This episode features Ollie Pemberton, a former infantry platoon commander who now works as a farm manager for Velcourt. After leaving the military, Ollie explored several careers—including teaching mathematics and running a furniture factory in Vietnam—before studying agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University.

A chance encounter with Velcourt at a recruitment fair led him into farm management. Ollie explains that farm managers oversee day‑to‑day operations and long‑term strategy. They may be responsible for arable production, livestock, and estate management, and they lead teams of field workers, agronomists and specialistsnationaltrustjobs.org.uk.

Duties can include planning developments, securing funding, liaising with tenants and landowners, ensuring health and safety, and supervising staff and volunteerssuccessatschool.org. The role requires deep knowledge of rural and conservation issues, strong management and communication skills, numeracy and record‑keepingsuccessatschool.org, and the ability to juggle practical work (such as operating machinery) with finance and people management.

Ollie also discusses agri‑environment schemes and how changing climate and subsidy reforms are reshaping farming. He candidly notes that salaries for farm managers range from £22,000 to £34,000 depending on responsibility and experiencesuccessatschool.org but emphasises that the lifestyle, job satisfaction and community make it worthwhile.

00:00 Intro & series overview – Tom & Jamie set the scene and explain the purpose of the HighGround podcast

.02:01 Meet Ollie – Ollie Pemberton introduces himself and summarises his career in the infantry and subsequent roles.

05:00 Transition & early careers – Ollie describes moving from the Army to teaching, running a furniture factory in Vietnam, and then studying at the Royal Agricultural University.

10:00 Discovering farm management – Ollie meets Velcourt at a recruitment fair, learns about farm management and decides to pursue it.

14:00 What farm managers do – Detailed discussion of a farm manager’s responsibilities (business planning, team leadership, crop management, livestock, estate diversification).

20:00 Transferable skills – The team talk about military skills (leadership, resilience, planning) that help in farm management.

24:00 Estate details & daily work – Ollie talks about managing a 6 500‑acre estate near Aylesbury, with arable crops, shorthorn cattle and sheep.

28:00 Agri‑environment schemes & diversification – Insight into environmental land management, regenerative practices and estate diversification projects.

31:00 Salary, lifestyle & work–life balance – Overview of typical farm‑manager salaries and why lifestyle matters more to many people.

35:00 Advice to service‑leavers – Ollie wraps up with guidance on how to explore farming roles, the importance of volunteering/harvest jobs, and networking.

In this episode of the HighGround podcast, hosts Tom and Jamie talk with Martin, a former RAF supplier who spent much of his 23‑year career in tactical logistics roles and as a fleet manager. Seeking an outdoor career after years behind a desk, Martin began helping on a local farm and rediscovered his love of engineering.

A HighGround Rural Week at Askham Bryan College opened his eyes to the demand for agricultural technicians, and he went on to join a John Deere dealership. Today he is a mobile agricultural technician, travelling across the Cotswolds, Devon and Wales to repair and maintain equipment ranging from chainsaws and ATVs to 6‑Series tractors. The role involves diagnosing faults, dismantling and reassembling machines, performing routine maintenance and keeping recordsbigfuture.collegeboard.org.

Technicians need mechanical, customer‑service and electronics knowledgebigfuture.collegeboard.org and skills in repair, maintenance and troubleshootingbigfuture.collegeboard.org. Martin explains that most dealerships provide structured training; he completed a nine‑month “John Deere University” online programme while shadowing experienced engineers. Starting salaries for agricultural engineering technicians are about £23 000, rising to £38 000 for experienced staff nationalcareers.service.gov.uk, but earnings depend on qualifications and overtime.

He emphasises that ex‑service personnel’s punctuality, organisation, adaptability and ability to work in all weathers are highly valued in this sector.

00:00 Introduction – Tom and Jamie welcome listeners and introduce the HighGround podcast series for service‑leavers.

03:09 Meet Martin – Former RAF supplier explains his military career and decision to transition into agriculture after 23 years.

04:10 Finding the next step – Martin describes helping on a local farm, discovering HighGround via Instagram and attending a rural week where he saw agricultural engineering as a viable career.

07:00 What does an agricultural technician do? – Martin explains his role as a mobile technician: servicing everything from small chainsaws to large John Deere tractors; diagnosing faults; ordering parts; and working alone on farms. Farm equipment mechanics maintain, repair and overhaul tractors, harvesters and irrigation systems and record the work donebigfuture.collegeboard.org.

08:45 Training & qualifications – He outlines the nine‑month John Deere University programme covering mechanics, hydraulics and electronics, and stresses that hands‑on experience and mechanical aptitude are more important than formal qualifications. The National Careers Service notes that entry routes include university, college, apprenticeships...

In this episode, Tom and Jamie talk with Josie, a National Trust countryside manager in North Devon. Josie’s career has been anything but straightforward: she left school after GCSEs, trained as a mechanic and served five years in the REME before embarking on higher education. With life experience but no A‑levels, she contacted universities directly, persuaded them to give her a chance and eventually worked her way up to a PhD.

Burnt out by academia, she turned to nature and began volunteering with the National Trust, living in a tent for six months while supporting herself with part‑time work. That led to an apprenticeship as a ranger and eventually to leadership. In her current role she leads a team of nine across a 2 700‑acre estate, balancing day‑to‑day estate management with large‑scale nature recovery projects.

Countryside managers are responsible for developing and managing landscapes, ensuring public access and conservationsuccessatschool.org; they must coordinate habitat restoration, oversee staff and volunteers, manage budgets and secure fundingsuccessatschool.org.

The National Trust notes that countryside managers provide strategic direction, leading teams to deliver landscape‑scale conservation while ensuring visitors enjoy their experiencenationaltrustjobs.org.uk. Salaries range from around £22 k to £34 ksuccessatschool.org. Josie advises service‑leavers to be persistent, seek volunteering opportunities and remember there are many routes into land‑based careers.

00:00 Introduction & podcast purpose: Tom and Jamie summarise the goal of creating an “evergreen” library of land‑based career stories.

02:50 Meeting Josie: She describes her varied background—from dropping out of school and working as a vehicle mechanic to joining the REME, and later pursuing higher education.

07:00 Choosing university without A‑levels: Josie explains how she negotiated entry to university, earned a psychology degree and later completed a PhD.

11:15 Leaving academia for the outdoors: Burnt out and seeking meaning, Josie emailed the National Trust and secured a volunteer placement, living in a tent and working for free to gain experience.

14:00 Ranger apprenticeship & career progression: Josie undertook the National Trust’s three‑year ranger apprenticeship, learning practical skills such as hedge‑laying, fencing and path maintenance. She later became an area ranger, managing conservation grazing and livestock.

17:45 Countryside manager role: Josie now leads a team of nine across a 2 700‑acre estate. Countryside managers are responsible for day‑to‑day estate management and the strategic delivery of landscape‑scale conservationnationaltrustjobs.org.uk. They oversee habitat restoration, monitor woodland safety, manage access, and engage visitors, whilst also ensuring...

HighGround chats with Jamie, a former Royal Corps of Signals soldier who left the Army after 22 years and built a second career as an arborist. Unsure of his next steps, Jamie attended a HighGround Rural Week, which introduced him to the breadth of land‑based careers. He discovered arboriculture—an industry that encompasses tree planting, pruning, felling, habitat management and tree science.

Training is essential: standard entry‑level qualifications include certificates in chainsaw maintenance and cross‑cutting, felling trees up to 380 mm and climbing and aerial rescuebali.org.uk. Tree surgeons typically start on salaries around £25 k and experienced arborists can earn £35 knationalcareers.service.gov.uk.

The work is physically demanding: arborists must be comfortable working at height and maintain fitness and concentrationnationalcareers.service.gov.uk. Chainsaws are dangerous tools—HSE reports that five deaths and many serious injuries have occurred in forestry and arboriculture from chainsaw contact; operators must be trained, competent and wear protective clothinghse.gov.uk.

Jamie explains how he built his own business, starting with any job he could find and gradually specialising in hedge‑laying, habitat work and providing traffic management for other tree teams. He highlights the importance of perseverance, networking and a willingness to invest in high‑quality equipment.

Despite setbacks and injuries, Jamie loves working outdoors, values the adrenaline of climbing and felling, and enjoys seeing the immediate impact of his work—especially when reviving traditional skills like hedge‑laying, which creates living windbreaks and wildlife havens.

00:00 Introduction: Tom & Jamie recap the podcast’s purpose – creating a library of land‑based career insights. They introduce Jamie, an ex‑Royal Signals soldier turned arborist.

03:00 Military background & Rural Week: Jamie explains his farming upbringing, service career and desire to work outdoors. He describes attending a HighGround Rural Week, which opened his eyes to arboriculture.

07:00 What is arboriculture? The hosts discuss the sector—from forestry and commercial tree work to planting and tree science. Jamie outlines the basic qualifications, including chainsaw maintenance and cross‑cutting, small and medium tree felling, tree climbing and aerial rescuebali.org.uk.

11:30 Training, risk & fitness: Jamie stresses that chainsaw work is dangerous: HSE notes five recent deaths and many serious injuries in forestry and arboriculturehse.gov.uk, so proper training and personal protective equipment are mandatory

HighGround speaks with Rob Honan, a former Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters officer who now runs the 4 000‑acre Ascott Estate in Buckinghamshire. Rob describes his journey from the Army into estate management, explaining that many estates encompass a mix of arable and livestock farming, residential and commercial properties, sporting ventures and tourismedenprivatestaff.com.

Estate managers are responsible for planning and overseeing these activities; they direct staff, oversee agriculture, manage maintenance and budgets, liaise with government agencies (DEFRA and the Rural Payments Agency) and work with specialists such as agronomists and vetsedenprivatestaff.com.

The role is hands‑on, requiring flexibility, problem‑solving and often living on siteedenprivatestaff.com. Rob explains that there is no “normal day” and notes parallels with military leadership—the ability to adapt when “no plan survives contact” is critical. They discuss career routes, highlighting that while many estate managers hold formal qualifications in land management or farmingedenprivatestaff.com, experience and transferrable skills from the forces can be just as valuable.

Salaries vary widely: Scottish estate managers start around £20 k and experienced managers on large estates can earn £50 k or moreplanitplus.net. Rob urges service‑leavers to network, seek work‑experience on estates and consider the broad range of rural roles, from maintenance and heritage gardening to forestry and property management.

00:00 Introduction: Tom & Jamie explain how the podcast series offers an “evergreen” library of land‑based career insights.

02:05 Meet Rob Honan: Former infantry officer explains his move from the Army into estate management and the importance of using your network.

04:43 What is an estate? Rob outlines Ascott’s 4 000 acres of arable fields, residential properties, gardens, tourism (Ascott House & gardens attract ~50 000 visitors per year) and community relations.

06:36 Transferable skills: Adaptability, problem‑solving and people management learnt in the military are invaluable for managing diverse estate operations.

09:08 Roles & activities on an estate: Estates may include property portfolios, commercial shoots, farming, woodland, heritage gardens and tenanted farmsedenprivatestaff.com. Estate managers oversee maintenance, agriculture, budgets, events, external bodies and specialist advisors

This episode of the HighGround podcast features Adam Chant, a former Royal Corps of Signals electronic‑warfare specialist who transitioned to a rural portfolio career centred on deer management. After 25 years in the Army, Adam was ready for a change and discovered HighGround via a segment on BBC’s Countryfile.

He enrolled on one of the charity’s residential Rural Week courses at Bicton College, finding the broad overview of land‑based careers and local networking invaluable. Already passionate about venison as a sustainable, ethical food source, he pursued formal qualifications through the British Deer Society, passing the Deer Stalking Certificate 1 and 2 before volunteering with Defence Deer Management.

Adam explains that deer populations in the UK have quadrupled since the 1970s, rising from about 450,000 to over 2 millionwoodlands.co.uk; unchecked browsing damages young trees and hampers woodland regenerationwoodlands.co.uk. Deer managers therefore play a vital role in balancing wildlife and land‑management objectives—conducting surveys, culling ethically, monitoring impacts and liaising with landowners.

Adam discusses different routes into the profession (estate keeper, wildlife ranger, contractor) and revenue models (paid culls, venison sales, guided stalks), emphasising that most start as part of a portfolio career. He shares candid advice on financial planning, community engagement and the therapeutic benefits of working outdoors.

For Adam, learning multiple skills from firefighting to renovating his house—provides flexibility and resilience. The episode closes with tips on building local trust, volunteering during resettlement and talking openly with family about the realities of rural living.

00:00 Intro & series overview: Tom & Jamie recap the purpose of HighGround’s podcast series—creating an ever‑expanding library of land‑based career stories for service‑leavers and veterans.

02:05 Meet Adam Chant: A 25‑year veteran who served in electronic warfare and signals intelligence describes his background and reasons for leaving the Army to spend more time with his family.

03:58 Discovery of HighGround: Adam recalls seeing HighGround on Countryfile and later attending a Rural Week at Bicton College. He praises the course’s breadth—covering everything from tech innovations and conservation to small‑scale farming—and its value in building a local network.

06:44 Why deer management? Growing up in a family of chefs, Adam was drawn to venison as an ethical, low‑impact meat. His introduction came via the Deer Stalking Certificate 1 course run by former serviceman Ben Heathauer.

08:55 What is deer management? Adam explains that modern deer management is about more than shooting: it involves population surveys, habitat impact assessments and selective culling to protect woodland and biodiversity. Over‑browsing by deer prevents natural regeneration and damages young trees, threatening small mammals and butterflieswoodlands.co.uk.

10:39 Why control deer? He notes that Britain’s deer population has grown from about 450 000 in the 1970s to an estimated...

In this episode, HighGround co‑hosts Tom Constable and Jamie Crisp explore entrepreneurial life in the land‑based sector through the story of Rob Palmer, a former RAF weapons‑systems engineer and Royal Engineer officer who now leads a biochar start‑up.

Rob candidly recounts his meandering journey: after dropping out of university and joining the RAF, he saw his Nimrod fleet cancelled on the day of his final exam. He transferred to the Army via Sandhurst, serving in bomb disposal, airborne engineering and training roles before deciding to leave the forces.

Rob initially pursued “safe” corporate roles but, through networking and never turning down a coffee, he met former colleagues who introduced him to carbon‑removal technologies. He joined the Future Forest Company (now Undo) as Director of Innovation, helping operationalise projects in afforestation, enhanced rock weathering and biochar.

Inspired by the potential of biochar, a porous form of charcoal made via pyrolysis that locks carbon into soil and enhances water and nutrient retentionpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govbiochar-us.org Rob launched Tera Carbon.

His company partners with a Kenyan group to convert sugar‑cane waste into biochar, improving degraded soils and sequestering carbon. Rob shares the realities of start‑up life: fundraising, hiring, financial risk and wearing multiple hats. Throughout, he emphasises the transferable skills that veterans bring-work ethic, adaptability, leadership and a willingness to learn and urges service‑leavers to build networks, test their assumptions and be open to unexpected opportunities.

00:00 Introduction: Tom & Jamie explain that this episode focuses on entrepreneurialism in the land‑based sector.

02:42 Meet Rob Palmer: A “university dropout” turned RAF weapons‑systems engineer who then served as a bomb‑search commander and parachute engineer officer in the Army.

04:52 Career crossroads: Nimrod cancellation leaves Rob in limbo; a CO encourages him to find purpose, leading him to commission into the Royal Engineers.

07:02 Transition decisions: Facing parenthood and a desire for stability, Rob explores corporate graduate schemes but remains unsure of his direction.

08:55 The power of networking: Rob describes his “never say no to coffee” rule, which ultimately leads to a pivotal introduction to the Future Forest Company via his CO.

10:41 Carbon‑removal technologies: Rob discusses early work at the Future Forest Company/Undo, operationalising science projects in afforestation, enhanced rock weathering and biochar.

12:35 Biochar & pyrolysis explained: Biochar is produced by heating biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis), producing a stable, porous form of charcoalpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. When added to soil it improves pH, structure and water‑holding capacitypmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Its physical and chemical nature allows it to attract and hold moisture and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorusbiochar-us.org, providing...

In this HighGround episode, hosts Tom Constable and Jamie Crisp speak with Dr Charles Trotman, Senior Economics and Rural Business Advisor at the Country Land & Business Association (CLA). Charles sets the scene with statistics: predominantly rural areas contributed about £315 billion (16.2% of England’s economy) in 2022 lordslibrary.parliament.uk, yet agriculture makes up only 3% of rural GVAlordslibrary.parliament.uk.

Rural England hosts around 590 businesses per 10 000 people, more than urban areaslordslibrary.parliament.uk, and roughly 102 400 farm holdings operate across Englandgov.uk. Despite this diversity, many rural businesses face acute labour shortages. Recognising the untapped potential of service‑leavers and veterans, the CLA has signed the Armed Forces Covenant—a national promise to ensure that those who serve or have served are treated fairlyarmedforcescovenant.gov.uk and is pursuing the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme.

Charles explains how the CLA’s veterans initiative pledges to: 1) encourage rural employers to consider veterans; 2) provide information to employers on the benefits of hiring ex‑military personnel; and 3) collaborate with existing veteran‑support networks like HighGround. He outlines the skills veterans bring: leadership, discipline, logistics, digital competence and crisis management and emphasises that employing veterans is about adding value, not cheap labour. The discussion ends with a call for greater collaboration across sector bodies to connect veterans with meaningful careers in farming, land management, tourism and agri‑tech.

00:00 Introduction: Tom & Jamie recap the podcast’s aim and tease a conversation that moves away from a specific job to look at sector‑wide issues.

03:06 Meet Dr Charles Trotman: Senior Economist at the CLA describes the breadth of the rural economy (£315 bn GVAlordslibrary.parliament.uk, 3.8 m employees) and notes that agriculture represents just 3% of rural outputlordslibrary.parliament.uk.

04:28 What is the CLA? The Country Land & Business Association has existed for over 100 years, representing 26 000 members across England and Wales. Nearly half of members farm less than 150 acres and are asset‑rich but cash‑poor; their businesses span more than 250 income streams, from farming to tourism and renewable energy.

06:41 Armed Forces Covenant & pledges: The CLA...