Groundswell 2020

[martian]

Tickets for this years show are now on sale and selling fast...I don't think we'll sell out quite as fast as the ORFC, but you don't want to be caught out! We have rejigged the lay-out: we will be holding all the talks in seven different tents on a new field, immediately adjacent to the new site for the demos. It's all looking good.

We're welcoming back some speakers from previous years, like Jill Clapperton, David Montgomery and his wife Anne Bikle and Joel Williams. We've also lined up Jeff Moyer, who's been working on organic no-till at the Rodale Institute in America; Courtney White, author of Grass, Soil, Hope and co-author of Fibershed and Gabe Brown's book Dirt to Soil; the fascinating microbiologist and climate expert Walter Jehne; vermiculture's own Rhonda Sherman; Sally-Ann Spence the dung-beetle champion and Jan Hendrick Cropp, who is growing no-till organic vegetables at scale in Germany. This is just the tip of the information iceberg that we're laying in front of you this year, there will be farmer panels, policy wonks, finance ideas as well as machinery demonstrations, with 12 drills lined up (so far), compost-turners, herbal leys and mob-grazing and a much bigger Earthworm Arms.

More information to follow, I just thought I'd give you the nod that it's up and running

 

[Chris F]

Looking forward to it as always John!

 

[AF Salers]

Sounds excellent John, definitely not to be missed ?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Tickets bought. We're in

 

[Karliboy]

I’d best talk to the misses and see what’s planned

 

[martian]

We were advised, when we put the first show on five years ago, that we'd best only do it every two years, or we'd run out of speakers...as it is, this year we've been swamped with suggestions and applications for panels or talks. We've been sifting through these and trying to put a balanced programme together. Most of these have been excellent ideas and there will be some hard choices to make, when it comes to deciding which of the seven tents you go into...

Luckily, no-one says: 'There are too many books in this library, I won't go in because the choice will scare me', or 'there are too many channels on my telly, so I won't watch it', so we know that, although you'll miss some cracking sessions, you'll catch some which will surprise you and, if all goes to plan, you'll be able to watch the ones you miss on youtube afterwards. We've got a new techie man in charge of sound and lighting etc, he was round here today talking us through the options...it's going to look and sound fantastic, which is reassuring as we had a few issues last year.

A few people have asked whether they'll get re-imbursed if we have to call it off due to this exciting new disease that's doing the rounds. The answer is yes (maybe less a pound or two for costs...) even though the NFU has said their insurance won't cover cancellation due to human disease outbreak. We're banking on it being all over when the weather warms up. There is no stopping the Regenerative Agriculture bandwagon...

 

[Daniel]

Excellent work John, I only make it every other year as our child breeding programme has meant the arrival of a June baby in odd numbered years since Groundswell launched. But this year should be fine!

 

[bitwrx]

I’d best talk to the misses and see what’s planned

They say it's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission....

 

[Karliboy]

They say it's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission....

I have to ask for that every time I come home late from the pub ??

She went out to the Norfolk show last year with the little one as it worked in the same day but dose not this year sadly I’ll get back to the drawing board to find her something else to do ??

 

[ajd132]

Mega, can’t wait.

 

[martian]

Also...Jill Clapperton is organising her own day on the day before (Tuesday, 23rd) (I think). It will be an in depth session for 40 odd students, details to follow.

It has been suggested that we also put on a beginners day on that Tuesday, for farmers who are planning on 'going no-till' and who want some good tips on making that switch. They do this every year at 'No-till on the Plains' in Kansas, it seems to be popular and useful. Would there be a market for that here? PM me if you don't want to post in public!
John

 

[SilliamWhale]

Id like to have a full day with Jill Clapperton so to speak John. Did you mean actual students or farmers?

Also I have a workshop suggestion for you. "No till Maize". Maybe involving one of the Yanks (maybe Jeff Moyer), the maize growers association and a few farmers who are doing it in the UK (or strip till). No till/ strip till.maize needs to develop a critical mass as its such a good opportunity for some farms.

Id like to here Phil Needham one day. He is originally from lincs. I know he is pretty straight bat no till rather than regen ag but he does have a good technical knowledge and I think a lot of the pure arable no tillers who find some stuff a bit high falutin would probably get something out. I think phil would too and i know he takes a summer holiday in the uk

 

[SilliamWhale]

Also this could be a good opportunity for minette or tom bradshaw to have an opportunity to be part of it. I reckon Tom might be willing to.

The whole language of regen ag and the message that is a positive albeit evolving area, combined with climate change plus Brexit and likely developing patriotism could be a good opportunity for a few parties to publicly come together and make the claim that farmers are keen to evolve there farming to suit food production, regeneration of soils, wildlife, culture etc but we cannot do it alone - we need the public and govt support to make the best of it.

The wider press would probably like it. Eg Today programme doing a piece on it, you can get your white legs on the front of the Guardian etc!!

Jist thinking aloud - I dont know what goes into these things!

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Id like to have a full day with Jill Clapperton so to speak John. Did you mean actual students or farmers?

Also I have a workshop suggestion for you. "No till Maize". Maybe involving one of the Yanks (maybe Jeff Moyer), the maize growers association and a few farmers who are doing it in the UK (or strip till). No till/ strip till.maize needs to develop a critical mass as its such a good opportunity for some farms.

Id like to here Phil Needham one day. He is originally from lincs. I know he is pretty straight bat no till rather than regen ag but he does have a good technical knowledge and I think a lot of the pure arable no tillers who find some stuff a bit high falutin would probably get something out. I think phil would too and i know he takes a summer holiday in the uk

@Devon James strip tills maize I believe.

 

[Samcowman]

Have a neighbour here who direct drills his maize. Has done it for a couple of years and comes to Groundswell every year. Pm me for details if you want @martian

 

[steveR]

Yes yes, all right and proper this good stuff.... But as a newbie this year, what is the craic like on-site after 6pm, when the Gentry have left and gone back to their Hotels?

Got a passout for One, (Possibly two nights) and wondering about either scamming a free bed off family connections a few miles down the road just off the M25/A1, or maybe chuck a tent on the bike (or in the truck) and rough it! Few beers and a barbie and chatting for a night or two.

Wanted to come for a couple of years, and see what I can learn.

 

[Samcowman]

Yes yes, all right and proper this good stuff.... But as a newbie this year, what is the craic like on-site after 6pm, when the Gentry have left and gone back to their Hotels?

Got a passout for One, (Possibly two nights) and wondering about either scamming a free bed off family connections a few miles down the road just off the M25/A1, or maybe chuck a tent on the bike (or in the truck) and rough it! Few beers and a barbie and chatting for a night or two.

Wanted to come for a couple of years, and see what I can learn.

All I can say is it’s busy but don’t stay at the bar too late because you really need to be fully on it the next day. As I found out last year.

 

[bitwrx]

All I can say is it’s busy but don’t stay at the bar too late because you really need to be fully on it the next day. As I found out last year.

+1

 

[martian]

Id like to have a full day with Jill Clapperton so to speak John. Did you mean actual students or farmers?

When I said students, I meant farmers who don't mind going back to the classroom...I'm not sure yet what the subject is

 

[martian]

Also this could be a good opportunity for minette or tom bradshaw to have an opportunity to be part of it. I reckon Tom might be willing to.

The whole language of regen ag and the message that is a positive albeit evolving area, combined with climate change plus Brexit and likely developing patriotism could be a good opportunity for a few parties to publicly come together and make the claim that farmers are keen to evolve there farming to suit food production, regeneration of soils, wildlife, culture etc but we cannot do it alone - we need the public and govt support to make the best of it.

The wider press would probably like it. Eg Today programme doing a piece on it, you can get your white legs on the front of the Guardian etc!!

Jist thinking aloud - I dont know what goes into these things!

Minette is booked in for the Thursday, she sounds very keen on the whole business...as you say it ticks a lot of boxes with the policy wonks.
We're working on journalists and BBC etc, it's not straightforward, they are very good at getting the wrong end of the stick. Farmers have been the bad guys for so long, it takes quite a mental leap to see what's in front of your nose, rather than 'report' what's in your head.