Dorset residents now have a new way to tune into life on the land, as a brand-new podcast launches exploring how our county’s farmers, communities and organisations are working together to restore nature and produce local food.
Co-hosted by Dorset farmer Tim Gelfs and nature podcaster Lizzie McLaughlin, the Second Nature: Down in Dorset podcast goes behind the farm gate to uncover the opportunities and challenges of farming with nature in today’s countryside.
Dorset Council has helped Tim and Lizzie bring this new mini-series to Dorset. It is a spin‑off of Second Nature, a popular podcast that connects listeners to stories about food, farming, and the countryside.
Tim, who farms free range hens and pedigree Aberdeen Angus cows near Beaminster, brings over four decades of hands-on experience. Having first stepped into a milking parlour at the age of 14, he’s passionate about starting open, honest conversations about what really shapes Dorset’s rural landscape.
“I want these podcasts to be informative but fun,” says Tim. “There are so many myths about farming and the countryside. By sharing what’s really happening on the ground, right on the doorstep of most Dorset residents, I hope people will gain a clearer understanding of the work farmers are doing for food, wildlife and the landscape.”
Lizzie, an experienced nature storyteller, will guide listeners through each episode, bringing insight, curiosity and conversations with guests from across the county.
Each episode tackles a different theme linked to food, farming and nature recovery in Dorset, including:
- From field to plate – why local, sustainable food matters for both people and wildlife.
- Dorset’s big five – a closer look at the wildlife shaping our countryside and the challenges and opportunities they bring.
- Water pollution—what’s really causing it? Unpicking where issues start and how everyone can help protect Dorset’s rivers.
- Helping nature through farming – practical ways farmers are improving soils, boosting wildlife and restoring landscapes.
The podcast has been produced with support from Nature Recovery Dorset, a Dorset Council-led initiative helping communities, landowners and organisations work together to restore nature across Dorset. By creating space for a range of voices and lived experiences to be heard, the podcast will help listeners better understand different perspectives on food, farming and nature, and explore the shared solutions needed to help nature thrive. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and should not be taken as representing Dorset Council.
Councillor Nick Ireland, Dorset Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate, explains:
“Protecting and restoring Dorset’s natural environment is vital for our future, and that starts with understanding what’s really happening across the landscapes we all share.
“This podcast gives residents the rare chance to hear directly from the farmers, land managers and experts working on the ground, offering an inside look at both the pressures our countryside faces and the opportunities to improve it.
“By learning more about the issues affecting our rivers, soils, wildlife and food systems, we can make better choices and work together to ensure nature in Dorset thrives for generations to come.”
Listen to the first episode
The first episode of Second Nature: Down in Dorset is now available.
To listen, search “Second Nature: Down In Dorset” on your favourite podcast platform or visit https://www.second-nature.co.uk/listen.
For more information on Nature Recovery Dorset and Dorset Council’s work to protect and restore nature across the county, visit Dorset Council’s website.
