Regenerative Farming Workshop

The Experience

This all-day, interactive workshop with Estate Director Nick Padwick is designed as an opportunity for professionals to learn about and discuss Regenerative Farming.

Nick Padwick is one of the UK’s leading regenerative farmers, with over 35 years of farming experience, featuring regularly in Farmer’s Weekly, and one of a handful of farmers in the UK studying Dr Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web course. In this workshop, he aims to show how long-term, sustainable food production can be delivered not only profitably, but also with huge co-benefits for soils, water, biodiversity and the climate.

The workshop typically begins with a tour of the arable farm; Nick will showcase the different Regenerative Farming practices in place at Ken Hill, such as mixed species cover cropping, minimum tillage, integration of livestock, companion cropping, micro-cropping, strip tillage, margin, headland and hedgerow management, as well as numerous others.

In each area, Nick can explain the benefits and risks, and provide evidence to the changes in yield, variable costs, and fixed costs. Together, you will also examine the crops and soils in the field, assessing the benefits to soil structure, observing earthworm counts as well as the presence of both pest and beneficial insects.

He will also examine some of the tests and trials we are running, our work on composting and pasture cropping, as well as comparing the impact of traditional cultivations.

Throughout, Nick can provide insight as to how this style of farming can make the most of available agri-environment schemes to look after bottom lines, as well as explaining how he uses technologies such as weather stations, drones, and satellite guidance to reduce costs and grow yields.

Part of the workshop is usually spent indoors, over a cup of tea or coffee. This time will be used to present some specific findings and numbers from our Regenerative Farming journey as well as answer further questions and promote discussion.

Usually, attendees of the workshop come away having substantially deepened their knowledge of Regenerative Farming, and how to make it happen in practice.

We regret that we cannot accept land agents on the regenerative farming workshop, but would be delighted to set up correspondence and meetings separately.

Photos

Other Details

• Elements of the workshop are outdoors, with a mix of on foot and vehicle transport
• The walking pace will be moderate with frequent stops. Moderate fitness is best to cope with walking on uneven ground
• Walking distance: 2-4 km
• Tour will go ahead in almost all weathers, so please dress accordingly. Trousers, sleeve-length tops and robust shoes are required in all weathers, as the ground is uneven and the long grass can be wet or scratchy. In wet or cold weather, a warm waterproof coat and wellington boots are required.
• Suitable for 16+ only