#regenuary

The Groundswell event provides a forum for farmers and anyone interested in food production or the environment to learn about the theory and practical applications of Conservation Agriculture or regenerative systems, including no-till, cover crops and re-introducing livestock into the arable rotation, with a view to improving soil health.

Regenuary makes total sense to me. Whatever food you buy, whether from animal or plants, be a Regenetarian. Focus on HOW your food has been farmed or grown and give your business to local, progressive producers, and the small retailers who distribute their products. We need to move away from the stale plants v animals debate, and realise that ALL types of foods can be produced in a progressive or regressive way

Regenerative agriculture needs to become a mindful model of continuous improvement, rather than a reductionist box ticking approach. If you’re not improving your weak spots, then you’re not regenerative anymore.

"The Chemistry is not working... I think finally farms in some of these depleted arable areas are realising that their soil has run out of steam, the chemistry is not working for them. It's getting more and more expensive to plow ... so I think getting animals back into help regenerate that land is vital... and it's starting to happen."

Regenerating soil carbon stocks by removing carbon from the atmosphere where it is warming the planet will change the direction the world is currently heading, but most importantly by providing natural healthy food that nurtures both people and the planet will result in healthier people and greater biodiversity and bio-abundance something that we all desire.

I don't eat a lot of meat, but when I do I want to know that it's come from farms that treat both their animals and the planet with respect. That's why the #regenuary movement is important to me. As a treat I will sometimes buy a whole chicken and make numerous meals from it, right down to making stock from the bones so that nothing goes to waste.

Regenerative agriculture simply means, recovering and tending to the needs of the land that our livestock and poultry need to grow and survive. As a chef, it is paramount that I know where and how my food is produced. It is very simple, the quality of the ingredients you use, impact the quality and flavour of the dish or meal you produce and the nutrients that it provides.

Regenerative agriculture to me means the best of all worlds. Agriculture that mimics and works in harmony with natural to give us the most nutrient dense food on the planet. Whatever your chosen diet, it should be local, seasonal and regenerative to the best of your abilities. Only then can we heal the people, the animals and our bountiful, beautiful planet that we are all so lucky to share. Regenerative agriculture is quite literally our only path forward and we need all hands on deck at this crucial time in history

Regenerative means farming without chemicals and excess livestock effluent and/or fertiliser, so the soil is healthy to generate a healthy ecosystem and so serve present and future generations survival on this fragile planet. In my opinion the definition should include local. Forbidden Fruit & Veg, grow chemical free fruit and vegetables in a walled garden to sell to the local community and eat in our own grower community. We, Farms not Factories, make short videos for social media to show people how important it is to only buy pork from a high welfare farm. By keeping the smallholder live in people’s food choices we hope to help more farmers survive without having to go into debt to compete with economies of scale by getting vast, cruel and unsustainable i.e. becoming a factory farm.

Silo is a restaurant conceived from a desire to innovate the food industry whilst demonstrating respect: respect for the environment, respect for the way our food is generated and respect for the nourishment given to our bodies. This means we create everything from its whole form, cutting out food miles and over-processing, whilst preserving nutrients and the integrity of the ingredients in the process.

If intensive farming is the disease, then regenerative agriculture is the cure. And this is what The Ethical Butcher’s Regenuary is all about. Buying from farmers and food producers who who care not just about the present, but the future too.

We have gone past the time to be sustainable and now have to be regenerative. To me it’s a holistic system of nature working together to give us the best possible outcomes. Therefore with the integration of livestock to help nourish our soils and maintain living root systems all year round we are creating rich healthy soils which seal in carbon from the atmosphere, and help us work towards a better future for our children and children’s children ….

As the planet's natural equilibrium is unbalanced by humans trying to fix farming induced problems with man-made solutions, here on Jane's farm we continually ask ourselves what Nature can offer to help mitigate this and what we can do to aid her in that process. This means letting the animals and nature work in harmony to produce nutrient dense animal protein. It's a slow process; patience is our friend and the planet's healer. This is what regenerative farming means to me and why I'm supporting the Regenuary movement.

To farm regeneratively means actively working to restore our battered ecosystems rather than continually destroy them as we have been doing for generations

Regenerative agriculture requires us have a careful, attentive approach to improve the health of our soils, vines and the wider biodiversity in and around the vineyard. It means the reduction or elimination of chemical inputs replaced by a more biological approach. It's tremendously exciting as, if we can get it right, we will produce better wines with a lower impact on the planet. A win win!

Managing livestock holistically is the number one way to restore soil and sequester carbon on 1/3rd of the landed surface of the planet that is naturally a perennial grassland or savanna ecosystem.

Regenerative agriculture to me means a new age of farming and a true sign of hope. Taking aspects from how we used to farm in harmony with nature before industrialisation and using new aspects of farming with No-Till drills and soil carbon calculators.

Any nutritionist worth their salt, should know regenerative farming is the best provider of animal and plant nutrients and the only way forward

Regeneration is about working with the land. Understanding natural principles and using that knowledge to rebuild land, soil and ecosystems. Ultimately reversing the damage done by industrial farming. It’s a journey towards farming in harmony with nature and actively healing the land under our stewardship.

For Oscar, Max and I, regenerative means leaving the land in an incrementally less shit (rubbish) state than we found it. Practicing farming techniques that can help us to work that bit more with nature, and making products that empower that and are good for people. Heritage grains grow taller, shade out weeds and require no chemicals. The rapeseed has been working on harmony with our grazing sheep to drastically reduce inputs. It's a journey and we are getting there.

January is traditionally a time to put our best foot forward for the coming year. New goals and aspiration for healthier habits. For me this means for the planet as well as for my mental and emotional health. It’s also the time of year we are subjected to all sorts of huge claims from new products and food brands. its a time we are vulnerable to green washing and plant based washing as it is the time we will read any headline that something is better for us and grab hold of it with all our hearts hoping it will change our life and health. . This is why reganuary is so important. It’s about getting real with ourselves about what is truly healthy for us and for our planet. I get super emotional when I think about what regenerative agriculture and my own brand of regenerative wellness has done for me. Any movement that highlights the need for informed choice, traceable history and biodiversity of soil and gut is a life saver and now more so than ever. After two years of undiagnosed life threatening sickness, I was told in 2016, that I had no gut wall what so ever due to post viral fatigue from a spider bite infection. I was told I would just have to learn to live with the consequences life would not improve, nothing could be done to rebuild and regenerate my gut wall which is the greatest organ in our body and is responsible for our emotional health and immune system. But chemical free regenerative agriculture and livening a 90 % plant based diet with daily doses of good quality low antibiotic, closed heard, bone broth. Quite literally saved my life. So when you ask. What regenuary means to me and why I think it so important … it means the world, quite literally, it means life of people and plant.

We can all make a difference to the World everyday with the food choices we make. Regenerative Farming to me, means working in partnership with nature, having respect for our environment and understanding the delicate balance we have to try to work towards. Our Lincoln Red cattle spend all year outside, grazing nothing but grass and hay that has had no fertilisers or sprays, just sunlight, rain and great soil. And of course the poo and wee.

It’s not the cow, it’s how’, Patrick Holden - organic dairy farmer and founder Sustainable Food Trust - is fond of saying. He is right of course - but I would take his argument one step further and say that ‘how’ applies to plants as much as it does animals; that being vegan means relatively little, environmentally speaking, if you are not paying attention to where and how your plant-based food is grown. Reganuary is often presented as a reaction to Veganuary; yet far from contradicting the vegan movement, Reganuary can and should actively compliment it: reminding everyone that regenerative farming principles apply as much to fruit, grains and vegetables as they do livestock. If we are to create a sustainable food system, we need to support those farmers who are moving away from the monocultures and chemicals that are stripping our soils of nutrients and carbon, and toward organic farming, mixed farming and agroforestry. Likewise, the responsible and ethical consumption of meat and dairy can and should co-exist alongside veganism as part of a sustainable food culture, working as it does to support healthy pasture, biodiversity and the retention of soil carbon. What this urgent crisis for our land, our atmosphere and ultimately our health demands is unity and a holistic approach.

Regenerative agriculture is a win-win. Soil is made more sustainable, carbon is recycled, farms become more profitable, the food often tastes better, and the consumer is more satisfied. It’s not easy, but it’s a virtuous circle that has to be the way forward. At Courteenhall, our focus is leaving a legacy to be proud of. That’s why we have invested in regenerative farming and why we back Regenuary.

"Sustainable Wine Solutions is proud to be on the frontline of innovation in wine distribution and packaging. We were one of the first to promote quality wines from independent winemakers in alternative formats and to champion wine on tap. Since those days in the early 2000s we have consistently looked for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and to change the behaviour of our customers to a reuse circular economy model. Our roots in retail proved extremely useful as we made our transition into wholesale, providing sustainable solutions to on and off trade venues around the country. As a wine merchant in the 21st century, we aim to pave the way for a new more sustainable and efficient supply chain.-None of us can make the necessary changes alone; together, working collaboratively, we can make a big impact. We have to do what we can and we have to do it now."