National Food Strategy Our response Organic Farming Why it is still top for animal welfare Woodoaks Farm We begin organic conversion AUTUMN 2022 SREBMEM ZAGAM I N ELIVINGEARTH
Helen Browning CEO and organic farmer
toWelcometheautumnedition of Living Earth
Takingsprays.care
of the soil is at the heart of what we do, and I’m excited to share that the Soil Association’s new farm Woodoaks, just north-west of London, has begun the conversion process to become organically certified (read more on p6). Woodoaks is also the location of our members’ Annual General Meeting on Saturday 1st October – I do hope you can join us. Find out more including how to register your place on p12.
We share an update on our Stop Poison Poultry campaign on p10, challenging the supermarkets to remove toxic pesticides from our food chain. In the summer we hand-delivered our petition with over 30,000 signatures to the supermarket giant Asda, and simultaneously sent it to the CEOs of the nine other major supermarkets in the UK. A big thank you to all of you who signed the petition and supported the campaign.
I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Living Earth. As ever, please do get in touch with us with any comments or queries; we love hearing from you.
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You’re receiving this during Organic September, our annual celebration to raise awareness of the benefits of organic to soil, nature, animal welfare and human health. Find out more about the ways you can get involved on p8.
Issue: 268
Just a few short weeks ago a drought was declared across great swathes of England with millions facing hosepipe bans. The multiple challenges facing society, from fuel price increases, labour shortages to increasingly extreme and unstable weather patterns, are impacting on farmers immensely too. The horticultural sector is being especially hard hit, at a time when we need to increase the production and consumption of healthy fruit and veg. On my own farm, the drought has left us feeding hay that we need to see us through the winter to the milking herd, and the glorious herbal leys that we sowed under our spring barley look to have been destroyed by the heat. It’s not surprising that the price of food is rising so sharply; the costs at the farm end are increasing faster than I’ve ever experienced, though less so than if we were dependent on fertilisers and
2022AutumnEarthLiving3 What’s inside this issue Thanks to you… Find out what you’ve helped us to achieve Stop Poison Poultry Sign the petition Postcards Ukraine:WoodoaksfromFarm The world’s breadbasket at war Plant and Share Month Get involved Organic Health & Beauty is GrowinggrowingBetter Together Our Strategy to 2030 Horticulture Corner Growing without Peat Chickens Why don’t we care more? Recipe for the Season Try these veg pasties using leftover veg Notes from the Farm The latest at Empire Farm10121416418 282624226 Contact us on: differentwouldPlease0300memb@soilassociation.org3300100getintouchifyoulikethismagazineinaformat What’s inside this issue Innovative Farmers: Celebrating 10 years Woodoaks Farm: The journey to organic begins Organic September: How to get involved Stop Poison Poultry: Campaign update You’re invited to our AGM and the Peter Melchett Memorial Lecture! National Food Strategy: Our response to the Government Horticulture Corner: Tips for keeping pests at bay Animal Welfare: Why organic is still top Notes from the Farm: The latest at Empire Farm Recipes: Make the most of weeds Call out for new Trustees Book Club: Autumn reading ideas Annual Report1012141684 2017222426276 Contact us on: differentwouldPlease0300memb@soilassociation.org3300022getintouchifyoulikethismagazineinaformat
300,000
1 millionkilos
Celebrating 10 years of Innovative Farmers
farmers (10% of the industry) since 2012. Working together to share knowledge, farmer to farmer.
Our network has engaged
In the last decade we’ve launched over 120 field labs across the UK.
12,000
£435,000
of funding has been awarded in small grants to assist field lab groups to research the issues that matter to them.
Field lab work uncovered new ways to work with crops which could save tonnes of C02 every year
Field testing has found farming methods that could reduce the use of herbicides by
Farmer led research makes a difference
Social media has helped us create 38 million sharingimpressionstheresults
To find out more about the Soil programme,InnovativeAssociation’sFarmersvisit:
innovativefarmers.org
Our website is viewed 1,000 times a week
New farming knowledge from our field labs is freely available and open to all.
1,000’s of farmers receive our newsletter and field labs are read about in the farming press over 133,000 times a month.
of farmers said they made changes to their farming practices because of field labs
of people in the network said they had somethinglearnednew
of InnovativemembersnetworkwouldrecommendFarmers 50% 84% 99% NEWS
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The conversion process takes 2 years for grass and crop land (or 3 years for permanent crops such as fruit trees and bushes) and after that, crops grown can be sold as organic.
Woodoaks farm begins organic conversion
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Our Farming Advisor Jerry Alford walks us through major changes happening at Woodoaks Farm.
The starting point is that food or products can only be sold as certified organic if the producer has been inspected by a certifier such as the Soil Association and has demonstrated that its production has conformed to the organic standards. This is based on strict legal definitions of organic.
Any crops grown in the 2 years of conversion cannot be sold as organic but need to be grown using organic principles, so there is government support for this through the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which effectively fills the gap between
Woodoaks Farm is about to start organic conversion, the first step in the process to becoming an organic farm and being permitted to sell products with the organic logo. So what is this process and what is involved?
At Woodoaks, the tenant farmers have operated the farm under a non-organic system for years using artificial fertilisers and pesticides to control weeds, pests and fungal infections. The change to organic means that none of these products will be permitted and the conversion process allows the
soil, crops and farmers to adapt to this change. In a sense, it is bit of a detox stage. The soil biology, the natural bacteria and fungi which live in the soil, can be negatively affected by artificial inputs, so it provides time for it to reenergise and start to function properly again.
At Woodoaks, the grassland fields will continue to be managed in the same ways but without artificial fertiliser. Over time, clover - which doesn’t grow well when artificial fertiliser is added - will naturally regenerate or be added to the fields. All the free nitrogen it produces from its association with nitrogen loving bacteria in nodules on its roots just needs to be captured from the air.
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7 organic yields and non-organic prices. During this time the farm will be inspected to ensure that it complies with all the standards.
It is an opportunity to develop a farming system which provides all the nutrients and diversity essential on an organic farm
In cropped fields there will be even more obvious changes. Without artificial fertilisers in organic
Oats, potentially for porridge oats, will be grown in one field because they are a crop which works well in organic systems. The final piece in the jigsaw is beans, which can be sold as dried beans for cooking or, if the quality isn’t high enough for human consumption, as animal feed as an alternative to imported soya.
systems, things need to be grown which can provide nutrients for later crops including clover-based grass mixes and pulses such as peas and beans. Developing a rotation to do this started last year and one field was planted with a clover rich herbal ley which is being used to produce feed for the animals on the farm. The manure and the nitrogen in the soil is used to provide fertility for crops later in the rotation. We have also planted two fields with lucerne (also known as alfalfa), a deep rooting, drought tolerant legume forage crop which makes the farm more drought tolerant.
It is also an opportunity to develop a farming system which provides all the nutrients and diversity essential on an organic farm and move away from a farming system which depended on fertilisers for crop nutrition, and chemicals as protection from pests and disease.
• Organic farms have healthier soils, building soil fertility naturally using compost and clover
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Organic September is here! A time to raise awareness of the incredible benefits organic farming can bring for our climate, nature and our health.
If nature could talk, it would ask us to listen and farm in a way that supports healthier soils and more wildlife. At a time when the Government’s future plans on protecting nature are uncertain, it’s never been more important to shout about the benefits organic farming can bring.
• Organic farmland stores more carbon, on average 3.5 tonnes extra for every hectare
Did you know that:
• On average, organic farms are home to up to 50% more wildlife
• There are around 75% more wild bees on organic farms
• The Soil Association has the highest standards for animal welfare in the UK
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Organic farming is just one part of the ‘whole system’ approach that looks at all aspects of food and farming in the UK. Retailers are a vital part of that system as they are where most of us buy our meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables and other products. By supporting a local independent shop, you’re keeping money in the area and helping to build resilient food systems with minimal food miles.
Download our new Nature Action Pack and protect nature where you live
Nature’s keyworkers such as earthworms, ladybirds and bees don’t have a voice. They have no choice in the matter when it comes to the harmful pesticides and fertilisers that are being sprayed on crops, which is ultimately leading to their decline. We need you to help make their voices heard.
You can sign the petition online, or alternatively write directly to your MP in your own words.
There are lots of ways you can get involved with Organic September this year.
Organic farming works with nature, not against it, encouraging natural predators like ladybirds and pollinators like bees and butterflies rather than spraying harmful pesticides. If nature had a voice, it would choose organic.
You’ll find all these resources and other ways to get involved this Organic September on our website at soilassociation.co/organic-september
We’re asking you to sign the petition requesting that the new PM commits to protecting nature in policies in their first 100 days and personally represents the UK at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December.
Take action to protect nature
Download our new Nature Action Pack and take steps to protect nature where you live. From top tips for making your outdoor space a wildlife haven to our brilliant beespotting guide, our action pack is filled with information and activities for all the family to enjoy.
Support your local organic retailers
Bug the new PM!
ST P Poison Poultry
was proud to represent all of you in a “handover” of our petition at the Asda store in Bedminster, Bristol. The letter reiterated our shared concerns about the impact of dangerous chemicals used in soya farming in Latin America on wildlife, people and ecosystems. A copy of the letter has also been sent to Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
UPDATE
More than 1,800 of you also sent an email to one or more of the supermarket CEOs or Managing Directors, letting them know you’d signed our petition asking them to take action to address the shocking impact of highly hazardous pesticides in soya supply chains.
We are thrilled to announce that more than 30,000 of our fabulous supporters signed our Stop Poison Poultry petition calling on UK supermarkets to remove wildlife killing pesticides from soya supply chains. Cathy Cliff, Campaigns Co-ordinator for Stop Poison Poultry tells us more.
In July, with Soil Association colleagues and local supporters, I
Supermarkets are taking small steps towards supporting alternatives to soya and improving transparency in soya supply chains but action needs to step up if we are to achieve a supply chain free of highly hazardous pesticides by 2030. With the weight of your support behind us, we will continue to push for commitments and action towards this goal.
We are now in the process of meeting supermarket representatives. We’ve already had constructive conversations with Tesco and Aldi, and more are scheduled. It’s incredibly helpful to be able to report such an amazing response to our campaign when we talk to them. It truly demonstrates public concern and support for action.
The numbers speak differently. There are 70,000 pesticide-related poisonings being documented among humans each year in Brazil, with public health authorities in the country warning that pesticides should be more tightly Furthermore,regulated.it’sestimated that over a 5-year period from 2013 to 2017, more than 1 billion bees were lost in Brazil, primarily as a result of pesticide use. And yet President Bolsonaro is pushing forward with efforts to weaken, not strengthen, regulations addressing pesticide use in Brazil.
What have supermarketsthesaid?
“Please reconsider your campaign against highly hazardous pesticides”
Not everyone shared our concerns about the devastating impact of pesticides used on soya crops fed to chickens in UK intensive systems. A week before our campaign launched we were contacted by the Brazilian Ambassador in London, asking us to “reconsider” campaigning against highly hazardous pesticides that are poisoning people, bees and tropical wildlife in the Amazon and other ecosystems in Brazil, noting that the use of chemicals banned for use in the UK and EU should not be cause for concern.
All eight supermarkets who responded to our survey outlined the challenge they faced over transparency in soya supply chains, noting that it’s not possible for them to monitor pesticide use at farm level. All eight spoke for the need to improve transparency, outlining actions they were taking to address the challenge. This included their involvement in industry bodies such as the Retail Soy Group and the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya, who we are also talking to and seeking help to address our concerns.
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All the supermarkets have policies in place to address pesticide use on the produce they sell in store. But these policies do not monitor or reduce the pesticides applied to soya as animal feed, including those classified as highly hazardous, possible endocrine disruptors or carcinogens posing a threat to human health or those recognised as toxic to bees.
The supermarkets, at least, are acknowledging the problem. In early 2022, we surveyed them about pesticides in their soya supply chains. Responses were received from Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. No response was received from Asda and Iceland.
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Wildfarmed, which supports more than 40 farmers – both conventional and organic - to innovate and trial new agroecological practices and tech by giving them secure routes to market for their crops.
The Annual Peter Melchett Memorial lectures aim to challenge orthodoxy and create debate to stimulate fresh thinking on the causes Peter cared about so passionately. This year’s event has been made possible by support from our corporate partner, Deloitte.
The Peter Melchett Memorial Lecture:
Can innovation unlock an agroecological farming future?
memb@soilassociation.org or register online: soilassociation.org/agm
This year’s Peter Melchett Memorial Lecture will be on Wednesday 9th November from 6pm and you’re invited to attend online!
Sat 1st Oct 10amWoodoaksnoonFarm
You can also register to join a farm walk before at 9.15am or after the AGM at 12.15pm – places are limited, so please let us know if you’d like to join.
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We are excited to be joined by Andy Cato, Groove Armada music legend turned farming innovator-in-chief, along with Soil Association Chief Executive Helen Browning OBE and Joseph Gridley, Director of new digital platform Soil Association Exchange.
Lord Peter Melchett was our Soil Association Policy Director for 17 years and died on his beloved organic farm in Norfolk in August 2018. He was a tireless champion for the environment over decades, including as Director of Greenpeace.
Joining instructions will be sent out prior to the event by email.
Once a successful Grammy nominated musician, Andy gave that up after reading about the dire state of modern food production. He went on to spend over a decade trying to find a more restorative and sustainable way of growing food. Whilst farming in France, Andy was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérit Agricole - the equivalent of a knighthood for services to agriculture. Now back on British soil, Andy co-founded
Our AGM this year will be held at Woodoaks Farm in Hertfordshire and we look forward to seeing many of you Pleasethere.register for this event by calling us on 0300 3300022, email us at
132022AutumnEarthLiving Space changeworktoSpacetogrowSpacefor Leading the movement in workspaces for those who lead the change, with spaces currently available to rent Visit www.ethicalproperty.co.uk Email sales@ethicalproperty.co.uk or call 01865 207 810 to find out more
“Thin gruel” but with some silver linings
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The Government’s response to Henry Dimbleby’s ground-breaking independent review is no ‘Strategy’, even though nothing could have been more relevant to leading the nation through today’s perfect storm of climate, nature, health and cost-ofliving crises.
The government’s food strategy looks broken, but there are fragments of policy that offer hope.
It is deeply disappointing that a Prime Minister who was so personally affected by the link between Covid outcomes and poor diet should have turned away from the opportunity to break the ‘junk food cycle’ and give people a food system that supports rather than undermines their health and wellbeing.
And there are fragments of policy in the Government’s response that could unlock change if done well.
Our Policy & Strategy Director Jo Lewis reacts to the government food strategy
But none of us can afford to concede defeat on the transformation of our food system. It remains to be seen if the government led by the new PM will deliver on the promised Health Disparities White Paper. This could still rise above internal party politics to sanction action on two of Dimbleby’s flagship recommendations: extending free school meal access and making healthy fruit and veg more affordable with the revenues of a salt & sugar levy on processed foods.
The absence of a bold national reduction target for pesticide use remains a key gap in achieving this farming vision, and policygovernment’sthetradestillthreatens to undermine it.
The Soil Association stands ready to work with the Government to convert the fragments of hope from the Food Strategy response into genuine transformative policies. This will not be the last word on Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy.
Environmental Land Management Scheme will be a key test for the achievement of Henry Dimbleby’s vision for a ‘3-compartment model for farming’. In this vision, most farmers on most land would be farming agroecologically and even the ‘higher intensity’ compartment would see a radical reduction in input use.
Mandatory reporting by food retailers, manufacturers and foodservice companies on the health and sustainability profile of what they sell could be transformative – this remains one lever that could support a transition to ‘less and better meat’ if reporting includes country of origin and welfare standards.
The Government also makes a surprise and welcome commitment by introducing a national land use framework to guide farming and land use for climate, nature and food security. This key step was originally recommended by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. How this is implemented alongside DEFRA’s
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I know we’re not alone in our commitment to finding the leadership and solutions we so desperately need.
50%
of public food spending to be on local food or to higherstandardsenvironmentallikeorganic
Henry Dimbleby said the government should introduce a set of core standards for trade, covering animal welfare and the environment. But the approach to trade in the government’s new food strategy is vague and core standards have not been developed.
Henry Dimbleby’s strategy called on Government to emulate our Food for Life model for school and hospital food procurement and food education, and there is ambition here for 50% of public food spending to be on local food or to higher environmental standards like organic. The promised requirement for school leaders to report on their ‘whole school approach to food’ in line with Food for Life was welcome, even if this had already been trailed through the Levelling Up White Paper.
It is well known that bug hotels can help to provide habitats for predators but maybe lesser known that these predators require a bountiful source of nectar and pollen. Parasitic wasps, hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings can all play a part in controlling pests such as aphids. So, be sure to provide them with food-rich plants such as buckwheat, sweet alyssum, coriander, fennel and phacelia.
As pest numbers decline with the arrival of cooler weather why not get ahead planning plants for next year. There’s still a chance to sow winter cover crops such as phacelia or clover, divide chives and plant an army of garlic.
Top tip: Make sure to leave some phacelia to flower for the bees!
The heat and periods of drought we experienced earlier in the year can cause soil erosion. Planting in those empty spaces will help maintain soil integrity and attract natural predators and pollinators.
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Keep pests at bay this autumn
Rather than trying to eradicate pests, you can think of how and when best to tackle them to keep them at a manageable level. In fact, this is exactly what natural predators will do given the chance.
Horticulture Corner
If you’re planning to leave ground bare over winter, plant phacelia or clover in the late autumn and cut it down in the spring as green manure. As well as out-competing eager weeds, your soil will benefit from higher levels of fertility, improved structure and better water retention.
welfareandSustainabilityanimal
The media paints a environmentallypicturenegativeofbeefandlambasdamagingfoods
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The Farm Animal Welfare Council stated that “Agriculture cannot be considered sustainable if it is achieved at an unacceptable cost to animal welfare.” As Governments, businesses and us as consumers grapple with the science and ethics in our attempts to make informed choices around what climate friendly food choices look like, we need to ensure our choices don’t have unintended consequences for animal welfare.
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and eutrophication (water courses becoming damaged by too much nitrogen, most often from farm runoff when it rains). Beef and lamb came out with the highest impact at 34.72, with other meat products such as pies, quiches and party food at 11th (score 4.58) and sausage rolls and party food 16th (score 2.78). This report is worrying as it was written without any consideration of what messages it was portraying in the context of human health, the environment and animal welfare. In the media it paints a further negative picture of beef and lamb as environmentally damaging foods, but mistakenly considers ultra-processed intensively reared pork and egg-based foods in a positive light as being far more environmentally kind.
Soil Association have always championed the position that livestock farming systems should not just ensure animals have a life worth living where their essential needs are met, but that they are farmed in a way that provides opportunities for them to engage in motivated behaviours that can elicit positive physical and emotional states (play and be happy!) And therefore positive welfare, for them to have a “good life”.
We are confident that with efficient pasture-based farming systems, where grass is grown through natural fertilitybuilding approaches like animal manures and nitrogen fixing legumes, and where the right breeds of cattle and sheep are used - that can grow efficiently on grass and forage diets - are the right sustainable meat protein for our future. Both the “Ten Years For Agroecology in Europe” IDDRI report and a recent report “Feeding Britain from the Ground Up” by the Sustainable Food Trust further supports this. We need to ensure we keep championing sustainably farmed beef and lamb, as they are not only climate friendly but also by far the most animal-friendly choice.
In our “Grow back better” manifesto we stated that by 2030 we would achieve “A ‘good life’ for all farmed animals, cutting soy imports and antibiotic use by 90%”.
When you look at the existing farming systems in the UK and how they have evolved and intensified for some species, it becomes very clear that cattle and sheep overall have a far greater chance currently of living a “good life” than the vast majority of chickens and pigs. This is due to key aspects like living in predominantly free-range systems their whole lives, maximising opportunities for natural behaviour and being reared by their mother.
So it remains a real concern for the welfare of farmed animals as a collective group that beef and lamb continue to be so negatively portrayed when looking at climate impact, with this view sending eating habits in the wrong direction for the planet and the animals themselves. In August a new report came out that estimated the environmental impact of 57,000 UK food and drink products. The higher the score, the higher the impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water stress and land use
CattleSheepand Laying hen Chicken Pig
Animal welfare comparison chart
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Limited indoorenrichmentandconfinementteaching,maternallimitedinsystems
Majority of piglets reared inside from birth. Piglets in non sucklingweeksweanedsystemsorganicwillbe3–4(1/3naturaltime)
No indoorenrichmentandconfinementteaching,maternallimitedinsystems
InterestComfort
HealthyPleasurelife
UK 3% free-range v 97% indoor suckler(lambsuntilRearedSocialenvironmentFree-rangegroups,bymotherweaningandbeef/dairy)
Chicks have no maternal contact, majority of young birds cagedinside,reared45%thenforlife
Flock size can disrupt interactionssocial
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Fast behaviourssomeincapablevulnerableresultedbreedsgrowinghaveinbirdsofnatural
No cagedenrichmentteaching,maternallimitedinsystems
Confidence
Flock size can disrupt interactionsocial Mixing confinementand will disrupt indoorinteractionsocialinsystems systems)sucklerlambsmotherteachingenvironment,Free-rangefrom(forandinbeef/dairy
UK rangeoutdoorpredominantly/free-systems
4freeinsiderearedthenwillrangefromwks
Generally kept in stable peer groups
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Natural weaning and still(Dairyhealthsupportenvironmentoutdoorpositivecalvescanbevulnerable)
UK 3.5% freerange v 96.5% indoor
Chicks have no contact with mother, majority birds
UK 55% freerange v enriched45%cages
Summer 2022
I have been writing about climate change for a long time and these periods of extreme weather will become commonplace,moreso we all need to adapt.
In this issue we’re bringing you the third instalment of ‘Notes from the farm’. Sally Morgan has been with the Soil Association for many years and balances her Soil work with running Empire Farm in Somerset.
Notes from the farm...
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I have been writing about climate change for a long time and these periods of extreme weather will become more commonplace, so we all need to adapt. I’ve been planning how to keep my animals cool during periods of hot weather. Pigs,
July was quite a challenging time on the farm. The heatwave meant we spent a lot of time checking the animals and making sure they had plenty of water and shade, while the polytunnel and growing areas needed irrigation. Of course, hay making always seems to coincide with hot weather and this year, the contractors arrived on the hottest day with temperatures in the high 30s. Fortunately their cabs were air conditioned, but I did worry about the machinery sparking a fire, such were the temperatures.
particularly, can suffer in hot weather, so they need plenty of water to wallow in and shelter from the sun. I have been planting quick growing trees and shrubs that will cast shade in summer. As well as willow, I have a row of crab apples just outside the pig pens and they are multi-functional – they have flowers in spring, red crab apples in autumn, cast shade in summer and of course sequester carbon.
our fields 10 years ago and numbers have improved year on year, due in part to the increase in the amount of common knapweed (Centaurea nigra) in our fields. Knapweed is an amazing magnet for butterflies and bees, and I would highly recommend that readers plant it in their gardens. Its an easy to grow perennial that’s hardy, grows on a wide range of soils and aspects and suits wild areas as well as flower beds.
As you would expect, the flower farm is another magnet for insects. It’s at its best at this time of year and the flowers bring in a wide diversity of pollinators as well as birds. Thinking ahead to Christmas, flowers are being preserved for foraged wreaths and fruits and materials being collected for use later in the year.
Marbledwhitebutterfly
We’re lucky to have mature hedgerows across the farm. As well as providing a habitat for a myriad of animals, hedgerows are important for the welfare of livestock too. Their shade is so important during hot weather, and they also provide shelter from wind and rain. Poultry too benefit from trees. The fruit trees in the orchard are only a few years old but are already casting shade for the flock of laying hens.
There have been numerous comments of how it’s been a poor year for butterflies, but fortunately, I can report that it’s been one of our best years ever. I do a number of Big Butterfly Counts in different parts of the farm between 15 July and 7 August, and overall I spotted 16 species of butterfly plus some day-flying moths. One of my favourite butterflies is the marbled white. It first appeared in
Sally
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Daisy tea is a relative of chamomile tea. With a mild and pleasant taste, it has the same calming properties.
Daisy Tea
daisy flowers can also be used. Also nice with fennel seed or mint.
What does and what does not constitute a weed is an argument for the ages, but the mis-placed plants that we commonly think of as having little use in the garden provide a vital part of our ecosystem, from holding soil together to providing a food source and habitat for wildlife. As summer vegetation begins to transform into rich autumnal foliage, these recipes are a fun way to learn to look at weeds in a different way.
Cooking with weeds
Pick a handful of daisy flowers and put them in a teapot. Pour boiling water over them, put the lid on the teapot, and leave to brew for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and Alternatives:enjoy.Dried
Nettles can be made into crisps, dandelions taste better when picked in the morning, and the humble daisy can make a great cup of tea... Many surprising uses for weeds are featured in the book ‘Eat your Weeds!’ By Julie BrutonSeal and Matthew Seal.
Nettle Crisps
Discard any if need be. Be aware of the sting, which will, rest assured, disappear in the cooking. You can get stung while gathering though, so take care.
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The oil and the yeast are the heart of the taste and the condiments are refinements. The sauce should be of a paste consistency and is so umami that any green leaf tastes good in it.
Blend toasted sesame oil (or any cooking oil), some flakes of nutritional yeast, pepper and salt. We had intended to use paprika but added sumac instead, a lucky improvisation.
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Dandelion Flower Nuggets
Every year we look forward to the two or three weeks in April when dandelion flowers are abundant enough to have them for lunch. We say for lunch because they become bitter if picked in the evening – if you like bitter tastes, that’s not a problem – but they are tastier if gathered on a warm sunny morning.
Nettle crisps have a crunchy, satisfying texture and are a really quick way to make a wholesome, healthy and moreish snack. You need mediumsized nettle Gatherleaves.ahandful or so for your first experiment and vary the amounts as you prefer. Check the leaves carefully for aphids and butterfly eggs (on the underside).
If you enjoyed the recipes featured in this article, there are 90 more to try in Eat your Weeds! The hardback book is available to buy from your local bookshop, and online via the Merlin Unwin Books website.
Serve hot, with a salad and whatever else you like. The taste is similar to breaded mushrooms and they are remarkably good.
Dip your leaves in the sauce, making sure both sides are coated, and put them on a baking tray. Bake in a medium oven for a few minutes until they are crisp. Keep your eyes on the progress of the crisping as it can quickly go too far and you end up with a burnt offering.
Alternatives: Add some chopped herbs to your flour mixture, and cook the flowers with garlic. If you use chickpea flour, they will be gluten-free.
Wash the leaves, ready for your dipping sauce. You will need about 4 tablespoons of sauce.
Pick enough dandelion flowers to allow about a dozen per person, depending what else you are serving with them. Wash them in water, then shake off the excess and roll the flowers while they are still wet in a bowl of flour or gram flour (or chickpea/garbanzo flour). Fry in a little oil until they are browned on each side. Salt to taste.
Call out for new trustees
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We are seeking two trustees to join the Board from this autumn. If you have the time, skills and commitment to our work and values, we would love to hear from you.
This is an exciting time to join the Board of Trustees. We have set ourselves tough goals for the years ahead, to play the fullest part possible in helping the transition to agroecological and organic farming and forestry, and to healthy and sustainable diets for all. Our 76 years of experience is now sought by many who understand that this is the decade in which we must tackle the climate, nature depletion and human health crises if our children and grandchildren are to have the opportunities we have.
Our expertise across the food, farming and forestry systems has never been in greater demand. We have highly ambitious objectives to drive positive change. We are now looking for committed trustees with a broad range of experience to help support and guide the charity to maximise our impact.
We are especially keen to recruit people with expertise in farming and growing or who have high level fundraising and/or communications experience. We want to continue to increase the diversity of our Board, so warmly welcome applications from communities currently less well represented. We can provide assistance and training to support people who may not have had the opportunity to serve as a trustee before now.
suggestionServing
Martin Nye, Chair of Trustees
If the position of Trustee interests you then please contact Sandra on sbartolomeu-rook@soilassociation.org or on 0117 9874604 by 14th October and we can provide further information on the role, how to apply and to arrange an initial conversation.
How to Apply
To find out more about our open, practical & inclusive approach, the challenging goals we have set ourselves and the diversity of our work, do visit our website www.soilassociation.org
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2022AutumnEarthLiving
In Suffolk, they replant hedges, reclaim old field names, go organic, introduce new crop rotations, plant trees and wildflowers, extend field margins and bring in grazing animals. They see the land begin to flourish and meet other farmers doing similar things. She writes, This kind agriculture”“regenerativeofis more than just growing food … it is a movement which can cure not just ecological ills but social ones too.
Finding the Mother Tree –Suzanne Simard
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Book Club
When looking at modern farming across the country, Langford has a knack for distilling how global economic forces impact on individual farmers at the ‘coal face’ of our food system. A wonderful read.
Some of us simply have jobs, and some of us are truly born to do what we do.
Simard’s observations whilst a young worker on tree plantations led her to believe that young saplings grew better when a few mature trees were left standing nearby. Through innovative experiments over decades, she proved that mature (or mother) trees shared carbon and nitrogen with saplings close by, through an intricate network of roots and fungi she called the Wood Wide Web. That such a relationship exists not just within a single type of tree, but actually between species as well, speaks to the incredibly complex and mutually beneficial relationships that exist in nature. This book is simply fascinating and may well change how you look at the world.
Suzanne Simard is one such person. Finding the Mother Tree is part autobiography, part incredible exploration of the complex relationships between soil and plant life. Born into a logging family in rural British Columbia, Canada, Simard’s entire life has been spent amongst trees. A woman in what was (and remains) the male-dominated sector of forestry, she had to fight hard to have her research funded and eventually accepted.
make there before taking a wider look at the changes and challenges facing farmers in Britain today.
Rooted –Sarah Langford After improvementsRootedSarahfamilytakingunexpectedlyonherhusband’sfarminSuffolk,Langford’sexploresthethey
272022AutumnEarthLiving Charity’s2021/2022 performancefinancialreport 2021/2022 Charity Finances UnrestrictedFunds£’000 RestrictedFunds£’000 2021/22Total£’000 2020/21Total£’000 Incoming resources Donations 472 156 628 1,469 Legacies 300 28 328 82 Membership subscriptions 770 770 730 Grants 2,853 2,853 6,180 Contract income 1,033 1,033 1,471 Income from trading subsidiaries 1,619 1,619 832 Other 33 33 165 Total incoming resources 4,227 3,037 7,264 10,929 Resources expended Farming and land use transition (1,149) (1,271) (2,420) (2,334) Healthy and sustainable diet (1,809) (3,617) (5,426) (4,841) Raising funds (722) (15) (737) (613) Total resources expended (3,680) (4,903) (8,583) (7,788) Net (outgoing) / incoming resourcesbefore other gains/(losses) 547 (1,866) (1,319) 3,141 Gains on investments 14 14 18 Net (outgoing) / incoming resources for the year 561 (1,866) (1,305) 3,159 Total funds bought forward 3,836 5,437 9,273 6,114 Net (outgoing) / incoming resources for the year 561 (1,866) (1,305) 3,159 Total funds carried forward 4,397 3,571 7,968 9,273 This is a summary of the Charity’s financial performance taken from the 2021/22 audited statutory accounts of The Soil Association Limited. Full copies of The Soil Association Charity and Consolidated Group Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2022 are available on request from the Soil Association or can be accessed on soilassociation.org/accounts or the website of the Charity Commission and Companies House.
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The year saw a five per cent increase in membership income and a high increase in legacy income to over £300k.
costs of key staff in the organisation. In 2021/22, we accrued the full value of funding awarded by The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation for our Innovative Farmers Programme where delivery will take place over the next three years and the figure also included a further year’s funding for Scottish Government funded Food for Life IncomeScotland.earned by providing contract and consultancy services into the public and private sectors fell by thirty percent compared to the prior financial year to £1,033k. These revenues are principally associated with our Food for Life work commissioned by local authorities and our Food for Life Served Here scheme used in the catering sector. A significant contract with the Scottish Government to facilitate farmer-led innovation finished in the prior year, driving much of the year on year decrease in contract income. Our Food for Life Served Here scheme has started to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic with an increase in income vs. the prior year but income was still significantly lower than prepandemic levels.
Soil Association Certification’s exceptional profit in the year of £1,095k
Income received by the Charity is classified as either unrestricted or restricted. Unrestricted funds are those that charity trustees may spend as they see fit in the delivery of the Charity’s objectives. Restricted funds are those that must be spent as specified by the donor or grant funder.
Charitable giving from individual supporters through donations, legacies and memberships totalled £1,726k, a decrease of a quarter on the prior financial year. The prior year included a generous multi-year funding pledge from a major donor that due to charity accounting rules meant the entire pledge had to be recognised in the first year.
Restricted grant funding received in the year is reported as £2,853k, substantially lower than the prior financial year. Grants are often awarded for projects running over a number of years and charity accounting rules dictate that we recognise the entire value of the grant in the year of award unless there are clear performance criteria upon which funding in future years is dependent. This accounting requirement often leads to the income and associated expenditure of a multiyear grant being recognised in different financial years, distorting comparison between financial years. The figure for the prior year included two years of funding for our National Lottery Community Fund funded Food for Life Get Togethers programme as well as multi-year funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to support salary
Income received from the Charity’s trading subsidiaries, most notably Soil certificationinwithnearlyLimitedalsoCertificationAssociationLimitedbutSASalesandServicesincreasedby£800kto£1,619kthehighestincreaseprofitseeninthebusiness.
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As at 31st March 2022 the Charity has £4,397k of unrestricted funds of which it considers £1,754k to be ‘free’ unrestricted reserves, which are those amounts readily available to support charitable activities in the event of unexpected reductions in income or cost increases and to provide a source of funds for planned investment in future years. The balance of £2,643k represents investment in assets required for ongoing operations, including
Good growth in the UK organic market sawcertificationincreasedprofits
The restricted funding balance of £3,571k carried forward at 31st March 2022 comprises grant income that will fund expenditure in future years in accordance with the grant funder’s direction.
The level of free reserves held at 31st March 2022 exceeds the target maximum level of reserves set by the Trustees. A deficit operating budget has therefore been approved for the Group in 2022/23 that draws on unrestricted reserves to fund additional charitable activities and invests in building financial resilience for the future. It should also be recognised that our reserves could prove to be a useful buffer in light of the current economic climate, with high inflation and the potential for a recession likely to lead to organisational costs increasing ahead of budgeted levels as well as a potential reduction in income from certification and from charitable donations as donors feel the impact of cost of living increases.
Unrestricted expenditure within the Charity was higher than the prior financial year at £3,680k due to expenditure returning to more of a normal level as the organisation emerged from the pandemic. This led to a net unrestricted surplus of £561k in the year.
principally our Head Office building, as well as amounts we must hold as a condition of our mortgage borrowing.
was due to a combination of factors including high licensee retention, good growth in the UK organic market and continued growth in income from the Forestry and Chain of Custody sector. This level of profitability is considered to be a one-off and is expected to return to a more standard level in 2022/23.
homewarestextilesbedding,organic& since 1996 www.greenfibres.com 100% Organically Grown www.vinceremos.co.uk farm,andorganicStayhigherkeigwin.comonanbeefwildlife with rich mosaic of habitats to Cornwall.Westexplore,Penwith,
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PLUS an introductory offer of a FREE BOOK worth £8.99 with all orders placed before 30.09.22. Just pop it in your basket during checkout.
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A beautiful range of specially commissioned Christmas cards in plastic-free packaging. Printed in the UK. Order early, before designs run out.
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The Bread The Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022.
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We’ve insulated 650 homes, saving 13,000 tonnes CO2 and helped our customers save up to 50% on their heating bills. But there’s lots more to do.
Homeowners wanted to help save the planet, one house at a time
Imagine, a warmer home costing less to heat and lower greenhouse gas emissions. That’s positive change.
We’ve insulated 650 homes, saving 13,000 tonnes CO2 and helped our customers save up to 50% on their heating bills. But there’s lots more to do.
Heating our homes is a major contribution to the production of greenhouse gases. And if you live in a listed or period property you’ll know the financial costs too. Our advanced secondary glazing, draught-proofing and loft insulation reduces heat loss by up to 40% in a detached property and 50% in a mid-terrace.
Homeowners wanted to help save the planet,
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362022AutumnEarthLiving
