Monday 25th January 2021
January is the traditional month for resolutions, for cutting out and giving up, but lately more and more people are starting to question whether exclusion is the right way to go? And whether a more balanced food and farming system is actually better for us and the planet. In fact rather than giving up things our resolution is always to do something positive.
There’s a growing new approach for farming in the UK which believes animals, plants and humans can coexist in the food chain while boosting biodiversity, capturing carbon and restoring the soil – it’s called regenerative farming.
Our very own Tim Mead has been talking about the benefits of regenerative organic farming for some time. Yeo Valley Organic is over 25 years old, and he believes that 2021 has the potential to be the eureka moment for the balance of nature and a greater recognition of regenerative organic farming.
British farmers have been getting behind the phrase Regenuary, spearheading the fight back to Veganuary. Regenerative farming techniques are now seen as a way of producing, nutritious healthy food while combatting climate change.
Regenerative farming is a system which priorities soil health and one of the crucial components to making healthy soil is the magic of animals. In short, their manure becomes a natural fertiliser. You won’t be surprised to hear from us that cows do this really well!
In the Valley our cows munch down our lush green pastures, full of plants with different roots like clover and chicory; and the photosynthesis of these plants locks up even more carbon into the soil. The cows also leave natural fertiliser behind which they tread into the ground and micro-organisms feast on. Healthy soil is full of biological life, which we can’t see. Nematodes, bacteria and fungi are just some of the real super-heroes under our feet, weaponising our soil naturally.
Balance as in nature is the key and a New Year doesn’t have to start with ditching the red meat and the dairy. British farming is taking a lead in producing sustainable food which is good for you, for wildlife and the world and it doesn’t need to cost the earth.
If you want to find out more you may also find this Farmers Guardian ‘Over the farm gate’ podcast of interest, with chef, soil activist and Yeo Valley Organic fan Gizzi Erskine. Click here to listen.
Yeo Valley Organic supports the Sustainable Soils Alliance and they have a new community hub for all things soil:
Very interesting.
Just want to mentions love you produce. Yoghurts, butter etc
Love it , but my concern is that most cow muck now contains residues of worming compounds that survive the gut complex ,and pop out the other end entering the soil killing microbes and reducing earthworm population.
Think…when was the last time you saw a muck heap steaming?? It doesn’t happen in modern farming due to the worming compounds killing off the bacteria that help break down the bio mass.
Living in balance is, and always had been, thumbs up from me.👍
I read an article a couple of years ago about exactly the same thing. Couldn’t find it again. So thank you
Roll on organic farmers. We support you, and want the government to as well. Glad to hear what you’e doing. So upset to hear about sugar beet and neonicotinoids now being allowed. Have we heard correctly? What can we do to fight it?
Yes, yes, yes! That has cheered me up. I see this pandemic as an opportunity for us all to wake up to a new way of living and feel so disheartened when people talk of getting back to normal. This promise of real food is very heart-warming and I do hope that the common sense spreads.
Thank you!!!
Brilliant!!
In Total agreement with that we moved house to have a garden we could do something with and it’s working well
absolutely agree
First sensible thing I have read this year and just so glad there are people who think like me, not into cutting things out but very much into living in the natural balance . I practice this in my own microworld, in my garden and in my kitchen.
If ever there was a month for using up all the goodies left over from the festive season ,food and drink, it’s January.
Thanks for the common sense.