Regenerative Agriculture & Horticulture

• Regenerative Gardening and Farming.
• This blog has been set up as a vehicle to promote my book, Radical Regenerative Gardening and Farming (subtitle; Biodynamic Principles and Perspectives). Part of the motivation for writing this book is to help inform growers and gardeners about how to become better stewards of the land.

•  Back in the 1970s, we were all learning with no clear place to learn. Many of us were essentially reinventing the wheel on organics. Fast forward to this millennium and I see so many people still reinventing that same wheel. Through my non profit REAP, I have visited several small farms. It is not uncommon to see no compost and no use of cover crops and yet many of these farms are certified organic. I have not used the word organic in years. The food they produce has little or no taste. This is the new generation of growers. Consumers have no closer relationship with their food than they did back in the 1970s. I have taught hundreds of people how tho grow without the use of synthetic chemicals, mostly through my workshops, here and in other countries. Some people are surprised when I tell them that you don't need a certificate, licence or training to become a farmer. The idea that people abuse a piece of land in order to learn, so they can say they are a farmer is appalling.  I love my work, I love healing and regenerating land and I wish to share my passion. I also continue to learn through conducting research. It is a continual process that allows me to grow. I hope to keep doing this until it is time to make compost out of me. I have worked in many aspects of horticulture and small scale agriculture since the early 1970s. Having worked in a variety of countries and environments has given me a lot of insights. I have also developed a reverence and obedience for nature. That is why I emulate nature when creating a garden or farm. I observe the surrounding environment and try to fit into it. I do not call myself an expert and shy away from people who do. If you do this type of work and do it with lots of love and integrity it could be viewed as a spiritual work. Creating a balanced ecosystem involves developing an intimate relationship with a piece of land. It takes time and is very rewarding. Those of us who do this have a deep connection with the earth. This work feeds us spiritually and gives our life deep meaning and that draws me deeper into the garden. Thank you.