BASE-UK 2020 Conference

[AF Salers]

It's the annual BASE UK conference 11th & 12th February and not long left now to book tickets/sort membership out for those who aren't members.

For those who aren't familiar - BASE UK is for farmers & individuals who are interested in conservation agriculture and has been formed to run in parallel with the innovative and influential group started in Brittany 10 years ago by Frederic Thomas which has now over 1,000 members. BASE stands for Biology Agriculture Soil & Environment and follows the principles of Conservation Agriculture which is fundamentally about carbon management in soil – based on 3 core principles

• Minimum soil disturbance
• Residue cover on the soil
• Rotations

BASE UK is looking to provide a vehicle for members to share their experiences and collective learning’s on all aspects of conservation agriculture with members and will over time encourage members to present their own experiences and host farm visits.

This association is to be funded by individual subscriptions of £130 per year which would be used to fund speakers at meetings and over the longer term provide funds for trial work in the area of conservation agriculture.

The first meeting was held on the 28th November 2012 and our first speaker was Frederic Thomas who shared with us his experiences on cover cropping, no-till and nurse/companion cropping that he has gained on his own farm and with his clients in France.

https://base-uk.co.uk/

Looking forward to catching up with other members for a good chinwag on what's worked and what hasn't, and hearing some fantastic speakers, as well as a good moan about the weather no doubt!


AGM CONFERENCE 2020

11th and 12th February 2020.

VENUE: The Park Inn by Radisson, North Street, York YO1 6JF
The proposed programme is as follows but not necessarily in the order laid out and is subject to change:
Tuesday 11th February

• Dr Sam Cook – Rothamsted Research
• Richard Thompson – Organic Farming at York Grounds
• Brewster Brothers – Mob-Grazing
• Dr Anna Krzywoszynska – Becoming soil farmers: what forms of knowledge are needed to progress to sustainable soil management?
• Steve Lear – Starting the CA journey.
• Julian Gold – Winner of SFOY. Toil, Tears, Tantrums and Triumphs: Some reflections on my regenerative ag. Journey
• Gary Markham – Benchmarking – Groundswell & BASE
• Roger Dixon-Spain – after dinner speaker.

Wednesday 12th February

• AGM.
• Professor Adrian Newton – Resilient cropping systems: some ingredients
• George Sly
• Edward Dicken – Regenerative Wheat
• Guy Thallon – Introducing the Big Soil Community – Big data, Soil biodiversity and Communities of farmers, scientists, bacteria, fungi and nematodes.
• Adam Driver – Transitioning to Regenerative Agriculture on CFA’s and FBT’s
• Dr Lea Herold – PGRO

COST: ENTRY BY TICKET ONLY.
BASE UK Members: 1 day only – £70 Both days – £120.
NON-BASE-UK Members: 1 day only – £250 Both days – £300.

Dinner on Tuesday evening is included whether you are there for 1 day or both, so please indicate if you will be dining when booking. If you are unable to attend on Tuesday during the day but can get to hotel for dinner, we would be delighted if you can join us – a pre-dinner drink is included from 7.15 pm and dinner will be served at 7.45 pm. Dinner is 3 courses followed by cheese and coffee with wine on the table to start the meal.

BOOKING: To book your place please email [email protected]

 

[martian]

Good line-up. Booked our tickets, Rebecca told me that this Friday is cut off day...so if you want to come, get on with it and book!
Looking forward to it

 

[Clive]

Who else is going then ? I’m heading up to York this evening

 

[TWF]

Arrived

 

[AF Salers]

Cattle all done, 2 calves overnight sorted, will be on the bus into town in half an hour or so!

 

[martian]

Excellent day I thought. Plenty to think about

 

[Jack Russell]

A fascinating two day’s. Truly refreshing to be in a room full of people all interested in the same things. Well done to the committee and Rebecca for putting it all together. Not to pick one out as better than any other, but the talk about the mob grazing by Robert?? Brewster was really good, and that’s coming from an out right arable farmer with no ability or interest in livestock.

 

[Clive]

Was a good couple of days, pity one of day 1’s main speakers cancelled last min but it was still a very full day

if It keeps growing we are going to have to start looking for bigger venues

note to self never follow Edwin to a bar again ...........


anyone not in BASE really is missing out, it’s getting better every year as we find our feet

 

[Jack Russell]

Out of interest, how many members does BASE have? As someone that still relies heavily on cultivators i did feel slightly unnerving entering the heart of the no till militia. I was surprised how broad a church it actually was. learnt a lot, now just need to start applying it.

 

[Clive]

Out of interest, how many members does BASE have? As someone that still relies heavily on cultivators i did feel slightly unnerving entering the heart of the no till militia. I was surprised how broad a church it actually was. learnt a lot, now just need to start applying it.

just over 200 now I think, 140 were at agm

it’s not just for the hardcore notiller, in fact those that are probably get less out of it than those that are not imo

 

[Jack Russell]

It shows the interest and support when such a proportion of the membership turn out for the conference. I’m sure you are right in who gets the most benefit.

 

[Warnesworth]

Yep, brilliant couple of days. All credit to the executive mob and especially Rebecca.

note to self never follow Edwin to a bar again ...........

I made that mistake on the Monday evening. #mojito
Never did manage to establish why we were asked to leave.....

 

[ajd132]

Yep, brilliant couple of days. All credit to the executive mob and especially Rebecca.


I made that mistake on the Monday evening. #mojito
Never did manage to establish why we were asked to leave.....

I can’t even remember how I got back to the hotel after mojito!