The event, held against the unlikely soundtrack of light aircraft from the nearby Clench Common Airfield, brought together a panel of farmers and growers willing to share not just their successes, but their setbacks – and what those setbacks eventually made possible.
No such thing as a bad decision
The panel were made up of farmer and diversification advocate James Small, frozen fruit pioneer Emily Mee, goal-focused entrepreneur Jane Lewis, and pragmatic businessman Geoff Homer.
The one thing they all had in common was that there is no such thing as a bad decision. Stick to your guns, go for it, and you may be surprised what doors open.
James Small spoke about the goal many farmers quietly chase, passive income – earning more without simply adding more work. In reality, he acknowledged, most new ventures demand serious graft and determination before they deliver.
Emily Mee described how diversifying into the frozen blueberry market transformed a food waste problem into a commercial opportunity, ensuring the best fruit reached consumers rather than being discarded.
She was honest about the trade-off, though; she stepped off the arable rollercoaster and climbed onto a new one.
Laser focus and Mr “Somehow”
For Jane Lewis, resilience comes down to clarity of vision.
Jane described having a laser focus on her dreams and goals. Also in the mix was a husband who was optimistic in the face of uncertainty. So much so that he earned the nickname Mr Somehow. As in: we’re not sure how we’ll do it, but we'll somehow make it happen.
Geoff Homer took a more pragmatic approach, ensuring his business makes full use of available payment schemes while also finding ways to stand out. He consciously decided not diversify himself, concentrating solely on the farming.
He invited the Environment Agency onto his farm for an open conversation about its set-up. This move paid real dividends.
He also takes his passion for farming directly into local schools through farmer time talks, building community bonds that strengthen his business as much as they inspire the next generation.
Mistakes can open doors
The panel session was hosted by Mike Wilkins, who also delivered the keynote, reflecting on a career of multiple projects – some successful, some not.
With hindsight, he said, even the mistakes proved to be turning points, opening doors he wouldn’t otherwise have found.
NFU members in the audience had plenty of questions about getting started, and the message from the panel was consistent: mindset matters as much as business planning.
Thriving businesses
NFU Director General Sophie Throup, who was at her first Shed Talk event, explained why Shed Talks and other events like them are so important, giving, as they so, the opportunity to bring NFU members together.
She said, “Rising costs, shifting support schemes, increasing volatility exacerbated by the crisis in the Middle East, and extreme weather events are putting a huge strain on farmers and growers right across the country.
“We know that resilience in farming has never been more important. Shed Talks allows us to have those discussions about what has worked well, what hasn’t, lessons learned along the way, and the different opportunities that are available, so our members’ businesses can thrive and grow in the future and become more productive and profitable.”
Hear more on the Shed Talks podcast
James and Emily join Paul Bradley on the NFU podcast next week to share their stories in full. They'll be discussing ditching the financial promise of the city for a life in frozen fruit and making the most of what your farm has to offer after, as they put it, “life gave us a kick in the shins.”
Shed Talks LIVE
NFU Shed Talks Live series brings farmers together for frank conversations on the subjects that matter most.
Look out for more NFU events.
