New Agricology podcast series: To Till or Not to Till

Agricology has launched a new podcast season. ‘To Till or Not to Till’ brings together a range of voices to explore the complex and often polarising topic of tillage. From scientists and researchers to organic pioneers and regenerative farming advocates, the series ventures beyond the binary ‘plough or don’t plough’ standpoints to highlight a much-needed truth – context is everything.

The series highlights that tillage decisions depend not only on soil type, climate, and crop choice, but also on your philosophy, financial pressures, and farm history. No one practice is a silver bullet. Adaptability, observation, and learning from your land and from each other are key. The ‘holy grail’ isn’t no-till or full inversion, but a farming system rooted in resilience, and responding to local conditions, with an emphasis on when, why, and how to till.

Guests such as John Pawsey and Mark Measures emphasise that shallow, strategic tillage, balanced with rotations and leys, can support both productivity and soil health, while Julia Cooper and Jonathan Storkey unpack the biological consequences of tillage and its role in larger ecological functions.

Episode One: In Conversation with Tom Martin ('Farmer Tom') The first episode of our new podcast introduces both Wallace Currie, guest podcaster from the Isle of Arran (search R2Kast), who will be chatting to guests throughout the series, and Cambridgeshire farmer Tom Martin. They discuss transitioning to no-till, the emotional and practical side of regenerative farming, redefining success through mistakes, and the value of community and biodiversity in agroecological systems.

Episode Two: In Conversation with Mark Measures. This second episode explores the role of tillage in organic systems, the misunderstood relationship between tillage and soil carbon, the balance between weed control and nutrient cycling, and how tillage fits into wider farming systems. Mark reflects on 40 years in organic advice, with deep roots in research, education, and farmer engagement.