Welcome to CropCast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisors Tiffany Stephenson and Mark Bowsher-Gibbs will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. The CropCast series alternates monthly between regular technical updates with host Tiffany Stephenson and CropCast Conversations with host Mark Bowsher-Gibbs.
Producers George Gauley and Heather Stuart, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with the Scottish Government.
Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service is funded by the Scottish Government. Our podcast covers a range of topics which help support your farm or croft to be more profitable and sustainable.
In this episode Tiffany is joined by Angus Elder from Chapel Organics, to discuss his business, which is built around the production of high-quality vegetables. Angus discusses his crop rotation, marketing of fresh produce, challenges with organic farming, his use of technology and his role with SOPA.
This episode was presented by Tiffany Stephenson, produced by George Gauley, edited by Cameron Waugh, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood & Kerry Hammond.
Timestamps
01:34 Introduction to Angus Elder
03:13 Crop rotation?
05:42 How has the business coped with the dry summer?
09:00 Integration of livestock?
10:00 Reducing the weed burden
13:20 Marketing
18:27 Grass in the rotation
20:15 Use of organic manures?
23:31 Potential changes to the rotation?
25:50 Packing vegetables
26:48 Farm labour
29:48 Technology use on farm?
36:00 Anything else in the pipeline?
38:30 Role with SOPA?
42:01 Advice to someone turning organic?
Resources
https://www.chapelfarmorganics.co.uk/ (https://www.chapelfarmorganics.co.uk/)
Contact Angus at veg@chapelfarmorganics.uk (mailto:veg@chapelfarmorganics.uk)
SOPA: https://www.sopa.org.uk/ (https://www.sopa.org.uk/)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/)
Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/)
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161)
Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)
15 Sept 2026
Sowing, Growing & Milling at Mungoswells
On today’s episode Mark is joined by Angus McDowall from Mongoswells Farm. Mungoswells flour begins in the fields of the family farm in East Lothian, a region known as the ‘Breadbasket of Scotland’. What started as a passion project has since evolved into a unique field-to-flour operation. They sow, grow, harvest, mill, and package on-site, offering both organic and non-organic flour, with the aim of keeping the entire process as local as possible. The farm has been in the family for 100 years and began selling flour in 2015.
Timestamps
01.27 Introducing Angus McDowall
05.00 Diversifying into malting and milling
11.38 The farm rotation
15.16 Wheat protein content
17.17 Wheat varieties
21.29 Grain qualities that make a good flour
23.00 A family operation
26.18 Seasonality of sales
27.10 Rye and spelt
28.08 Award winning flour
29.48 Angus’s take home message
Resources
Organic Information | Helping farmers in Scotland (https://www.fas.scot/organics/organic-information/)
Organics In Scotland Series | Helping farmers in Scotland (https://www.fas.scot/organics-in-scotland-series/)
Winter Wheat Choices 2025/26 | Helping farmers in Scotland (https://www.fas.scot/article/winter-wheat-choices-2025-26/)
Website: www.mungoswells.co.uk (http://www.mungoswells.co.uk/)
Contact Mungoswells: orders@mungoswells.co.uk (mailto:orders@mungoswells.co.uk)
Get in touch with our host: Mark.Bowsher-Gibbs@sac.co.uk (mailto:Mark.Bowsher-Gibbs@sac.co.uk)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/)
Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/)
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161)
Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)
18 Aug 2026
Using Insects to make Fertiliser
In this episode Tiffany is joined by Arthy Surendran a Lecturer from Queens University Belfast to discuss her post-doctoral research, which looks at feeding food waste to insects with the aim of producing high value protein and fertiliser (Frass) as a by-product. Tiffany is also joined by Lachlan Jones, an Agricultural consultant from SAC Consulting, who is using Frass in SRUC crop field trials.
Listen to this episode to learn about using insects to produce protein and the potential benefits of using the by-product (Frass) as a potential fertiliser and biostimulant.
This episode was presented by Tiffany Stephenson, produced by George Gauley, edited by Cameron Waugh, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood & Kerry Hammond.
Timestamps
00:49 Introduction to Arthy
01:06 Introduction to Lachlan
01:32 Introduction to FRASS
03:00 What is FRASS?
04:57 What is chitin?
07:50 How can chitin prime a plant against disease?
09:37 Micronutrient value of FRASS?
14:54 What is the organic matter value of FRASS?
15:41 How much protein is produced alongside the FRASS?
19:14 What is the pH of FRASS?
22:00 Potential negatives of using FRASS?
24:00 SRUC Field trials using FRASS
30:00 Where does it fit into Agriculture?
Resources
Positive early results in Sustainable control of clubroot https://www.fas.scot/article/positive-early-results-in-sustainable-control-of-clubroot-using-chitinous-food-waste/ (https://www.fas.scot/article/positive-early-results-in-sustainable-control-of-clubroot-using-chitinous-food-waste/)
Arthy Surendran on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthy-surendran-123408153/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthy-surendran-123408153/)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/)
Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/)
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161)
Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)
Who has been a guest on CropCast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
James Bolesworth
George Chalmers
Neil Havis
Podcast Authority Score: 29 / 100
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