Groundswell 28/29th June 2023

[E_B]

The problem with agroforestry is it is an unproven concept financially. I know there is a few early adopters doing it, but as far as I can tell they are still at the enthusiastic early stage where they tell everyone how amazing it is without any results. Watching with interest but I hope Defra don’t put too much resource into it.
It comes back to the market thing, for us all to supply heritage wheat to artisan bakeries in Hoxton and peacock eggs to farmers markets the whole financial economy in the west needs to change (Russel brand is keen on localism/community now and he speaks well about it).
do I want to be trying to emulate ‘Big Little Farm’ that film that came out a few years ago? Absolutely not.

Went to a SFI pilot meeting on a farm that was implementing agroforestry and it felt like an extension of someone's garden project. I expect it will look great in a decade though.

 

[delilah]

It comes back to the market thing, for us all to supply heritage wheat to artisan bakeries in Hoxton and peacock eggs to farmers markets the whole financial economy in the west needs to change

Yes and no. Reversing consolidation in the food chain will be a reset for specific component parts of the system, but it doesn't require upheaval of 'the whole financial economy in the west'. The casual observer wont notice or care.

 

[ajd132]

Yes and no. Reversing consolidation in the food chain will be a reset for specific component parts of the system, but it doesn't require upheaval of 'the whole financial economy in the west'. The casual observer wont notice or care.

Do it then.
Economics simply will not allow it at any scale.

 

[delilah]

Do it then.
Economics simply will not allow it at any scale.

Brewing beer on a small scale had become uneconomic. CAMRA got the tax regime tweaked, and overnight small scale brewing became economic.

There are 101 ways in which a tweaking of the economics - from abattoir inspections to retailing business rates - will lead to a reversal in consolidation.

It's called nudge theory. The only issue is, where is our CAMRA ?

 

[ajd132]

Brewing beer on a small scale had become uneconomic. CAMRA got the tax regime tweaked, and overnight small scale brewing became economic.

There are 101 ways in which a tweaking of the economics - from abattoir inspections to retailing business rates - will lead to a reversal in consolidation.

It's called nudge theory. The only issue is, where is our CAMRA ?

That’s a very good point. I’m actually being quite hypocritical here because I am sole supplier of barley to a small brewer, it only works out to 3 loads of barley but we have full traceability with the Malster.
Maybe I’m ahead of the game without realising it….!

here’s the current blackboard in a local pub

 

[martian]

A lot of the videos of the talks are up on You Tube now, better than anything on the telly. I particularly enjoyed this one...nothing about farming, but a really interesting look at cars and why they are so rubbish. That's not what it's about, just watch it and marvel!

 

[delilah]

Hi, have been asked to ask on here if anyone attended this workshop ?

https://groundswellag.com/speakers/marisa-heath/

If you did could you pm me, many thanks.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Hi, have been asked to ask on here if anyone attended this workshop ?

https://groundswellag.com/speakers/marisa-heath/

If you did could you pm me, many thanks.

Sorry no. Pity you weren't there.

 

[Bury the Trash]

A lot of the videos of the talks are up on You Tube now, better than anything on the telly. I particularly enjoyed this one...nothing about farming, but a really interesting look at cars and why they are so rubbish. That's not what it's about, just watch it and marvel!

yes i nteresting knowledgable chap and actually some of the latter part 'mass' could be applied to tractors in ag . plenty who don't want to be totally honest / talk about that tho .