From Field to Fork — Jersey's farming heritage

In the latest episode of our ‘Small Island, Big Story Sessions’ podcast, hosts Mel and Perry explore our Island’s farming heritage. From Jersey’s unique natural landscape to celebrating local farmers today, we speak to Taylor Smythe, from Farm Jersey, and Lucy Layton, Jersey Heritage’s Exhibitions Curator, as we dig into the research behind our new ‘Field to Fork’ exhibition at Hamptonne.  

To find out more about the ‘Field to Fork’ exhibition, go to www.jerseyheritage.org/visit/whats-on/field-to-fork/  

To support our work become a Member, visit our website to find out more. 

Transcript

Jersey Heritage Podcast ‘Small Island, Big Story Sessions’

Field to fork with Lucy Layton & Taylor Smythe

Perry (00:02):

Welcome to the Jersey Heritage Podcast,

Mel (00:05):

The Small Island Big Story sessions.

Perry (00:08):

You are listening to Mellon Perry.

Mel (00:11):

In today's episode, we will be exploring the powerful connection between food, heritage, and identity. We are joined by Jersey Heritage Exhibitions curator, Lucy Layton and Farm Jersey local food and farming program lead Taylor Smythe. Together they've been collaborating on a really special project that champions local growers and their deep rooted connections to the land. This episode digs deep into the knowledge and traditions that sustain our food systems, and it truly celebrates our local growers and how farming moves through to the future. Thank you so much for joining us today, Lucy.

Lucy (00:47):

Thanks for inviting me along.

Mel (00:49):

So today's topic is obviously all about field to fork stories of Jersey farming and food. Why do we feel this topic is so important?

Lucy (00:58):

Well, I think there's always been a long interest in Jersey's agricultural history. We were essentially an island of farmers and fishermen going back centuries, way before tourism, and of course more latterly. The finance industry became our main industries. So farming is so much a pass of our heritage and our culture. But I think over the years, particularly since the second World War, we've gradually lost that connection between farming and food. I think a lot of people nowadays, they just go to the supermarket, buy the food they want, they expect food available all year round, you know, strawberries in the middle of winter. And we've really lost that connection between food production and, and farming. And particularly coming from a farming island, I think it's really sad that so many of us have lost that connection. And I think there is a growing interest in food and where it comes from.

Lucy (01:52):

And so it was sort of with our new exhibition, we're expanding on what we did a few years ago with our Bon Appetit exhibition at Jersey Museum. And that was looking at very much jersey's sort of food culture historically, but then looking at food culture today. And we wanted to take that one step further and we thought the food was a really good way into the topic of farming for people who might not think, oh, I don't, you know, I'm not particularly interested in how we used to grow potatoes. Food is really, you know, is a subject that's important to all of us. And it's a way into looking at traditional farming practices and how actually young farmers today as are starting to explore some of those traditional practices in looking at a more sustainable way to create our food.

Mel (02:34):

Yeah, absolutely. I think it's really interesting how heritage can tell these stories and give it real context in terms of, you know, how we move forward and how food production is done now. So let's talk a bit about the landscape. 'cause Obviously jersey's very unique and why is that?

Lucy (02:50):

Well, we've been working with our colleagues at the Jersey Island Geo Park, and they shared lots of information about the geology of the island. And there is a very specific landscape which we're, we are farming. So for example, the Cotils are steeply sloping fields, which generally slope to the south. So they capture the early spring sunshine. It's because of that underlying geology that we've had for a century or more and early potato crop. And then things like our deep valley systems that run from north to south, those streams powered our watermills in the past for grinding our corn. So underlying our farming practices, there is this geology, this landscape we're working in. But then also farmers, of course, are the custodians of the landscape. So they have over the centuries shaped the landscape, the countryside that we see today. So even today, if you're characterizing the jersey landscape, it's very much about small lanes and steep banks.

Lucy (03:48):

And those, those hedges, those banks were actually built around the early 18th century to provide shelter for the apple orchards, which dominated the landscape at that time. I didn't know that. So prior to that, Jersey was very much about grazing sheep and there was a whole industry involved, a whole industry revolving around knitting stockings for export. So it was very much open land for grazing sheep. And then the planting of orchards became our, and cider production became our dominant industry. And so fields were enclosed with these banks, hedge, hedge rows planted with small trees and hedging. And so that very much altered the shape of the landscape. But at one time, about 20% of the island was covered in orchards. So it was very distinctive. It really had a big impact on, on on the, the, the look and feel of the island.

Lucy (04:41):

And then of course in the 19th century we moved into cattle and potatoes as our main agricultural industries, our main export industries. So again, that reshaped the island. The apple trees were grubbed up and the orchards were replaced by fields for grazing cattle and for planting potatoes. And as I mentioned before, those southerly sloping coates again were really important in, in capturing the warmth of the sun in the spring. And so we had a potato that cropped earlier than farmers in, in England. And so we had a big export industry and that was very, you know, very valuable commodity for local farmers.

Mel (05:23):

Yeah, it's amazing when you think about the context of our island historically, how we've come to be where we are today based on all these amazing kind of unique factors that make Jersey so, you know, special I suppose.

Lucy (05:36):

Mm-Hmm. And that's very much reflected in the architecture. The jersey farmstead as it developed to, you know, you'd have a, a main house, you'd have a barn, you'd have pigsty, a bake house. So all those farm stairs and a lot of those buildings remain around the island today. You can see all the evidence of how farming was really important to the island. And of course in the past we were very much an island of small mixed farms. You know, nowadays we have a very small number of very large herds of cattle in the past in cattles were kept as part of a mixed farms. So farmers would be growing crops, they might keep some pigs, they might have a, have a few sheep, cattle would be part of that mix. But the herds are very small. And I read a quite a fascinating statistic.

Lucy (06:25):

I think there were just before the occupation there were 1800 small farms or small holdings. So in an island of 45 square miles. So it's incredible. Yeah. So the farming has really, really changed in that post-war period. It became much more about larger farms, but now there's been a kind of return to people wanting to get into farming. And of course you can't afford to buy unless you own your family, own the land. You can't afford to buy a huge farm. But small scale farming, a small holding is an achievable way to get into the industry. So there's been a resurgence of people exploring that very, you know, small scale farming.

Mel (07:06):

And I guess this is why sites that we have like Hampton, that we help to manage are so special in that way that people can come along and actually visit a site that is still, you know, represents all the things you're talking about.

Lucy (07:18):

Yeah, I mean, Hampton is a classic example of a, a farmstead that's grown up over centuries. So we have the Longa house, which is the oldest part of the farm, and there you have accommodation with external steps leading to the living quarters above where the animals would've been housed below. So the heat from the animals would've helped warm the, the living quarters above. And so you have people and animals living in very close proximity. And then you have the main house that developed later on. So you can, you can see, you know, the ion farmstead developing over time. So you know, sort of fancier accommodation for people. Then you have the barn and the, the stables a separate housing for the animals. Yeah. So it's a really fascinating place to see that transition of a classic jersey farmstead.

Mel (08:07):

I also find it really amazing that Jersey heritage, in terms of our teams internally are collaborating in this kind of storytelling. 'cause Obviously we have an education program that really focuses on, you know, farming. Can we expand on that for our listeners?

Lucy (08:22):

Yeah. Our Rural Connections program, that's the education program where our education team invites schools up to Hamptonne. So it's a wonderful place Hampton to teach children about farming. Lots of children grow up in Jersey and they have very little connection with the countryside and very little connection to food production. They probably don't even realize how lot of their food is, is produced. So they come up to Hampton and they get a chance to explore the farm. They go and explore the, the cider orchard, the apple orchard. They look at the the chickens. They might get a chance to feed the chickens, look at the, an other animals we keep up there. We've got pigs and sheep. So they learn about the animals. But then they also have a chance to go to Le Tacheron on farm in Trinity, which is a farm run by the Le Maistre family.

Lucy (09:10):

And they are very much about looking at sustainable farming practices and looking back to the past to inform the way they farm today. So the children go up and al the farmers are great there. They spend a lot of time with the children showing them how they grow wheat and then how they mill the wheat. And that's wonderful 'cause the children get a chance to see a machine milling the wheat right in front of them to produce flour. And then excitingly last year they invited a local baker, Lucy ga up to the farm and she has a base there. So she actually uses the heritage grains that the Le Tacheron farmer growing to make bread. How cool. And the children get chance to make bread as well. So they are really seeing the line of food production from the farmer growing the crop to it being processed and then made into food they can eat,

Mel (10:01):

Which is amazing that we have that internal collaboration. But re more recently you've also, we also have an external collaboration, which would be really lovely for you to share with us.

Lucy (10:10):

So Le Tacheron Farm have been hosting the Regen gathering, which is an annual gathering, which was started by India Hamilton. And it's very much about bringing farmers together with people interested in in, in food in the island. And to look at sustainable practices, how we could improve the health of our soil. They bring in speakers from the uk last year they had someone from the Soil Association, they have UK farmers who are interested in these topics as well. And it's just such a amazing, vibrant place for exchange of ideas for people to learn about different practices. There's talks, but it's very hands-on as well. And also there's good food as part of the event. And it really stirred my, stirred my own curiosity and made me think this is a really important story to tell at Hampton. Not just the history of farming, but how this is a really important community.

Lucy (11:06):

Farmers today are facing all kinds of challenges from global warming, high-production costs. Often it's things outta their control, like geopolitics the Ukraine war. And now the Iran War has, you know, having a real effect on fertilizer costs. And so it's really important that we as consumers try and support local farmers and things like hedge veg honesty boxes on the roadside. I mean, that's a really important way for Jersey people to connect with very directly with growers, rather than going to the supermarket, going to the honesty boxes, and they can buy food direct from farmers and really get a sense of who's produced their food, where their food has come from, what's seasonal. That's really, really important. 'cause We all live in a world of supermarkets where you can get the same food all year round. And I think if you buy direct from the farmer, you actually get a sense of what's in what's in season. And also the, you know, you value food when you see how it's been grown.

Mel (12:07):

I think what's really amazing about all the things you've just shared with us about what we're doing now is that this element of community is something that's, it's our legacy. It's part of what has happened in the past. So what other types of community gatherings do you think are important to, to kind of pay tribute to and to think about?

Lucy (12:23):

Yeah, I mean, farming has always been very much a community endeavour. Of course. Farmers tended to be smalls and in the past people live fairly self sufficiently. They would have a few animals of different sorts. They would be growing some, some grain. So they were fairly self-sufficient. But there were things that they had to do collaboratively, such as the deep plowing before you planted potatoes, they tended to get together to share their horses, to plow together because it was a job that required a lot of people. And then there are also things like racking traditions. So racking seaweed was part of the traditional way to fertilize the fields before you planted your potatoes. Again, it was very labor intensive. So people would, farmers would go, go down and they would be at the shore at the same time loading their, their carts with seaweed to take back to the farm and the whole family would be involved.

Lucy (13:19):

So yeah, it was very much a community event and it's, that's all part of our intangible cultural heritage, those farming traditions, which were so important to the Jersey way of life. And of course there are all kinds of sort of stories and Jerriaise phrases and also food associated though with those traditions such as racking buns, which don't include any seaweed in the recipe, but they were buns a bit like a rock cake, I suppose, that you, they were pretty robust and you could take in your pocket for if you were out racking and have a handy snack. So there's all kinds of our version

Mel (13:56):

Of a Cornish paste,

Lucy (13:58):

<Laugh>, all kinds of traditions associated with farming.

Mel (14:01):

Brilliant. And I think what I really love about when we look at our traditions is that they were kind of, there was a real seasonality to it, you know, throughout the year there was always something to look forward to or something to work towards. You know, it's really lovely to think about how that moves forward and how, how we create that for future generations. Mm-Hmm.

Lucy (14:18):

Yeah, I mean, things like black butter making, cider making obviously very, very seasonal. You harvest the apples and then these traditional activities take place up at Hamptonne. We still have our traditional cider making festival like Fey de Siege and the National Trust have a black butter making event. So those traditions are still being kept alive and they're really important part of the seasonal calendar.

Mel (14:43):

And what do these topics look like in terms of the future for Jersey Heritage? How are we, how are we hoping to tell these stories?

Lucy (14:50):

Well, we're gonna be telling these stories through a new exhibition at Hampton called Field to Fork. We've been working very closely with people involved with farmers today. So we commissioned Taylor Smythe to go out into the community and interview farmers today about their, not just their modern day practices, but also exploring their deep connection to the land. A lot of them are farming land that's been farmed by the families for generations. So they have that real deep connection to the land. So she's talking to them about the challenges of farming today, why people do it, but also this deep rooted connection to the land. So she's captures really important conversations through her work, and we're going to be showcasing those at Hampton, but in conjunction with the traditional farming practices of the past. And it is interesting to see how we've, we are sort of almost coming full circle after the second World War and the occupation. There was, that was a time the Green Revolution is called, where the focus globally was all about increasing food production, the introduction of fertilizers. And we're now recognizing that that had some negative impacts on local food, local varieties of of, of, of crops on the health of our soils. And so farmers now are looking to the past, looking at some of the traditional farming practices that were pursued by our forebears and seeing how we can better farm in a more sustainable way to ensure food production for the future of Jersey.

Mel (16:30):

Seeking a unique getaway. Why not book a Jersey Heritage Holiday? Let from coastal towers, cozy cottages and country apartments, we have something for everyone. Head over to our website and check availability today, Jersey Heritage members get a discount, so sign up now. Thank you very much for joining us today, Taylor.

Taylor (16:50):

Thank you so much, Melissa.

Mel (16:51):

So nice to have you in the studio.

Taylor (16:53):

It's really nice to be here.

Mel (16:54):

Okay, so you have come to the island to do some really important work and we are curious as to your background and how you've ended up here in our lovely, unique, very small island.

Taylor (17:06):

Well, I think the best way to say is I totally just washed ashore. I was in Asia for eight years before I moved to Jersey and I was working grassroots communities, really around sustainable waste management. And a lot of that had to do with community-led solutions. So talking to people, understanding what were the challenges within that place, and then what was the resourcefulness of the people there to come up with, you know, how are we gonna solve this? And so I learned so much from being in those contexts. And I ended up moving to London for a job at a sustainability consultancy and pretty quickly realized that I didn't wanna be in London. And a woman that I had met in Sri Lanka named India Hamilton, who is a local food systems expert, has done a PhD. She actually invited me to Jersey to set up a consultancy. And so that's kind of how my journey started with Jersey. I had never heard of the island as many don't. And so when I first came here, I thought the entire island looked like Rozel. And then about three weeks in, I took a, a bus journey to the big city St. Helier. And I was like, wow, <laugh>.

Taylor (18:16):

So that was,

Mel (18:17):

Yeah. Nice. And how does Jersey compare to other places that you've worked? Because I believe you've been here for how long now? Three

Taylor (18:25):

And a half years. Right.

Mel (18:26):

So how does it compare to other places you've lived and worked?

Taylor (18:29):

I think that what is so unique about Jersey is this nine by five mile island and half of the island is agricultural land by law. Within 50 meters you have a massive farmhouse, and then 50 meters up is another one. If you go to France, it's like every how many miles, I mean hundreds of miles before you see a house of that size. Which indicates to me that historically jersey has been really good at wealth generation. So whether it was the cod industry or the, you know, flour and the, the amazing mills that we had that was supplying so much of the flower to the United States back when it was the early Americas, you know, we have always seen opportunities here for markets and, you know, new wealth generation. And I think that has led to this really incredible mosaic and tapestry. Like as you're flying into Jersey, you see all of these massive old farms.

Taylor (19:23):

And so I was just so intrigued. Like I used to live in Nepal and I was in a tiny village on the border with India. There were more wild elephants than there were vehicles. And so you can imagine how remote that was. And I look over and my neighbour has a jersey cow, and they're producing everything that they need from the fertilizer, from the dung to the methane that is coming off of the biogas digester from where they're putting their poo mm-hmm <affirmative>. To make, you know, cooking fuel. Like this one cow is basically providing so much sustenance for a family. And then I come four years later to the island where this iconic jersey cow has come from to absolutely transform the world of agriculture. So you tell me, how does a place as small as Jersey have such a legacy and impact across all of these different contexts that I have visited? You know, so that was really powerful, I think.

Mel (20:26):

Yeah. So funny. I wonder if that was like a little symbol of where you were gonna go next. <Laugh> just a treasure hunt. I miss Jersey cow. Like, oh, is this where I'm gonna end up? Yeah, I think you're right. Jersey's landscape is, as we discussed earlier with Lucy, is so unique in its makeup. And you're right, such a small island can produce such a kind of worldwide impact.

Taylor (20:48):

Yeah. I mean, you look at the gory oyster collapse and you look at all of the fishing vessels that came from the UK down to here to basically fish as much as possible these oysters until that entire species was decimated. Right? And prior to that, there had been no treaty that had ever been made that basically prohibited certain boats from traveling into waters. And Paul Chambers, who's a local expert, and he spoke extensively about this, but it's amazing because that first kind of oyster collapse here actually then the ripple effect was that it passed legislation in other places to prevent things like that from happening. So once again, you point to this, this tiny little place that

Mel (21:32):

Has a big impact.

Taylor (21:33):

Definitely. And I think we often get caught up in this narrative that you have to be big to have an impact, that economies of scale are where it matters. That growth is the mindset that has driven all of our economic models for the last 120 years. But at the same time, the assumptions that bigger is necessarily better, they don't add up in Jersey. You know, they don't, we are sort of an anomaly that's proving that those assumptions aren't always true and that actually we need to remember more of what we've forgotten, which is how do you take the uniqueness of this place, the incredible resourcefulness and the, you know, entrepreneurial spirit that has enabled people here to create value and to, you know, generate wealth that extends beyond financial wealth, but also really enables an entire community or communities to live well. You know, those are the questions we need to be asking in a time where a lot of the people who are at the bottom of this, you know, a hundred thousand population are really struggling.

Taylor (22:36):

I mean, the cost of living is hitting so many people. And in part, you know, my grandparents' generation, for example, would've spent 30% of their income on food. And today people spend 9%, but food has, is the cheapest it's ever been. And yet because all of our costs are more so your rent, your electricity, your bills, because all those costs are more food feels really expensive, you know, so how do we sort of change people's relationship with how they value food so that the only solution isn't to make food cheaper, because then how does that affect farmers? Yeah, absolutely. And at the end of the day, this is a story about farmers at the center.

Mel (23:23):

So linking to that, you are currently working on a project with our exhibitions curator, Lucy Layton. Yes. Can you tell us about the project and how you've come to be a part of it?

Taylor (23:35):

Yeah. So I met Lucy a couple years ago when she was running the Bon Appetit exhibition at the Jersey Museum. And she had asked India, Hamilton and I to, to help with the seed bank. And so fast forward three years, Lucy went to a food and soil exhibition in London. And she was so moved by the experience, the fact that she felt like we're on this precipice where we could go either way. And the future looks like we're either going to have mass amounts of famine and huge water shortages and issues with soil and food distribution, and a lot of people are going to suffer and go hungry. Or we're going to have a very, from the ground up grassroots movement where people are going to start nourishing their communities, where they're gonna look at where they can grow food, how they connect that to markets, you know, what are the opportunities locally to be supporting growers or producers And, and what is my role not only as a participant in a food system, but also as a stakeholder.

Taylor (24:37):

And so what was cool about Lucy's ask was then she came to me and she said, listen, Jersey has this phenomenal maritime and agricultural heritage and history, and Jersey Heritage wants to bring together, you know, photos from the archives as well as tell the modern day stories of producers. So she said, Taylor, you're someone that's engaging with that whole side of the island and I wonder if you would give some, you know, input or help. And so I, I started to make a list of the producers to tell stories of each of these really important crops throughout the history of Jersey. And that was Apple Orchards and Vincent Obar from Samares Manor, that was Justin from Anvil and Tomatoes, that was Loma Farm representing a one and a half acre mixed farm, which is what it used to be like. Maybe, you know, not that long ago, one or two generations you have the ards, Robert and Tom, who up in St.

Taylor (25:37):

Martin have this amazing, you know, they have 200, 300 milking cows, but they came from a couple dozen initially. So, you know, you have Ken Healy, who is an avid beekeeper who represents, I would say the front lines of essentially the people who are gonna protect pollinators and the people who are gonna make, you know, any sort of lasting effort to fight against Asian hornets, which are the greatest threat right now. And bees, they pollinate all of the fruits. You know, how do we ensure that these, you know, hundreds of volunteers in Jersey are equipped with the knowledge and the skill and the community to keep going? 'cause That's essentially what this is. It's like we need help from everybody who's curious and whatever your entry point is into this, you have a role to play. But some of the other really cool people, so Laron Farm, which I understand you've heard a bit about from Lucy mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Taylor (26:41):

You know, they're really dear to my heart because we've hosted Regen gathering, which is this regenerative food and farming festival for the last four years. And that festival has really been an opportunity to bring together small, big new entrants, established farmers to essentially say we have a vested interest in this island to keep Jersey growing. And there, you know, there's this opportunity to bring people together and to be excited about growing and about community and connections. And so Le Tacheron farm is it actually means the team in Jerriase and the brothers, Alan and Charles and their cousin John Edward, have not only started growing cereals with traditional farming methods. So they take a horse drawn plow, which is how they used to do it in the old days. But then they also have built a mill with the intention of milling their own flour and then opening that to the community so other people can mill their flour. And then having people come up there and break bread and to have a bakery that's open so that you actually have the entire process right there on one farm. And they've got loads of different types of wheat. We normally just think of white and brown wheat in the supermarket, but they've got spelt, they've got barley, they've got iron, corn, you know, these are some ancient grains. We're talking 7,500 year old grains. Right. And

Mel (28:12):

Isn't it Right that, like your body, it's easier if your body to digest spell.

Taylor (28:17):

Yeah. So the way that wheat has been actually

Mel (28:22):

Modified and

Taylor (28:23):

Yeah. So what's really cool, so this farm Le Tacheron has found that General Le Maistre does that name

Mel (28:31):

Not to me, but it might resonate to one of our listeners. Okay.

Taylor (28:34):

So essentially there was a British Army officer named General Le Maistre, and he lived in Jersey and he was really famous for being one of the pioneers of plant breeding. So he was wow. Modifying wheats in the early 18 hundreds. Hmm. And his wheats, when he first published his book in the 1830s, that got picked up by Charles Darwin. Whoa. So in 1867, Charles Darwin publishes a book on plant and animal varieties referencing general laier and the wheat that he was doing over here. So fast forward 130 years and you've got 1950s, 1960s, this is the green revolution. This is how we're gonna modify wheat so that we can feed the whole world. Right. And to think that some of the earliest scientific experiments that enabled all of that came from Jersey. And now here's a farm that we're working with today, Laron, that has two dozen of those seeds that they want to bring. That land, race variety back into production is pretty spectacular.

Mel (29:43):

Yeah. The way that jersey's on the map for so many different things never ceases to blow my mind, ever. Yeah. It's actually incredible how such a tiny, tiny place has had such a huge impact globally.

Taylor (29:56):

Definitely

Mel (29:57):

Mind blowing. And can I just say that the regen gathering, I've, I've had the pleasure of going a few times since you, since you, you started putting it on. It's, you know, someone who has no kind of knowledge on farming or didn't even have much of an interest. When I see the community that you've put together in that space, it blows my mind how much richness and how much nourishment there can be when you put, when you bring community together, when you learn what's really going on in this tiny little island and how many people are doing really amazing things. It's just an incredible, you know, if anyone out there who's listening to this episode has not been to the Regen gathering, go and just listen to some of the lectures be there just to be around the community. It's actually, it's such a special, beautiful, unique festival. Would you call it a festival? Would you call it a gathering?

Taylor (30:51):

I would say a gathering. Yeah. Yeah. No,

Mel (30:54):

It feels that way. It feels like a real gathering.

Taylor (30:56):

Thank you. I think the intention is pure and it is,

Mel (31:00):

You can feel it, you can feel it. Well,

Taylor (31:01):

It's a bit of a returning to something where value is intangible and it's a multiplier effect. It is, it's about bringing people together and really celebrating the harvest, celebrating all the diversity of thought and produce and producers, you know, India, I have to give her so much credit because Regen was born out of this idea that, you know, no farmers are the same. So stop trying to label them and put them into a category and instead celebrate that diversity and, and seek them out. And, you know, each one of them has a really unique story to tell. And that's what came through for me in this project was that each one that I went out to, they were so deeply passionate about their land or about the connection that they had to this place. You know, there was a real sort of responsibility. And I feel like that in itself is, is quite rare today.

Taylor (31:55):

You know, you, you can meet a lot of people that are just kind of going through the motions and for all purposes, you know, farming is really challenging. It is harder than it's probably ever been. And why would you, you know, encourage your, your kids or the next generation to go into something when they could go into any other job and it would probably be easier and more safe and secure. And yet I'm over at Pentagon Farm with Jeremy Hughes, who's a first generation, you know, like he's a sheep farmer. He's the solar shepherd. He's got a hundred sheep between St. Peter's and, and St. Clement and his daughter, who's 13 years old, wants to be a butcher. And so instead of telling her, no, you know, you really need to focus on your A Levels and your GCSE, he says, how do we encourage her and others like her to have a real chance to, to, you know, pursue that career because it's worth it.

Taylor (32:58):

Like the skillset that is going to be needed, the emotional intelligence that we're going to, to need to instill in young people to be able to face the kind of challenges around AI and all the other disruptors that are coming. It's like, how could, how could farming really help those develop the capabilities so they're prepared for what's to come, you know, the world's only gonna get more unstable. And what's amazing to me is that I'll be walking down the road and I come across someone like Alan Rab, whose family has literally been farming Jersey Royals in this field for 126 years using brack to fertilize it. And I mean, these are organic jersey royals with the original seed, and his family's been farming here for at least till the 12th century. You know, that's, that's as far as the paper goes back and then it runs out. So I think when you meet people like him and you hear his passion, it's coming from such a deep place that I don't even know what that feels like in modern day society. So it's like that knowledge and that skill over generations and generations tells me that there's something here that's more important than just a commodity. You know, if you reduce food down to an inputs and outputs and you maximize efficiency as the goal, you lose so much more than you gain.

Mel (34:37):

Well it's kind of like linking back to that intangible cultural heritage. These are skills that are passed down. It's a legacy of from a generation. So these things are passed down by doing it and by being around it, you can only, you can only people can only grow if they're shown mm-hmm <affirmative>. And if they're encouraged mm-hmm <affirmative>. And if there's passion and if there's knowledge, if there's wisdom, if there's that connection to the land. Mm. So the fact that there are people like you and India who've really advocated for that and really empowered our community to work together and to be as individual as they are, as you said before, you know, no farmer is the same. And, you know, celebrating that is very, very important. Mm-Hmm

Taylor (35:13):

<Affirmative>. One thing that I really took away from these conversations, I met, you know, Peter Tarren over at FishWise, and the Fishers are just as, let's say, Hardy, you know, these are for sure the, some of the, some of the guys that I met and I women as well are, you know, particularly savvy to survival and to finding the nuance that means the difference between having a catch and having nothing. And the, I was so surprised at all of the subtle ways in which they can distinguish, you know, whether or not they were gonna, they might go to a spot and find, okay, if you go there, there's a young and female, if you go over there, there's gonna be male and of this size. If you go to this particular spot, it's a degree lower than it should be this time of year. You know what,

Mel (36:05):

It's incredible. Their knowledge.

Taylor (36:07):

It's insane. And we're gonna lose that. And, and once, you know, once it's lost, it's gone.

Mel (36:12):

Well maybe we won't because people like you are doing the work to keep it moving and to keep it alive. So we are not gonna lose it <laugh>. No. You know, we're gonna keep it

Taylor (36:22):

<Laugh>. It's amazing. Like, I, I remember a couple years ago I met a pig farmer and he was blind at, at Regen actually. And he, you know, he could literally walk past a pen of his animals and smell that one of them in there was sick. No. Or that he could walk past and and put his hand down on the back of an animal and know that it was two days away from slaughter. You know, and that's the difference between I think a farmer and like his wife who said she's not a farmer because that is a real skill. And it's, it's something that's acquired over time and with curiosity and really a deep listening. And I think we're just in such a fast-paced world that we are distracted and overwhelmed. Like our sense, our senses are overwhelmed. And so, you know, the how do we reclaim a bit of our attention span so that we can maybe allow for some of these things to sink a little bit deeper.

Mel (37:16):

And how do you think that Jersey as an island, as a community, what can we as consumers be doing to support our farmers?

Taylor (37:26):

I think seeking out hedge veg, I think going to any farm shop, I mean, you've got fantastic businesses cropping up, like me and my farmer down in St. Brelade's with Kate Hackett, who is so passionate about supporting any local producer that wants to go there. You've got home fields that's been in business for over 50 years and they're, they're basically, you know, a real champion of, of local wholesale. You've got restaurants that want to tell the story. You go to bass and lobster and they've got specials because hey, we've got six of these. When it's out, it's out. Mm-Hmm. And I think we really need to adjust our palette as consumers to be okay with difference and not expecting a bite into an apple to be the exact same every single time. I think we need to embrace seasonality. I think we need to learn how to cook with Lees in the winter and not just go for, you know, green beans. 'cause That's what I want. Well they aren't in season

Mel (38:27):

<Laugh>. Well, I've had the pleasure of eating your Leeks and they're delicious <laugh>. So I highly, highly recommend folks. But,

Taylor (38:33):

But I, I really love, I I really love all the people that I've met through this, this journey. And if there's one thing I know for sure it's that jersey is a semblance of what used to be like, I, I'm American and the big Walmart supersized model has decimated rural communities across America. And young people flock to cities 'cause that's the only place they can get a job. But they're all searching for something you can't find. And then I come to Jersey and I see there's this incredible breadth of people who really care and want to be here. And so I think if you can just actually bottle up that bit of the social value, the, the true currency that is still here, and you can bring together gatherings and you can bring together farmer's markets that are launching at Lat Run this summer, you know, every other Saturday from June to October, just to get people together, you know, to celebrate. I mean, it should be fun. We should be able to taste the difference and we should be really proud of that.

Mel (39:39):

Yeah. I mean, I think it's, well it's incredible to hear that that's gonna be taking place. 'cause Obviously, you know, things like Scoop coming up like that was never a thing years, years ago. Yeah. Like to have a cooperative where people can go and have locally produced organic food on their, you know, at their doorstep Absolutely. Is incredible.

Taylor (39:55):

Yeah. I mean, and Scoop has done a really good job because they've got 105 local producers that supply them, you know, and I think everybody can, everybody can say that they're time poor and that, you know, the convenience of the supermarkets. And, and I'm not going to pretend like I know what it's like to, to feed four kids, you know, at the end of a workday with a million things that you're juggling, you just have to get it up, you know, across the line. Or a single mom that's trying to feed her family. And she can only do it with, you know, the cheapest amount that she can. But what I'm talking about is the people that maybe do have a little bit of time and maybe they're spending it in a different way. They could be thinking about it. So yeah, I don't think there's ever been a better time. And also to invest in your health, it's like this is a long-term investment. You know, people don't really think about savings maybe in the same way that they think about their health, but it's like what you're putting away for right now is because in 40 years time, it will pay dividends.

Mel (41:00):

When people go and see this exhibition, when they go and read the interviews that you've done and they see the images that you've, you know, put together with Natalie Mayer, what, what are you hoping people take away from that?

Taylor (41:16):

I think we have been confusing price and cost for a long time. And we think that cheap food is progress. And I want you to go to this exhibition and I want you to see that behind every abstraction are real people. And that these people are essentially going to get us through the hard times that are coming and that we have as much a responsibility to them as they do to continue what they're doing. You know, so it's about really starting to understand the tangibility of this community and feeling like each one of those people has a whole legacy or lineage of stories that is unique to Jersey. And for the same reason that our cow, the Jersey Royal, the cod industry, you know, all of these massive points in history and iconic products that have, you know, essentially shaped agriculture around the world. These people, they might be doing that. We just haven't seen it yet. So we need to support them <laugh> and who knows who will be the next, you know, iconic jersey cow, <laugh> <laugh>.

Mel (42:34):

Yeah. I imagine what that might look like.

Taylor (42:36):

We need to make it cool. I mean, what's amazing to me is that we live for traveling and we live for other people's food cultures. And it's like, well, Jersey used to be a foodie destination. Why can't it be again, like we have a distinct food culture, we just need to revive it, celebrate it, because actually it's about chefs here having skills, which is why, you know, working with people like Andrew Baron at Longville Manor who are trying to take what he calls the tattoo gang of chefs that have come off cruise ships come from Dubai here, have no idea what to cook, what is in season. They've never met a local producer. You know, they're just going through the motions, collecting a paycheck. And so it's really important to actually connect up and get those chefs excited about, you know, the passion that's coming through Ollie Griggs where he's at, Loma being like, can you taste the difference? You know, or Three Oaks being like, how amazing are these tomatoes? So I think we have this really cool opportunity to appeal to the young people like us who want to be eating really fantastic food mm-hmm <affirmative>. And, and not just going to London for a weekend, but being like, Hey, did you hear about that place? I mean, how many places in Jersey are serving up some really fantastic dishes? This is a question for you, <laugh>.

Mel (43:58):

Ah, well I actually am a foodie. Are

Taylor (44:01):

You? And

Mel (44:01):

I love to eat. Okay. Anyone that knows me will know that, but so I, I kind of would say that I know of, for example, you have Rolin mm-hmm <affirmative>. Like he's producing some really beau like he's doing all these evenings up at st one's Totally

Taylor (44:15):

Idyllic. Yes. Yeah.

Mel (44:15):

Like you, he, there are people who are creating, like, for example, and you know, Vicki Boarder was doing, is doing some amazing things in the fishing industry, like bringing some really beautiful kind of like, experiences to people's palettes. Like there are, I know there, I know that it's happening, but that's because I'm someone that's invested in it. Mm. Whereas I think there are people out there who you are Right. Will go to a chain because it's easier or because maybe they just don't know what's available. Hmm. And but again, that's why the work that you are doing is really important to kind of, but you are right. We could be doing a lot more. There's a lot more, there's a lot of potential.

Taylor (44:51):

Do you feel like you're, as a foodie, self-proclaimed foodie,

Mel (44:54):

Even though I hate that expression, but we'll go with it.

Taylor (44:56):

Are you looking for experiences? Are you looking for, you know, things that are outside just a typical four wall restaurant? What

Mel (45:06):

Am I looking for? I think for me, food is all about the people I'm going with. The the quality of what I'm eating, feeling like there's a connection to it. So if I'm eating, so for example, every time I've been to the bass and lobster, which isn't often, but every time I've been, I leave feeling really proud of our island. I feel really privileged to be eating something that seems quite like a basic concept. You're just eating seasonally, you're eating what's available, but the way they put it together is so, is so mindful. And their menus are so interesting in that they will tell you the list of all their suppliers. So they'll say, right, the I know the honey that you're consuming in your dessert is from this place. Or they'll come and explain the menu to you. And I guess that makes an experience because they're educating me on what's available in my island. So not only am I enjoying the food and I'm enjoying the atmosphere, I believe in the course. Hmm. So for me, that encompasses the entire experience.

Taylor (46:09):

So what you've just encapsulated so beautifully is the fact that I think people are yearning for

Mel (46:16):

Agree

Taylor (46:17):

Uniqueness. Totally. People are yearning for quality. People are yearning for something that you can't just get in a cookie cutter model. And I think the more that we have a globalized, homogenized kind of food system, it doesn't matter what city you're in, they're all gonna start to feel the same. Mm-Hmm. Yes. And so how do we revolt against that and actually dig into our roots and start having feasts on the beaches or feasts and fields or feasts in old barns. You know, like I think that there's a real opportunity for a renaissance and actually the food's gonna taste different if it's produced in our soils in a certain way that only Colin, you know, who does the water crest knows because he's been doing it for 50 years. Mm-Hmm. Like, I think that those are the things that are actually gonna, if people want to be paying attention, if they want to be mindful they will notice.

Mel (47:09):

So that'll make a huge difference. Yeah. If you feel connected to what you're eating and you feel connected to where you live, that helps. What, what are you doing now? What's, what kind of work are you, are you, are you still doing Hypha?

Taylor (47:24):

No. So I work for Farm Jersey and we exist to promote Jersey farming and fishing products. So that's for export. But my job is mainly focused on local food and farming. So I'm looking at opportunities to develop any roots to market. So I want to help any grower or farmer basically sell more food locally. And I think the way to do that is to reconnect people to the stories so that we can start to take away the kind of invisible cloak that we've had, which for a long time has served us with the goal being to create the most efficient value chain. But what we've essentially done is we've made everybody, you know, anonymous at one end. So what we're trying to do is re-engineer value so that people start to make more informed choices. People start to say, I do value this because it's this, this, and this, as opposed to just, it's the cheapest or it's the most convenient option.

Taylor (48:24):

And I think if you can bring those closer together, the most convenient option to the one that actually is gonna benefit the community or gonna benefit, you know, the environment that is gonna benefit my neighbour <laugh>, you know, and, and that that same, you know, farm that they're providing employs three young people who you could say are misfits. You know, people who haven't followed the conventional path, who dropped outta university, but have a reason to stay in Jersey because they found somewhere that feels like, Hey, this is really good for my mental health working outside. They have community. Yeah. And it's not philanthropy because they want a different way of moving through the world. Mm. You know? Mm-Hmm <affirmative>. And I think we have a responsibility also to diversify our economy, to support, you know, all different types of businesses and not just kind of, you have to do the maybe like safe or secure or upper level education route. Like what if you're a young person and you have no interest in school? Like, I mean, you can learn a lot by working in a kitchen, by working in a wholesaler, by working in a farm or a butchery. You know, those are all going to build like some real

Mel (49:42):

Life changing skills. Grit. Yeah, absolutely. I totally agree. 'cause I really do think that the education system falls short in teaching you skills that you really practically need to kind of move in the world. Yeah. Like, obviously there's a place for academia, but we need to understand the practicalities of what it is to be human. Like what is it, what does it really mean to be human, to be connected to our land, to our people, to our traditions? How do we move that forward? How do we pass that down? That's why I do feel very passionately about the intangible cultural heritage. And, you know, we can't forget these really important skills. It's stuff that we have to carry forward, can't lose it.

Taylor (50:25):

So how do you honor tradition by pushing it forward?

Mel (50:28):

You don't give up on teaching it, you don't give up on your passion. You, you, you showcase your passion in ways that feel inclusive and not kind of like, this is mine. So I can't give it to anyone. Like there are, I, I feel like there are sometimes people that are so passionate about things they think the only way, only they know how to do it so they, no one else could do it better. Mm. But you have to be, you have to share it. You have to make it feel like it's accessible. And there are lots of ways that you could do that. But I'm not the expert. You are.

Taylor (50:58):

I'm not an expert <laugh>. I'm, I'm just someone that cares. I found myself doing purposeful work in a place that I love, which is the ultimate privilege, you know, and you asked me before how I got into this work and having worked in waste management, there's an enormous amount of waste in our food system. Yeah.

Mel (51:17):

Huge.

Taylor (51:18):

So, you know, any which way you come at it, it's like food is virtually this thing that intersects with everything and everybody, because you need a farmer three times a day. You need a doctor. What, once a year, once every five years.

Mel (51:32):

Well, if you're eating good, maybe not. Yeah. At all.

Taylor (51:34):

Yeah, exactly. So

Mel (51:36):

Because of the nature of the work that you're doing now, I can imagine that you are in touch with lots of people doing really amazing work across the island. But if there is anyone out there in the farming community who needs help or who needs assistance or who needs support, how do they get in touch with you?

Taylor (51:55):

So they can email me at Taylor Smythe at Jersey business je and we have a really fantastic team at Farm Jersey, within Jersey business. And so we're there to literally support with, you know, whether it's grant applications. I work with Matt La h who's used to be a grower at master Farms. And he's a phenomenal resource. And you know, Jess McGovern, who's, who's helping with cultivate and skills. So if you want an apprentice or you're looking to become an apprentice, or you want to take an upper level agricultural accreditation, you know, you can get in touch with Jess. And if you're looking to participate in the farmer's market or you wanna sell more veg, or you wanna, you know, just get in touch about any opportunities, then you know, come find us. And honestly, it's never been a better time to keep Jersey growing.

Mel (52:47):

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