Blog by Lesley Mitchell SFT Policy Director - Roots to Regeneration growing regenerative leadership in food and farming.
As SFT’s policy director, you will usually find me focused on the latest government or corporate developments. This doesn’t leave much time to get my boots on the ground and hands in the soil. But, when I discovered the new Roots to Regeneration (R2R) programme, I knew I’d found the ultimate space to explore and deepen my understanding of regenerative transformation (in my spare time, not work!) and thanks to R2R’s philanthropic supporters, it was within my reach. Via the SFT’s newsletter, I hope you will join me on this exploration over the forthcoming year as I chart a path through the challenges of regenerative thinking, farming and food.
It is difficult to share the richness of the experience of our first farm workshop – digging holes, crumbling soil and looking at the web of life, literally sniffing out healthy soils; hearing about others’ hopes for regeneration, and their children’s love of Belted Galloway cattle; listening to woodpeckers above our heads and geese calling from the lake as we sat round a fire trying to understand how our food and land got into this mess, through the “Story of Separation”. I came away with both brain and soul full. There are some hard yards to come, with lots of real farming knowledge and practice to develop – after all, this course is about real, not theoretical change. But I can’t imagine a better place to begin, or a more effective set of tools to work with.
Lesley Mitchell
Policy Director Sustainable Food Trust