What is
regenerative
farming?
Mimics nature's ways
Animals like to move. They like to explore new areas, enjoy fresh food and leave behind their own wee and poo and give the land time to recover from their grazing so it can feed them again in the future. In the wild, animals are often moved along by predators, but regenerative farming utilises electric fencing and mobile shelters to mimic this movement around a farm or landscape. Each animal also has its own characteristics and regenerative farming seeks to utilise these to benefit the farm as a whole. For example, chickens love following behind cows to find insects and fly larvae in their manure and in doing so they spread out the muck and clean up parasites that may affect the cows.
Restores soil health
Our understanding of soil is surprisingly limited, yet it is essential to life on Earth. In fact some scientists have commented we probably know more about space than we do about soil! However, we do know what damages soil. Ploughing, chemicals and over grazing all damage the complex and diverse life that is in the soil. Regenerative farming therefore tries to minimise these impacts and use other approaches to grow food in a way that builds soil fertility instead of depleting it.
Nurtures healthy relationships
Life is full of connections and no thing or no-one exists in isolation. Nature follows patterns and cycles, like the seasons or the water cycle. Taking time to learn, observe and listen to these relationships means their restoration brings renewal in many different ways. For example healthy soil produces healthier food but also leads to cleaner waterways. We believe that soil, animal and human health are all connected and regenerative farming helps to nurture them all.
