We’re back from Groundswell, having shared seeds, poetry, and freshly baked stories from the land among friends old and new.
Over ten thousand people assembled to chew over the future of regenerative farming in the sun-scorched fields of Lannock Farm, Hertfordshire. Groundswell Festival has been at the forefront of introducing regenerative agriculture to the mainstream since 2016. Each year, their ever-growing lineup of speakers and exhibitors share knowledge with a rich community of food producers, spanning the width and breadth of the sector.
This year, for the first time, The Gaia Foundation was among those contributing to these powerful few days of inspiration. It was a fantastic honour to showcase our new We Feed The UK book in the Groundswell shop, as well as on our stall right next to the main stage.
Alongside The Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Programme and the UK Grain Lab (a network of millers, bakers and growers bringing heritage and diversity back into the grains on our plates), we welcomed hundreds of curious minds into our beautiful little tent, filled with free seeds and heritage breads gloriously set off by our Pop-up Portraits exhibition, featuring the smiling faces of the movement.
After an incredible first day of connection and positivity, we brought together four of the brilliant Hot Poets, alongside the farmers who inspired them, for a very special We Feed The UK live poetry gig. The audience shared goosebumps, laughter, and tears as Dizraeli, Liv Torc, Jasmine Gardosi, and Testament reflected the beauty of agroecological farming back to those who gift it to us; in early mornings, sleepless nights, and achy muscles.
It was a gratifying moment when, the following day, one audience member shared that they had been so inspired by the show that they had woken in the middle of the night to write their own appreciative poem, despite never having engaged with poetry previously.
As well as our own presence at Groundswell, it was fantastic to see so many of our wonderful We Feed The UK protagonists enriching the lineup with sessions to stir soil and soul.
Grain rebel Fred Price joined Gaia’s Future Seed Resilience Coordinator, Holly Silvester, on a panel reforging our relationship with seed; James Robinson, of our Cumbria story, accompanied attendees on a hedgerow safari; Grampian Grazier’s Nikki Yoxall appeared on two fantastic panels; and soil healer Stuart Johnson joined the Gabe Brown to highlight the financial benefits of transitioning to regenerative practices.
The work we’ve poured into We Feed The UK over the last two years felt deeply affirmed by the co-founder of the Transition Town movement, Rob Hopkins‘ talk ‘Time Travel, a Tool for Activists: On Imagination-Based Activism’. Rocketing to 2030 on a current of radical optimism, we explored what’s possible when communities respond with creativity and courage to the interconnected crises we face. Rob’s message was clear: if we want to build a better future, we must work with poets, artists, and storytellers: the people who help us imagine it into being.
We feel immensely grateful to have taken part in such an important and uplifting few days in the Hertfordshire countryside. It was a joy to chat with so many people working tirelessly to secure a just and bountiful future for our food and farming system. Here’s to sharing our progress next year!
