Contemporary farming faces a huge range of challenges. The urgent need to protect the soil, decarbonise, reduce pollution in all its forms, protect the wildlife on which we depend, adapt to our changing climate, and create more resilient agricultural systems means that radical solutions are required. Agroforestry provides many of the sustainable solutions we seek.Continue reading “An Introduction to Agroforestry”
Tag Archives: farming
Regenerative Gardening and Regenerative Agriculture
In order to move towards a positive future for all, we need to embrace a regenerative rather than an extractive mindset. Working with cyclical systems, working with nature, we need to remember the importance of giving back, keeping those cycles turning rather than simply taking all that we can get. Regenerative gardening and farming goContinue reading “Regenerative Gardening and Regenerative Agriculture”
Case Study: Flower Farm Initial Concept Design
There are many ways to diversify income streams on a farm and many ways to obtain an income from a piece of land. This case study shows my preliminary concept design for a portion of a property in Georgia where the clients wish to develop a commercial flower farm, expanding an existing business. Diverse FlowerContinue reading “Case Study: Flower Farm Initial Concept Design”
Case Study: Large Scale Agricultural Design, Permaculture in Angola
This case study is a broad-level concept plan for a large agricultural project of 25,000 ha in Angola. Of course, this gives only a broad overview of my concept for this site. This large farm operating according to permaculture principles can serve as a test site for agricultural progress and food security in countries whereContinue reading “Case Study: Large Scale Agricultural Design, Permaculture in Angola”
Case Study: Illinois Permaculture Design
This is the preliminary permaculture concept plan for a farmstead in Illinois. the design aims to synthesise the ideas of the client with the demands of the site and to allow them to make the most of the property – recently purchased – that has been somewhat neglected in recent years. The client, a hobby farmerContinue reading “Case Study: Illinois Permaculture Design”
Making a Living From Land
Many homesteaders, smallholders and hobby farmers dream of making a living from the land they tend. For some, a higher level of self-sufficiency is the only goal. But others dream of turning their property into a successful business. Seeking Solutions for Land Through my consultancy and design work, I can provide help to my clientsContinue reading “Making a Living From Land”
Identifying Future Potential in Sustainable Agriculture
Agriculture is entering a period of massive disruption – whether farmers like it or not. There is an urgent need for reform within the farming sector and mitigation and adaptation are both crucial not just for farmer’s profits, but for the future of us all. This may be an extremely worrying time for many farmersContinue reading “Identifying Future Potential in Sustainable Agriculture”
Farming Subsidies
A recent UN report, which I wrote about recently in Treehugger has found that almost 90% of the subsidies given to farmers around the globe each year are harmful to people and the planet. Thinking about how we can overhaul current farming subsidies around the world is crucial to creating the future we all wishContinue reading “Farming Subsidies”
Glyphosate – Enough is Enough
With the recent news that Bayer will stop selling glyphosate-based weedkillers to domestic buyers (though not to professionals and for agricultural use) in 2023, and the substance up for review in the EU next year, now seems a good time to ask ourselves whether we can really put up with Roundup and other herbicides andContinue reading “Glyphosate – Enough is Enough”
Fragrant Phacelia
The farm estate fields just across the road from our property are blooming beautifully at the moment with a cover crop including Phacelia. These look wonderful, and of course also bring benefits for bees and other pollinators. Phacelia is a wonderful plant for bees. The plants themselves seem to buzz loudly on a sunny day.Continue reading “Fragrant Phacelia”
EWSP Consultancy 