Regenerative farming: the adventure in revolutionising food systems
This article was originally published by Adventure Uncovered here.
Regenerative farming presents a model of food production rooted in community engagement, sustainability and healthy ecosystems. Bex Tyers makes its case from Plotgate Farm in Somerset.
In a quiet village in rural Somerset there is a winding dirt track that leads seemingly nowhere. Past the gentle hubbub of village life and the fields with rows of hay bales piled high, the track bends around to the right. If you walk onwards, with tall wildgrass and wildflowers on either side, you’ll arrive at a farm gate.
Beyond this gate is Plotgate Community Farm - a ten-acre regenerative farm growing and producing chemical-free vegetables and meat for the local community in this small corner of southwest England. Plotgate is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. This means that when someone becomes a farm cooperative member, they not only get a weekly veg box, but also have the power to vote on the direction of the farm and play an active role in decision-making. Members can also volunteer at the farm alongside the three main growers and four farming apprentices. This model of farming offers local people direct access to the food that they consume while also allowing them to directly support their local farmers.
Earlier this year I left London and moved off-grid to come and work and learn on this farm. While working as a writer in the food industry, I had become increasingly aware of the need for change within our food systems. I wanted to be a part of that change and, after volunteering on community farms and delving deeper into the issues, I decided to give up my job and take up a seasonal farm apprenticeship this year. Since being here I have come to further understand the desperate need for small-scale, regenerative farmers and the importance of the food that they grow and produce. Today, just eight companies control 80% of the UK’s food supply. Such imbalances of power are leading to more people wanting to grow more local, regenerative food for their communities in the UK. While we may not climb mountains each day, I would argue that our work is an adventurous pursuit that needs far greater recognition.
'Today, just eight companies control 80% of the UK’s food supply. Such imbalances of power are leading to more people wanting to grow more local, regenerative food for their communities in the UK.'
One of the greatest challenges we are all facing as an international community is our warming planet. Industrial farming is not a sustainable model in the face of climate change. It consumes resources without replenishing them: it depletes our soil, leaches chemicals into our water and food systems, and can have devastating impacts on wildlife. Farming chemicals called pesticides are sprayed on food to kill weeds. Glyphosate is the most common chemical sprayed on farms across the globe. However, in 2015 it was classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and later studies found that it could ‘adversely affect the biology of mammals.’ Despite this, Glyphosate is still heavily used in non-organic farming and continues to deplete our soil. Soil is one of the most important natural resources on the planet - without healthy soil we won’t be able to grow food to sustain ourselves. It can take between 100 and 1,000 years for soil to develop, and it is extremely vulnerable to degradation.
In contrast, regenerative farming aims to regenerate depleted soil, increase biodiversity, enhance ecosystems, and build resilience to climate instability - as well as provide chemical-free, nutritious food for local communities. The Rodale Institute pioneered organic and regenerative farming methods in the U.S. - they have been doing a Farming Systems Trial for over 30 years that measures organic versus industrial agriculture to see what is a more sustainable, beneficial model. They have found that organic farming outperforms in yields, builds soil health, uses 45% less energy, and produces 40% less greenhouse gas. This type of farming differs greatly from larger, industrial farming: it is community-focused, uses very little machinery, and seeks to work with nature. Whereas industrial farming has put a great distance between the producer and the consumer, community farms offer people a way to take an active role in growing their own food through volunteering. They also offer people a space to connect with others, be outdoors and have been shown to aid in better mental and physical health. Not only feeding people in an honest, transparent way, regenerative farming also ensures that our food systems have a resilient, sustainable future in the face of climate change.
'Whereas industrial farming has put a great distance between the producer and the consumer, community farms offer people a way to take an active role in growing their own food through volunteering.'
Great adventurers respond to mighty challenges, and for farmers climate change is the greatest of them all. Working in partnership with nature to successfully grow food means that you are at the behest of nature’s rhythms. You are constantly adapting to the needs and intricate balance of weather, soil, water, plants, and wildlife. According to the Met Office, “April [2021] saw just 28% (20.1mm) of the average rainfall for the UK, putting it as the fourth driest on record, while May’s downpours [saw] the fourth wettest May ever recorded for the UK.” These fluctuating weather patterns are making farming increasingly challenging. While it would be far easier for many farmers to ignore this challenge, and push onwards using more chemicals and fossil-fuel-powered machinery, there are those that are offering alternatives.
Regenerative farming is not only a model that works on a small scale - various studies have shown that it is scalable and could offer an alternative to ‘feed the world’ sustainably. However, if we want to create a more sustainable food system, we need to think differently about how we consume and produce food. As stated in a paper from the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, “given the state of our earth we can no longer afford to discuss questions like ‘can organic feed the world?’ When, if anything, we should be asking why the industrial model of agriculture is not feeding the world. Instead, we should be highlighting what works, namely food systems that provide sufficient and nutritious food for all, minimise environmental impacts, and enable producers to earn a decent living.” Growing and raising food regeneratively is pushing the limits of what many believe is achievable. It is directly challenging an industrial model that shows little care for biodiversity and transparency within our food system. As consumers with an appreciation for the outdoors, we need to support those that are growing food that supports natural ecosystems.
'Growing and raising food regeneratively is pushing the limits of what many believe is achievable. It is directly challenging an industrial model that shows little care for biodiversity and transparency within our food system. As consumers with an appreciation for the outdoors, we need to support those that are growing food that supports natural ecosystems.'
Many of our greatest role models challenge the status quo and offer us positive examples of how we can make change. Regenerative farmers are doing just that. They are actively connecting with natural systems to ensure that our food has a positive impact, using their bodies and minds to produce food in a more natural way and creating a model in which communities are connected and empowered, rather than further separated from each other and their food. We can all partake in the adventure of living more regeneratively. We can work to encourage more biodiversity in our gardens, grow our own food without chemicals and support farmers that are working to ensure that we have transparent, sustainable food systems for the future.
So, when I see a new bird species making a home in our wildlife pond, or I reach my hands into the healthy soil beneath my feet, I am reminded of why this work matters. I may be one farmer in rural Somerset, but I am part of a movement that is creating lasting change that will reach far beyond just my own community. That is an adventure worth pursuing.