Owen Shiers on reviving black oats in Wales and the balance between valuing culture and making a profit in farming
For this episode of the SFT Podcast, we hear from Owen Shiers – Welsh folk singer, researcher, grain grower and cultural historian.
In his late 20s, Owen was rewarded a scholarship from the Finzi Trust to research folk music in Ceredigion, where he grew up – a moment which he describes as the 'beginning of his journey'. What was originally intended to be an exploration of culture, became an exploration of agriculture as Owen came to learn about the significance of black oats in Wales. During his research, Owen crossed paths with Gerald Miles, an organic farmer from Pembrokeshire, and Iwan Evans Coedfadre, a Welsh folk singer and farmer.
Whilst Gerald had been searching for black oats for 20 years, having all but disappeared and been replaced by more modern varieties of oats, Iwan was the last farmer in Wales to be growing them. Through this research, Owen was able to connect Gerald and Iwan, which led to the creation of the Llafur Ni Network ('Our Cereals') – a project they co-founded with the Gaia Foundation, bringing together farmers and growers across Wales to revive black oats and other rare welsh grains.
Owen's music, (Cynefin – Owen's 'musical brainchild') is firmly rooted in the customs and cultural vernacular of Ceredigion. His most recent album Shimli, explores the intersection between music, poetry, food and the natural world. Stick around until the end of this episode to hear 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man) from Owen's latest album, and for an explanation about the origins of the song.
Elsewhere in the episode, Patrick and Owen also talk about the impact that religion has had on Welsh folk music; how the cultivation and preservation of seeds compares to that of the cultivation of wool and other animal by-products; and they ask, how can we create economic opportunities for people in a food and farming system which is often working against the principles of sustainability?
You can listen to Cynefin's music here and and follow him on Instagram.
To find out more about the Llafur Ni Network and how Owen first came to meet Gerald and Iwan, watch this brilliant film from The Gaia Foundation and Andy Pilsbury.
To listen to more SFT podcasts, featuring some of the biggest names in regenerative food and farming, head to our main podcast page. And to keep up to date with our news, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bluesky.
This conversation was recorded in January 2026.
Timestamps:
0:00: Welcome to the SFT Podcast!
0:49: Who is Owen Shiers?
3:17: Exploring the roots of Welsh folk music
5:03: The Methodist Church's impact on folk music in Wales
7:55: Black Oats in Wales
11:06: What can poetry tell us about farming culture?
13:40: Stuck between a rock and a hard place: valuing culture versus making a profit in farming
17:53: Opportunities in agricultural education
23:40: How do we create economic opportunities for people in a system set against the principles of sustainability?
28:18: The Llafur Ni Network
42:06: How does the cultivation and valuing of seeds compare to wool?
45:28: How can we make sustainable food and clothing more affordable?
49:11: Owen reads some Welsh poetry
51:52: Goodbye!
52:31: 'Y Medelwr' (The Reaper Man)
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