One Million Calories

Available for over a year

Max Cotton is leaving behind the weekly shop, supermarkets and the modern world. Instead, he’s about to discover whether he can grow and produce 100% of his food on a smallholding near Glastonbury. His only import for a year is salt. With his challenge planted, the retired political journalist is making preparations. He needs to produce more than one million calories to survive. Why is he doing this? What has inspired him, and how much food does one person need for a year? Max is helped and ridiculed in equal measure by his family. We hear from them, from Guy Singh Watson, the founder of Riverford, and Max’s farming friend Tommy Allen. And we're introduced to the star of this series - Max’s cow, Brenda. Producer: Tessa Browne A Good Egg production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2024.