Listen now and discover The Agroforestry Advantage.     Gwrandewch i ddarganfod pam mae mwy a mwy o ffermwyr yn plannu coed er lles eu stoc, eu pridd, a'u llinell waelod. Mae amaethgoedwigaeth yn un o'r meysydd mwyaf cyffrous ac sy'n tyfu gyflymaf ym maes ffermio cynaliadwy, ac yn y benod hon rydym yn torri'r pwnc i lawr i'r hyn sy'n bwysicaf, mynd heibio'r jargon ac yn mynd yn syth at ymarferoldeb: sut i gynllunio a dylunio systemau amaethgoedwigaeth sy'n gweithio i'ch fferm heb ei gymhlethu sut mae lleiniau cysgod a rhigolau coed yn gwella lles a pherfformiad da byw yn wirioneddol, a beth sydd wir ei angen i gael coed i'r ddaear ar fferm weithredol. Ac mae gennym ni restr wirioneddol gref o westeion: Clive Thomas – Cymdeithas Pridd Y Cynllunydd sy'n siapio systemau amaethgoedwigaeth sy'n briodol i fusnesau fferm masnachol ac yn eu cryfhau. Dr Lindsay Whistance – Canolfan Ymchwil Organig Arbenigwraig ymddygiad anifeiliaid sy'n datgelu pam bod eich stoc yn bendant gyda barn am gysgod a lloches. Rhodri Lloyd Williams – Fferm Moelgolemen, Tal y Bont Ffermwr defaid a buches mynydd sydd eisoes yn rhoi amaethgoedwigaeth ar waith ac yn gweld y canlyniadau. Os ydych chi'n chwilfrydig am amaethgoedwigaeth neu'n meddwl sut y gall coed wneud eich ffermio'n haws, yn fwy gwydn ac yn fwy proffidiol, dyma'r bennod i ddechrau gyda hi. Gwrandewch nawr a darganfod mantais Amaethgoedwigaeth.

#127- Using acoustic sensors to monitor farm biodiversity

Farmers know their land better than anyone — but keeping track of the wildlife that visits their farms can be a challenge. Traditional bird surveys require time and specialist knowledge, so a new project is turning to innovative, AI‑powered technology to help.   In this episode, we explore how Chirrup acoustic monitors are being used across fourteen farms in Wales to automatically capture and identify birdsong during the dawn chorus. These small, battery‑powered devices record daily over a 2–3 week period, generating invaluable insights into the birdlife found on a wide range of farm types, from upland sheep farms to productive lowland dairy units.   Farming Connect Biodiversity Officer Lynfa Davies visits Rhys Davies of Moor Farm in Holywell to discover which species are thriving on his North Wales dairy farm. They're joined by ornithologist Keith Offord, who helps unpack the project's encouraging findings and what they reveal about biodiversity on working farms.   Tune in to learn how technology, farming, and conservation are coming together to better understand and support Wales's bird populations.   Pennod 127 - Defnyddio synwyryddion acwstig i fonitro bioamrywiaeth ffermydd Mae ffermwyr yn adnabod eu tir yn well nag unrhyw un - ond gall cadw golwg ar y bywyd gwyllt sy'n ymweld â'u ffermydd fod yn her. Mae arolygon adar traddodiadol yn gofyn am amser a gwybodaeth arbenigol, felly mae prosiect newydd yn troi at dechnoleg arloesol, wedi'i grymuso gan ddeallusrwydd artiffisial (AI) i helpu.    Yn y bennod hon, rydym yn edrych ar sut mae monitorau acwstig Chirrup yn cael eu defnyddio ar draws pedair fferm ar ddeg yng Nghymru i ddal ac adnabod cân yr adar yn awtomatig yn ystod côr y wawr. Mae'r dyfeisiau bach hyn, sy'n cael eu pweru gan fatri, yn recordio'n ddyddiol dros gyfnod o 2-3 wythnos, gan roi cipolwg amhrisiadwy ar yr adar sy'n bresennol ar ystod eang o ffermydd, o ffermydd defaid ucheldir i unedau llaeth cynhyrchiol ar dir isel.    Mae Lynfa Davies, Swyddog Bioamrywiaeth Cyswllt Ffermio, yn ymweld â Rhys Davies o Moor Farm yn Nhreffynnon i ddarganfod pa rywogaethau sy'n ffynnu ar ei fferm laeth yng Ngogledd Cymru. Mae'r adaregydd Keith Offord yn ymuno â nhw, sy'n helpu i ddadansoddi canfyddiadau calonogol y prosiect a'r hyn maen nhw'n ei ddatgelu am fioamrywiaeth ar ffermydd gweithredol.    Gwrandewch ar y bennod hon er mwyn dysgu sut mae technoleg, ffermio a chadwraeth yn dod at ei gilydd i ddeall a chefnogi poblogaethau adar Cymru yn well.  

#126- Avian Influenza and poultry shed lighting

Welcome to another chance to catch up on a Farming Connect webinar recorded in November 2025. In this episode, we're joined by Ian Jones, MRCVS, Director of Hafren Veterinary Group, for an important update on Avian Influenza and practical biosecurity measures. Ian also shares insights on achieving optimum poultry shed lighting, and we'll hear of a successful project at Glanalders where traditional strip lights were replaced with LEDs in a 16,000-layer shed—delivering impressive results. #126- Ffliw Adar a goleuadau sied ddofednodCroeso i gyfle arall i ddal i fyny ar weminar Cyswllt Ffermio a recordiwyd ym mis Tachwedd 2025. Yn y bennod hon, mae Ian Jones, MRCVS, Cyfarwyddwr Grŵp Milfeddygol Hafren, yn ymuno â ni am ddiweddariad pwysig ar Ffliw Adar a mesurau bioddiogelwch ymarferol. Mae Ian hefyd yn rhannu golwg fanylach ar gyflawni'r goleuadau gorau posibl mewn sied ddofednod, a byddwn yn clywed am brosiect llwyddiannus ar fferm Glanalders lle cafodd goleuadau stribed traddodiadol eu disodli gan oleuadau LED mewn sied gyda16,000 o ieir —gan gyflawni canlyniadau trawiadol.

#125- Farming Connect Our Farms: Woodland, biodiversity, and carbon insights

Join the specialists from the Farming Connect team as they pull back the curtain on the crucial baseline studies conducted within the Our Farms Network. In this episode, we dive into the data collection process and the practical application of assessments focused on woodland management, biodiversity enhancement, and on-farm carbon footprints. The team discusses how these detailed studies identify opportunities for improving business efficiency and environmental stewardship. Discover: The purpose and findings of the woodland, biodiversity and carbon baseline studies.   - Real-world examples of how these findings have shaped new on-farm trials. - Actionable advice for farmers on how to utilise this information for future planning. - The first practical steps other farmers can take to prepare for and implement similar assessments on their own farms.   This is essential listening for any farmer looking to benchmark key aspects of their system and enhance the environmental value of their farm business.   #125 - Ein Ffermydd Cyswllt Ffermio: Golwg fanylach ar goetiroedd, bioamrywiaeth, a charbon Ymunwch â'r arbenigwyr o dîm Cyswllt Ffermio wrth iddynt agor y llen ar yr astudiaethau llinell sylfaen hanfodol a gynhaliwyd o fewn Rhwydwaith Ein Ffermydd. Yn y bennod hon, rydym yn edrych yn fanwl ar y broses o gasglu data a chamau ymarferol asesiadau sy'n canolbwyntio ar reoli coetiroedd, gwella bioamrywiaeth, ac ôl troed carbon ar y fferm. Mae'r tîm yn trafod sut mae'r astudiaethau manwl hyn yn nodi cyfleoedd i wella effeithlonrwydd busnes a stiwardiaeth amgylcheddol. Darganfyddwch: Diben a chanfyddiadau astudiaethau llinell sylfaen coetiroedd, bioamrywiaeth a charbon. - Enghreifftiau o sut mae'r canfyddiadau hyn wedi llunio arbrofion newydd ar y fferm. - Cyngor ymarferol i ffermwyr ar sut i ddefnyddio'r wybodaeth hon i gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol. - Y camau ymarferol cyntaf y gall ffermwyr eraill eu cymryd i baratoi ar gyfer asesiadau tebyg ar eu ffermydd eu hunain ac i'w rhoi ar waith. Mae'n bwysig i unrhyw ffermwr sy'n edrych i feincnodi agweddau allweddol ar eu system a gwella gwerth amgylcheddol eu busnes fferm wrando ar y podlediad.

#122- Building better pastures and productivity by focusing on soil health

Welcome to the third episode in our special series on profitable and productive farming in Wales! Host Ifan Jones Evans is joined by leading independent plant and soil health educator, Joel Williams, to dive into the most vital resource on your farm: your soil.                                                                                                                                                          This episode is essential listening for livestock farmers looking to build better pastures and boost overall productivity by focusing on the fundamentals of soil health. Joel Williams brings his wealth of practical experience from Australia, the UK, and Canada, integrating soil and plant analyses to help farmers optimize production and manage soil biology.                                                                                                                                                         Tune in to unlock the potential beneath your feet! Key points:  Improving soil health: A fundamental overview of how soil works and strategies for building resilient systems.  Soil testing: The basics of taking a proper soil test and how to correctly interpret the results.  The compaction challenge: Practical advice for overcoming compaction issues specifically on  livestock farms.  Cutting the costs: How transitioning to healthy soils can significantly reduce your nitrogen  fertiliser bill.  Sward management: Strategies for successfully including clover into the sward and  leveraging multi-species swards alongside rotational grazing techniques.                                                                                                                                                                                This series has been formulated in partnership with Precision Grazing Ltd. They are experts in livestock enterprises and work with numerous Farming Connect registered businesses to create resilience and sustained profit.