We have four innovative and exciting workshop events for NNCG members to look forward to in the coming months. Covering topics and issues that have been identified by the NNCG Steering Group as well as from feedback from the members, we hope there is something for everyone in our programme of events.
On Tuesday 18 April we welcome Ian Gould and Pawel Kisielewski to talk about Compost, Cover Crops and Alternative Fertilisers. The event will be held at Copys Green Farm, Wighton, Wells-next-the-Sea NR23 1NY, courtesy of Catherine and Stephen Temple. It will start at 1.30pm with a demonstration from Stephen’s own composter.
Ian Gould, co-owner of Oakbank, will then give a presentation on The Effective Use of Cover and Companion Cropsbefore we hear from Pawel Kisielewski, CEO of CCm Technologies on: How low-emission waste-based fertilisers can scale and accelerate regenerative farming.
Oakbank Game and Conservation specialise in habitat creation on farmland. They work with land owners, estate managers, farmers and game keepers to enhance the biodiversity of their land, often making use of agri-environment schemes, such as Environmental Stewardship. Oakbank takes an innovative approach to Game Crops and habitat provision for Wild Game Birds, and has a particular expertise in Wild Grey Partridge
CCm Technologies’ process turns waste CO2, Nitrogen and Phosphates from waste streams generated by agriculture, industry and water companies into a stable useful low emission fertiliser. The product can be tailored specifically into formulations for different crops while reducing emissions. It’s a circular economy product capable of capturing valuable resources unnecessarily damaging air quality and polluting rivers. It provides a scalable solution to some of the challenges in decarbonising agriculture.
Here is a link to a clip providing additional background on how CCm fits into the decarbonisation of agriculture debate: CCM on BBC Countryfile.
On Thursday 11 May it is all about Healthy Soil and Healthy Food as we hear from Niels Corfield and Andy Cato. The workshop will take place from 9am to 12 noon at Church Farm, Stanhoe, PE31 8PT, courtesy of Andrew Ralli.
Niels Corfield focuses on agroecological systems that are low maintenance yet productive. He advises and runs courses on soil health, planned grazing, agroforestry and whole farm planning. He produces designs for agroforestry systems and whole farm plans. Working as an independent adviser, Niels has been working to deliver a truly regenerative food system for more than 15 years.
Andy Cato is chief executive of Wildfarmed, a community of farmers and growers seeking to produce crops grown in systems that prioritise soil health. Wildfarmed works with farmers who embrace regenerative approaches to improve farm biodiversity and soil condition to find a route to market. All Wildfarmed crops are grown without the use of herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. The aim is to create a traceable field to plate network which allows consumers to participate in the restoration of soil and biodiversity and pays farmers a fair price for producing food in this way.
On Friday 7 July, Joel Williams and David Purdy will be talking about A joined up approach to soil biology and nutrition. Hosted at Meadow Barn, East Barsham, NR21 0LF, courtesy of Jimmy Goodley, the sessions will run from 9-12, with plenty of time for discussions and questions.
Joel is an independent plant and soil health educator and a healthy soils advocate. He has a particular interest in managing soil microbial ecology along with crop & soil nutrition to optimise plant immunity, soil function and soil carbon sequestration. For more about Joel’s work, click here.
Recently he has been working in the UK and Europe with both conventional and organic farming systems integrating soil chemical & biological assessments, along with plant nutritional analyses as a joined-up strategy for managing crop production.
David Purdy is passionate about agronomy, sustainability and regenerative agriculture. With over 35 years of experience in the agricultural machinery industry, much of which has been spent working for John Deere, he has a particular interest in the machinery and soil health interface. For many years his spare time has been spent, when circumstances allow, travelling and working with subsistence farmers in Africa to improve their soil and water conservation and help some poor communities to be more resilient. To see David’s work, click here.
September’s meeting is yet to be finalised but will present an opportunity for group members to listen to DEFRA’s Janet Hughes as she explains all the recent developments under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). The second speaker is yet to be announced for this event, so watch this space!
All the workshops will have limited spaces, so it is important that you let us know as soon as possible if you will be attending. Ahead of each meeting or workshop, you will receive a reminder of the event and there will be a report published following each event.
Please let Sarah know if you will be attending the workshops by emailing sarah@nncg.org.u
