Organisers of the UK’s biggest regenerative farming event have unveiled a bumper programme featuring more than 200 speakers.
Now in its eighth year, the Groundswell Festival takes place on 28-29 June 2023 at Lannock Manor Farm, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire. As well as talks, it will feature hundreds of trade stands and demonstrations.
Groundswell provides a forum for farmers, growers and anyone interested in food production and the environment to learn about the theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems.
Organised by the Cherry family, the programme has been designed to cover all aspects of farming – from livestock and agroforestry to machinery, crops and finance. Event director Alex Cherry feels that this is what makes Groundswell unique.
All welcome
“Last year we welcomed over 5,500 delegates to Groundswell from farmers to policymakers, all with a similar objective – to understand more about regenerative agriculture,” he says.
“Regardless of your farming operation or scale, everyone has a role to play in ensuring we protect our soil, look after the land and produce food in a safe and nutritious way.
“We use the five principals of regenerative agriculture to help guide our farming decisions. This includes protecting the soil surface, increasing diversity, integrating livestock, maintaining living roots and minimising soil disturbance.”
Mr Cherry added: “We want to ensure Groundswell remains an inclusive space for everyone to share their own thoughts, practical ideas and experiences to help make farming part of the solution, to many of the issues we face today.”
As well as sessions curated by the Groundswell team, organisations and individuals have been invited to put forward topics and session ideas, with applications nearly double the number of spaces available.
Advanced sessions
Science writer Anne Biklé will deliver the first keynote of Groundswell 2023. Her latest book – What Your Food Ate: How to Heal the Land and Reclaim our Health – delves into the connections between soil health and the health of crops, animals, and people.
New this year, the event will include a number of advanced sessions. These will provide more depth on a topic, allowing farmers who are already using regenerative techniques to further expand their knowledge.
This year will have a strong focus on pasture-fed livestock, with the Cherry family integrating cattle into their rotation to improve soil health. Showgoers will be able to enjoy beef-cooked over an open fire.
During the event, visitors will have the opportunity to follow the full supply chain: hearing from Pasture for Life about 100% grass-fed cattle and sheep; seeing mob grazing in action; and viewing a mobile abattoir.
For full details, including tickets, visit www.groundswellag.com
Global speakers flock to Groundswell
Speakers from around the world will give presentations at this year’s Groundwell event.
Richard Perkins, who farms in Sweden, will look at different regenerative practices regardless of scale. With more than 160,000 YouTube subscribers, he has inspired farmers across the globe with his approach to profitable systems.
Other speakers include Frédéric Thomas who specialises in minimum tillage and conservation agriculture and supported the creation of the French BASE network for biodiversity, agriculture, soil and environment, which has over 1200 members.
Joel Williams, a plant and soil health consultant in microbial ecology and mineral nutrition, will give a presentation. So too will musician Andy Cato, who co-founded Wildfarmed, a regenerative farming business.
Emily Bull, who manages the FAI Farms regenerative dairy project in the UK, will give a speech about the system.
Judith Batchelor, a former Sainsbury’s brand director, will lead a session. She is also deputy chair of the Environment Agency and honorary president of the British Nutrition Foundation.
