Traditional orchards have declined by 81% since the 1900s. They hold great value for biodiversity (offering food as well as refuge), for climate change resilience, and for the local community. With a growing interest in craft cider in the UK, small-scale makers are proliferating - reclaiming old orchards, innovating low-impact methods in cultivation and production, and supporting each other in a movement that prides itself on creating natural products with a real connection to the…

A herbal ley is a complex mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs which, when well-managed, can offer benefits for wildlife, livestock, emissions and soil. In this session you will hear from the Cotswolds Seeds and FarmED team about the benefits of multi-species herbal leys, seed mix selection and how to establish and manage new swards.

A transition to agroecological, climateresilient food and farming systems requires new grain systems, from seed to field, to baking and retailing. Our current agricultural system is almost exclusively focused on productivity and consistency, unintentionally creating an unjust and unhealthy grain system from soil to gut.

Food has the power to restore our physical and mental health, bring families together and reconnect us with our landscape, culture and history. Sadly, in our present climate, it polarises, confuses and perpetuates chronic illness. This all-female panel including a doctor, farmer, barrister, psychiatrist and vet-turned nutritionist will join together to share their stories of how agroecological methods are healing our bodies, minds, communities and our land.

The connection between the farming community and wider communities has often been weak. For the food system to meaningfully change to an agroecological model, all communities need to work together towards a shared vision. A number of Sustainable Food Places (SFP) members and our partners have sought to bridge that gap using a partnership approach, facilitating spaces where fruitful dialogues between farmers and their communities can happen. This approach is also a successful methodology to…

Policymakers are increasingly recognising the potential of organic farming to help meet emissions reduction targets and to improve biodiversity on farmed land. Organic sector bodies are working with the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to develop Organic Action Plans aimed at driving growth in organic farming.

This participatory session invites landworkers, activists and organisations interested in supporting agroecological transformations to come together to discuss how we can strengthen our collective movement ecology to have the biggest impact.

What happens if landowners entrust their land to more distributed and diverse forms of ownership and governance than a single bloodline? Might a culture of diversity lead to even greater resilience?

Want advice about starting a community land-based project? The Ecological Land Cooperative share their learnings from 15 years of developing agroecological smallholdings for new entrants to ecological farming. The aim is to demystify the journey of buying community-owned farmland. The session will explore how to develop a viable business plan, finance your project, write planning applications, choose governance structures, and ensure good relationships between community owners and tenants.