Three real characters: Scott Brown, Derek Redpath and Findlay McIntire join me this week for a blether as we have our annual Christmas get together over a few drams. Our topics cover those we have lost this year, great men who have mentored us, top breeds of cattle as well as getting into controversial waters around trees, climate change and carbon nonsense. As always happens, our two and a half hours together involve much hilarity and some cracking stories, particularly from Findlay, on his first appearance on the show. With statements like ‘rewilding? As if the ground here on Rannoch isn’t wild enough already!’; pick your way through this and you’ll hear some incredibly good advice from these three wise men!

If Christmas day gets too much, stick your feet up in the back room, some headphones on and enjoy this one with a dram.

Merry Christmas from Toplines and Tales.

A song I wrote called Living Well and Christmas. Lyrics below:

Christmas day, no time for regret A year gone by, a great time to reflect A family, all around the table The lights are on and everything is stable If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on each others mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant always feel like Christmas day Whether you’re a farmer or just involved There are always problems to be solved But try and take it easy, don’t get stressed These things will put you to the tes Living well, isn’t just a Christmas treat Starting with the diet, watch out what you eat A little exercise, it helps the flow Maybe take a walk out in the snow If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on each others mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant always feel like Christmas day Now go and have your turkey, you deserve And with all the trimmings that’s been served Take a little time out for the kids Maybe get a look inside your eye lids And don’t forget the others; a neighbour or a friend who maybe didn’t have the money to spend Perhaps go and knock on their door Or at least give them a call………. Because talking is the best release to help your troubles decrease and its always a two-way street when you smile at everyone you meet If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on each others mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant always feel like Christmas day Try and keep that upbeat feeling going Even if outside it won’t stop snowing And if you ever feel that things are wrong You can always find some help at "Farmstrong!" If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on each others mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant always feel like Christmas day If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on everyone’s mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant always feel like Christmas day Merry Christmas

Hugh Watson and William McCombie will go down in history as the two great men who, between them, started and shaped the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed in the 1800s. From our in-depth research, my guest Dr Bob Hough and myself discuss the merits of these two great men in a debate which will be finalised by you, the podcast listener. This episode makes up the history part of our 5th birthday celebrations and, as Bob and I are prone to do, we go off track a few times.

This episode is a condensed version of episode 214, which talks through the new album download and CD Toplines and Tales has just produced, with guest host Wallace Currie.

You an download your copy at www.toplinesandtales.bandcamp.com

Something quite different to celebrate our 5th birthday in a special episode as my guest host Wallace Currie talks about the launch of the new Toplines and Tales Album download, The Family Farm. This is a new on-off music project with proceeds going to Farmstrong Scotland charity. In his usual superb way Wallace quizzes his guest about this project and other controversial issues. Please give it a listen for free at this link Toplines and Tales new album

We get a great insight into sheep farming in New Zealand from well-known Kiwi Daniel Wheeler. Spending a third of his year pregnancy scanning a staggering quarter of a million ewes in both New Zealand and Scotland, Dan-the-Scan and I chat about breeds of sheep, data recording, Luing cattle and sheep exports in this highly entertaining podcast.

Nuffield scholar, Jock Gibson has studied eatabilty of beef around the world and has some strong views on how we could apply some of the overseas grading principles to the beef industry in UK in this interesting insight. We have a fascinating discussion about transparency of different types of beef labeled on the consumer shelves. Jock then goes on to talk about his own Pasture for Life-certified farm in Moray as well as the family butcher’s business which give him a good vehicle to put his grassfed beef through its paces. All this is prior to him giving his paper at the forthcoming Nuffield Conference.

Fresh from a weekend in Aberdeen, what a fantastic opportunity the Youth Development Programme offers young people in the livestock community. This week I bring an episode right from the heart of the YDP finals, chatting to organisers, judges and competitors and capturing the phenomenal enthusiasm that this project inspires.