THIS summer, two very British festivals took place. Both saw crowds of people in Wellingtons and denim cut-offs gathering in fields to the camp, drinking beer, and dance a summer's evening away. Those attending Somerset's Glastonbury Festival had come for the music. Those at Groundswell in Hertfordshire, however, were there to share ideas about something being described as 'the new rock and roll': regenerative farming.
In 2017, brothers John and Paul Cherry hosted the first Groundswell festival in a shed on their farm when 450 farmers came together to discuss techniques such as direct drilling and cover cropping. Six years on, that number has swelled to 5,000.
Regenerative farming seems to have captured the imagination of both government and big business-George Eustice, Secretary of State for Defra, chose Groundswell to launch the Government's new Sustainable Farming Incentive, and the fast-food chain McDonald's is trialling regenerative-grazing methods. However, with no agreed definition or regulation, what does regenerative agriculture actually mean?
The answer must be seen in the context of the past 70 years when chemicals and machinery achieved the job of feeding the world. Now, enough food is produced globally to feed up to six billion more people than currently exist, although it doesn't always get to those it should. The unintended consequences of this have caused catastrophic damage to our wildlife and soils, contributed to global warming, fuelled an obesity crisis, and created a food system that means 40% of all food produced is either lost or wasted.
Denne historien er fra August 17, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 17, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
