Living Earth - Summer 2021 Members Magazine by soilassociationcharity

Summer 2021

Living Earth

Introducing Woodoaks Our new farm outside London

Innovative Farmers Cutting edge farmer-led research

National Food Strategy Welcome news for climate, nature and health

Hello and welcome to the Summer 2021 edition of Living

Earth!

e deniers silenced for good. This 2021 may well be the year that sees all climate chang the world; the prolonged across year has seen unenviable weather records broken same latitude as London), the (at a Canad in ve heatwa 0C freeze in Texas, the near-5 st other events. All with among ny, Germa and and devastating flooding in China, Japan is not something to delay crisis e climat the that ce eviden all and es, tragic fataliti to us and our neighbours. worrying about for the future, but is happening now autumn could not come at a more The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow this a presence at the conference. have to pressing and prescient time and we’re thrilled ctions and to ensure our voice conne make to ground the on being like g There’s nothin channels as we start the media social our and emails is heard. Keep an eye on your lf what you can do, enclosed with yourse asking you’re If more. hear to ’ COP26 to ‘Road to actions you can take to work this magazine is a ‘take action’ pack, a practical guide 16. page to turn towards a safe climate. To find out more, the pandemic and working Having started work for the Soil Association during be a farm visit! Made all the more remotely, it felt fitting that my first ‘office’ day should new site, Woodoaks. Taking brandour is farm lar particu this special by the fact that been farmed conventionally it’s when ally on a farm is always a big endeavour, especi for turning Woodoaks fully plans our about read to 6-7 pages to Turn s. for decade of new hedgerows. organic, including our first project, planting 2km greatest projects, Innovative On pages 8-11 we take a deeper look at one of our s delivers practical research farmer and ics Farmers. This partnership between academ -friendly farming practice. nature ssive, progre with p lockste in ce resilien e to improv gy was published and we were In July the major report the National Food Strate document. From recommending vital this in ised recogn being work gratified to see our to emulate nationally to calling model the be that our Food for Life programme should been very vocal on – there is we’ve n positio a – Foods ed rocess Ultra-P on for action more. for 4-5 pages to much to praise in the report. Turn As ever, we enjoy receiving your comments so please do get in touch via memb@soilassociation.org Happy reading,

Ollie Merchant-Hall Editor

My new friends at Woodoaks Farm!

Issue

266

What’s inside this issue P4 National Food Strategy Our response to this critical report P6 Introducing Woodoaks Farm Our new farm in Hertfordshire P8 Innovative Farmers At the cutting edge of farming research P12 Yeo Valley’s Organic Garden The first organic garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show P16 Take Action for COP26 What your membership is achieving

P20 Recipe for the Season Delicious fritters to make with the family P22 Fallen (Organic) Heroes Remembering heroes of the organic movement P23 Book Club Two books for your summer reading list P24 Annual Accounts A summary of our financial performance from 2020/21

P19 Introducing our new Trustees Plus save the date for our next AGM

Please get in touch if you would like this magazine in a different format

Living Earth: Policy

A National Food Strategy to combat the climate, nature and health crises? On 15 July, Henry Dimbleby launched part two of his National Food Strategy, in which he makes recommendations for improving the food system in England. The strategy provides a rare opportunity to transform the way we eat, farm and care for the natural world. The government has committed to responding within six months. The National Food Strategy was commissioned by the government and has been developed in consultation with policymakers, the food and farming sectors, NGOs, citizens and the public sector, whilst taking into account the most up to date research and evidence available. Our CEO, Helen Browning was asked to join a diverse group of people from across the food system as a member of the Advisory Panel, providing the opportunity to review and influence the work in progress and provide strong independent challenge over the last 18 months. We also made strong direct links with the Defra National Food Strategy team.

There is much to welcome in the strategy, and this is in no small part due to the Soil Association’s efforts. The strategy recognises that the climate, nature and health crises must be resolved together, with farmers in the driving seat. There is an emphasis on agroecological production and nature-friendly practices such as agroforestry, improving soil organic matter, and regenerating on-farm biodiversity. Organic farmers have been pioneering a nature-friendly approach for decades, and it is heartening to see the strategy call for agroecology to enter the mainstream.

Living Earth: Policy

There is an emphasis on agroecological production and naturefriendly practices such as agroforestry, improving soil organic matter, and regenerating on-farm biodiversity.

Among the most important recommendations are those related to the food served in public settings, such as schools and hospitals. Our advice on this was sought out by the National Food Strategy team, as it was by Prue Leith’s ground-breaking Hospital Food Review last year. The strategy recognises the pioneering role the Soil Association’s Food for Life programme has played in delivering healthier and more sustainable menus, and in reconnecting children with where their food comes from. The strategy calls for the food served in all schools and hospitals to now be required to match these standards, and for enhanced food education in schools. Food for Life is named as the model to emulate, and a key partner for the government in developing the next steps through a mandatory scheme.

THANKS

There are other successes. The strategy highlights the threat of antimicrobial resistance, associated with intensive animal farming, an agenda that we have been leading on for decades. It calls for greater investment in farmer-led innovation and agroecological methods, citing our Innovative Farmers programme. You might remember our campaign calling for government to fix the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, to ensure more local and organic produce is available in schools – the strategy has endorsed our call. Similarly, we have been campaigning for the past year on ultra-processed foods, calling for the government to take action to rebalance our diets – we were pleased to see ultra-processed foods positioned within the strategy as the new frontier in the battle against obesity and chronic disease.

The strategy highlights the threat of antimicrobial resistance, associated with intensive animal farming, an agenda that we have been leading on for decades. It calls for greater investment in farmer-led innovation and agroecological methods, citing TO YOUR SUPPORT our Innovative Farmers programme. We don’t agree with every detail of the strategy, and some recommendations, such the need for dietary change towards less and better meat, promise to spark debate in the national press, but the overall direction of travel is tremendously positive. If implemented, the recommendations will take us one sizable step closer to addressing the climate, nature and health crises. It is now critical that the Government responds. We will be working hard to ensure they do.

TO YOUR SUPPORT

TO SUPPORT FORYOUR YOUR SUPPORT The National Food Strategy would not have made such far-reaching recommendations without your support, because it enabled us to influence at the highest levels and support our close partners like the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, WWF and RSPB in doing so too. The hard work continues as we work to shape the Government’s response and we look forward to keeping you updated on progress.

TO YOUR SUPPORT TO YOUR SUPPORT

Living Earth: GREEN News

Woodoaks Farm Thanks to a generous landowner, the Soil Association has a new farm! Our sister charity Soil Association Land Trust has been gifted Woodoaks Farm, which is located just outside London near Maple Cross in Hertfordshire. Our goal is to transform it into a flagship organic farm to demonstrate how nature friendly farming is both possible and profitable. Woodoaks has been farmed by the same family for two generations and has seen huge changes, not least the building of the M25 through the middle of it! Despite being bisected by a major motorway, the farm is peaceful, protected by a strip of ancient woodland between the roaring road and the open farmland. The farm was once a thriving part of the local community. Neighbours reminisced about parties in the barn and sacks of potatoes delivered by truck to nearby villages. It is our hope and intention to build back those local links and relationships by growing a diverse range of produce to sell locally to our community. We have two successful food businesses on site already, The Tea Shack and Creative Juices Microbrewery, and we hope to attract more to join us on the farm. We will also work with local schools and community groups, developing ways for our neighbours to get involved on the farm to help achieve our main goals:

Woodoaks has been farmed conventionally for decades but will shortly be starting conversion to become fully organic certified. This is a process that takes two years and we’re looking forward to telling the story of conversion in these pages in forthcoming issues. Our intention is that Woodoaks becomes a place the Soil Association can demonstrate methods of regenerative, organic farming to visitors and fellow farmers alike, with community at its heart. Woodoaks will become a shop window for the transition to agroecology, one of our key goals for farming in the UK over next decade. The starting point for our conversion journey for Woodoaks is to plant a network of 2,000 metres of new hedgerows on the 140-hectare farm, replacing those lost in the years of intensive industrialised farming and adding some new ones too, to build a haven for nature. But we can’t achieve this without you. Woodoaks needs your support today.

Reduce the environmental footprint of food production Reverse the declines in wildlife Help people make healthier, less damaging food choices

THANKS Be more resilient to climate change

TO YOUR SUPPORT Thanks to those of you who have already supported our appeal to get more hedgerows onto the farm. If you’ve not yet had a chance to donate TO YOUR SUPPORT or want to find out more, please visit soilassociation.org/woodoaks

Living Earth: Green News

Our intention is that Woodoaks becomes a place the Soil Association can demonstrate methods of regenerative, organic farming to visitors and fellow farmers alike, with community at its heart.

Living Earth: Innovative Farmers

Innovative Farmers

On farms up and down the country, a quiet revolution is happening. A growing group of progressive farmers are working together with scientists to tackle the stark challenges facing farming in a changing climate. When Innovative Farmers was launched in 2012, it was on the back of one thought – that many of the best ideas in farming come from farmers. Whether trying a new variety or breed, using a piece of farm equipment in a different way, or responding quickly to unpredictable weather, trialling, testing and hands-on research is part of the farmer’s day-job. But too often, farmers are working in isolation and what they learn from their tests and experiments stays on their own farm. Similarly,

scientific researchers told us they wanted to work on projects that had real impact; for their work to be put into practice, rather than staying in the world of academia. From this partnership, Innovative Farmers was born. And now, almost 10 years later, the programme has developed a widely commended model for supporting farmers to take a risk and make ecological changes to their farm. In this time over 110 field labs have

Living Earth: Innovative Farmers

been launched with more than £400,000 in grants being awarded to groups of farmers, supporting them to research the issues that matter to them. Field labs are cutting edge; farmers use parts of their land to experiment with and go into the test unsure if there’ll be a profitable crop at harvest time. The potential pay offs could however be huge; less reliance on expensive chemicals, a more reliable crop and a massive benefit for nature through healthier soil and increased biodiversity. Innovative Farmers was very pleased that the programme received high praise in the recently published National Food Strategy (see pages 4-5 for more).

Open to all The Innovative Farmers programme (IF) is not just for certified organic farms. To work with the widest possible group of producers, IF is open to all progressive farmers who want to take steps towards agroecological, or naturefriendly, ways of farming and land management. 9

Living Earth: Innovative Farmers

What Is A Field Lab? Field labs are practical, hands-on trials that are open to everyone. But how do they work?

A group of farmers or growers come together around an idea. Sometimes they're an existing discussion or buying group, other times IF helps bring people together who care about the same topic.

IF will help organise a 'kick-off' meeting. This can be on farm or in the pub, the important bit is getting together to discuss what the trial will look at.

The farmers get matched with a researcher. IF works with the UK's leading agricultural research institutions and can match farmers with a specialist who will be right for the trial.

The researcher will work with the farmers to plan the trial and they’ll decide together what data to record. As the trial develops the researcher and farmers meet up, to see how things are progressing and adapt if it's necessary.

At the end of the trial, the researcher helps the farmers analyse the findings. They'll be published online and in the press. Farmers can then use the information to inform their business decisions or to plan another field lab.

Living Earth: Innovative Farmers

Field Labs Here we look at just two of the hundreds of field labs that have run over the last 10 years.

Silvopasture

Living Mulch It’s the most potentially significant trial I’ve ever been involved with

The list of the benefits you can get are undeniable

Many of us will be familiar with mulches as something we use in the garden to stop weeds growing and add nutrients to the soil around the plant we want to help thrive. Whether woodchips, compost or something else, these mulches are things we add to our gardens. Living mulches are the selfsufficient equivalent that, once established, out-compete weeds and add nitrogen to the soil through the use of clover, whilst reducing or even eliminating the use of weedkillers and synthetic fertilisers. Permanent groundcover protects and enhances soil health, and the food-crop seed is planted directly into the soil in a process called ‘drilling’ that avoids turning over the soil.

Launched this year, the silvopasture Field Lab will investigate whether agroforestry – the planting of trees on farms – is a viable way to address the climate and nature crises while maintaining productive farmland. It is the largest participatory research project to date looking at silvopasture, a form of agroforestry that deliberately integrates trees into livestock farming practices. This field lab is taking a long-term view and is set to last for 12 years, to give the trees an opportunity to grow and demonstrate their benefits. These hopefully include improving soil health, helping to mitigate flash floods and providing shade for the animals in increasingly hot summers.

Innovative Farmers is part of the Duchy Future Farming Programme, funded by the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund through the sales of Waitrose Duchy Organic products. The programme is managed by the Soil Association.

Living Earth: Green News

Yeo Valley Organic Garden Yeo Valley Organic are pulling out all the stops for their organic approved garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September. Building on inspiration from their Organic Garden at Yeo Valley HQ in Blagdon, the RHS Chelsea garden will boast additional features including a steam bent oak egg hide designed by Cornish designer-maker Tom Raffield and handpicked Mendip limestone from the farm. The interactive glass-bottomed egg hide will hover over a stream inviting an immersive experience – a sense of peril and adventure for those that enter. Award winning garden designer Tom Massey has worked in

collaboration with the Soil Association to curate a multi-habitat garden boasting a diverse range of habitats beneficial to wildlife and pollinators. Yeo Valley’s Head gardener, Sarah Mead, is keen to dispel the myth that gardening organically equates to ‘unkempt and uncared for’. She is confident that the garden will be a showcase for excelling aesthetically and growing in harmony with the soil and hopes to entice many across to growing more sustainably.

Living Earth: Green News Peat is a hot topic with campaigns such as Garden Organic’s “For Peat’s Sake” highlighting the need to remove peat from UK horticulture. Plants at the Yeo Valley Organic Garden are grown in peat-free compost and in fact plans are afoot to become completely self-sufficient in compost production. Keen to capitalise on local resources and ‘close the loop’ Sarah and her team have been converting trees felled for Ash Dieback into biochar, which is a form of charcoal. They use an Exeter Retort, a type of biochar burner, on site to regularly create batches which they crush when dry to make it easier to work with. Biochar has a huge surface area helping to retain moisture and nutrients for longer as well as putting carbon back into the soil. Added to their potting mixtures they have seen good results so far with less watering needed. This has benefitted a wide range of plants at the garden from heavy feeding tomatoes to hanging basket flowers. There is a no waste, circular economy principle at the garden. Plants that weren’t used at last year’s postponed Chelsea Flower Show have been kept and grown on for this year’s display. This has presented an interesting challenge keeping plants in pots for longer than is ideal along with no artificial heating or cooling. Plants in the soil have been encouraged to grow deep roots through sparse or no watering. The team are determined to bring everything back from Chelsea 2021 and integrate the plants back into the Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Blagdon. These admirable principles are very much in line with what Soil Association champions in farming organically and Sarah hopes the Yeo Valley Organic Garden at Chelsea can be a vehicle for attracting more people to choose organic when they grow in their back garden. Sarah and her team will be on hand at Chelsea to share their knowledge with attendees and spread the word that now is the time to dig into organic gardening for wildlife and the world. Colour palettes and combinations will of course feature heavily at the Chelsea and this is something Sarah freely admits she can get somewhat tyrannical about at Blagdon. An atmospheric fern and Beech copse features pristine white foxgloves following on from a Spring bed of blue Anenome blanda finishing off with cyclamen Hederifolium alba in the

Yeo Valley Organic’s Somerset garden is open until the end of October. Find out more at yeovalley.co.uk/the-organic-garden

autumn. A sensory walk snakes through a field of two gigantic species of grass threaded through with perennials teaming with butterflies and damselflies. Further gardens feature colours such as bronze or red and lime with lawns that were allowed to flourish in their No-mow-May. A spring meadow transitions into a summer meadow that flowers through to winter alongside willow trees. In their nursery garden Sarah trials colours with particular attention to blue, the hardest colour to translate from catalogue to plant. The simplicity and beauty of these themes are clear to see at Blagdon but Sarah stresses that the need of the land was a driving influence. Certain habitats such as wildflower meadows can be difficult to maintain so the two meadows were inspired more by the soil type and historic use. In the gravel garden, plants that do well are allowed to flourish rather than battling to stick to a design. The garden doesn’t just boast impressive aesthetics, it is a network of habitats teaming with wildlife. Sarah admits being averse to bug hotels for promoting insect diversity, instead using the plants themselves and the occasional pile of logs. Pests are generally left alone, encouraging populations of predators to rise to the challenge. The Yeo Valley Organic Garden in Blagdon garden is a masterclass in growing organically, ornamental and beyond, and we will follow their journey to Chelsea with great interest.

Living Earth: Legacy

The most natural gift in the world

Leave a gift in your will We have developed a free guide to take you through everything you need to know. You’ll find information about how we use gifts and the different ways of leaving a gift.

Request yours today! For more information, simply complete the form on the right hand page or visit soilassociation.org/giwrequest to download a digital version of the guide or to request a posted copy online.

Living Earth: Legacy

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First name:

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Postcode: Email: Membership No (if known): Please read our privacy policy to understand our promise to you regarding how we use your personal information: soilassociation.org/privacy-policy If you would like a printed copy of our privacy policy sent to you please let us know. Please return this form to: Freepost Plus RTZH-HKSA-SRXE Soil Association, Spear House, 51 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AD

Living Earth: Green News

COP26 Climate Conference With just a few months to go until this crucial meeting of world leaders in Glasgow in November, we wanted to share some facts about what your support of the Soil Association is doing to tackle the climate crisis. From working with schools and hospitals to help them serve fresh, locally sourced food through the Food for Life programme to assisting farmers to find solutions through Innovative Farmers, your Membership helps create a more sustainable world.

Enclosed with this magazine is a Take Action pack with lots of practical ideas for things you can do to help create a safe climate. You may well be doing many of these already! And as a Member you’re of course supporting the Soil Association to campaign for sustainable nature-friendly farming practices across the four nations of the UK and beyond. If these pledges in the Take Action pack are already part of your day to day life, why not share it with a friend?

COP26 : GLASGOW What is COP26?

Why is COP26 so crucial?

COP26 is the global United Nations climate change conference, taking place from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow. With the UK hosting the conference, we need the Government to take the lead through bold climate action.

Each country will bring their updated plans (NDCs) for reducing emissions and combating climate change to COP26. But so far, the NDCs have fallen far short of the mark in reaching the 1.5°C target. COP26 needs to be the moment that governments commit to going further to secure a safer future for the planet and for us all.

The Paris Agreement At the 2015 COP summit in Paris, countries agreed to limit global warming to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to aim for 1.5°C. Each country committed to national plans setting out how they would reduce their emissions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Living Earth: Green News

What is the Soil Association doing to make a difference? We’re putting farmers in the driving seat through our Innovative Farmers programme. We work with farmers on the ground to develop lasting solutions for a more resilient farming future. Now we need the Government to back naturefriendly farming innovation. We’re part of the Glasgow Food and Climate declaration. The declaration will be presented at COP26 and places sustainable, local food systems at the heart of the response to the climate crisis. Now we need the Government to support real change in our food system. We’re part of The Climate Coalition and support The Time Is Now declaration calling for nature based solutions to help combat climate change. Now we need the Government to listen and take action. We’re campaigning for an end to deforestation in UK supply chains. We need to move from industrial farming that feeds animals imported soya crops, to a nature-friendly farming future. Now we need the Government to support our call.

We’ve helped develop the National Food Strategy, which supports nature-friendly farming as well as a drive towards healthier more sustainable food in schools and hospitals. Now it’s up to the Government to act and make the National Food Strategy recommendations a reality. We’re showing what’s possible with our Food for Life programme. We’re campaigning for an end to deforestation in UK supply chains. We need to move from industrial farming that feeds animals imported soya crops, to a nature-friendly farming future. Now we need the Government to support our call. We work with schools, hospitals, universities and caterers to serve over 2 million healthy, nutritious meals a day, reconnecting people with where their food comes from. We’re thrilled that the Scottish Government have made a commitment to adopting Food for Life more widely. Now it’s time for the UK Government to do the same.

What can I do to make a difference?

Look out for us if you’re in Glasgow during COP26

Our actions add up to make a world of difference. You’re already playing your part in the movement towards a world with good health, in balance with nature and a safe climate. But we’ve put together a Pledge for our Planet toolkit (in your pack) with lots of quick and easy ways you can make a difference if you’re looking for further inspiration. Or perhaps share with a friend who may be looking to better support a safer climate.

We’ll be taking to the streets on 6th November alongside thousands of others to demand climate justice for all. We’re also involved in many talks and events throughout the fortnight. Not going to be in Scotland? Follow us on social media for all the latest from COP26. @soilassociation

You can also show your support by downloading our COP26 social media toolkit on our website here: soilassociation.org/cop26

s u m er .

h i c al c

Living Earth: LIVING WELL

BE S T B U

Living Earth: Trustees

Trustee Appointments We are delighted to welcome Phil Fearnley, Steven Lizars and Caroline Missen to the Soil Association Charity. Trustees are individuals who share ultimate responsibility for governing the Charity, volunteering their time and applying their skills and experience to guide our work.

Phil Fearnley For over 25 years Phil has helped the likes of the BBC, HSBC and intellectual property specialist CPA Global to navigate the digital revolution to create new and better ways to serve their customers. Phil has an Executive MBA from London Business School. Phil has always had a passion for nature and the environment. His family moved to Hampshire three years ago and took on a farmhouse with a two-acre plot. Their dream was to transform the land and to become as sustainable as possible.

Steven Lizars Steven works for NatWest and is currently on secondment to HRH The Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative in the role of Investor Engagement Director and member of the senior leadership team. In this role he is responsible for connecting sustainability and economic priority projects of lower and medium income countries to sustainability focused investors. Steven is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Law.

Caroline Missen Caroline is co-founder of Leaps & Bounds, a newly formed sustainability advisory group. Caroline has over 20 years commercial experience in general management and marketing leadership roles based in London, Beijing, Washington DC and Melbourne across the energy, automotive and professional service sectors. Caroline has a Science degree from the University of Melbourne, a Master’s in Marketing from Monash University and recently completed a Business Sustainability Management executive programme at the University of Cambridge.

Notice of Annual General Meeting Saturday 25 September 2021 10am until 12 Noon Our AGM this year will be a virtual event using an online conference platform Please register for this event at: www.soilassociation.org/agm

Living LivingEarth: Earth:Living LIVINGWell WELL

Green Kids Cook is aimed at the 7-14’s, it’s packed with sustainable recipes, fact pages with practical tips on how to make a difference in the world, and even the odd craft project thrown in. Extract credit: Green Kids Cook by Jenny Chandler (Pavilion Books). Images by Kirstie Young

The book encourages cooking from scratch, shopping locally, respecting nature, reducing plastic, eating more veg’ and using up leftovers, in a fun and constructive way.

Living Living Earth: Earth: On the living Ground well

Beetroot and Carrot Fritters This really is a swap-in-swap-out recipe, letting you choose your favourite ingredients or use up what you have. Change the veggies around as you like – you could grate celeriac, courgette, squash or parsnip in place of the carrot or beetroot. The gram (chickpea) flour acts as the glue holding everything together, but you could use other pulse flours, such as dried pea, fava bean or lentil flour, if you can find them. Fancy a change from the Indian spices? You could use dried thyme, lemon zest and some grated Parmesan for a completely different flavour.

Ingredients:

There’s still such a disconnect between the way that we eat and the disturbing wildlife reports and climate change bulletins that our children watch, and yet we know that they are inextricably linked. We need our children to become climate warriors rather than worriers, and so, where better to empower them, than in the kitchen?

• 4–5 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, finely diced • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 100g/3½oz beetroot • 100g/3½oz carrot • 75g/scant ½ cup gram flour (also known as chickpea flour or besan) • 1 tsp salt • 2 tsp garam masala • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds/ sesame seeds

Jenny Chandler

Method (Makes 4 servings) 1

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and fry for about 10 minutes until really soft. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, then set the pan aside to cool down.

Meanwhile, grate the vegetables on the coarse side of a box grater. There’s no need to peel them as long as you’ve washed them well.

In a large bowl, mix together the cooled onions, grated veggies, gram flour, salt, garam masala and seeds. Don’t worry if the mixture seems a bit dry, keep stirring or massage with your fingers (they will turn a bit pink!) to bring the moisture out of the carrot and beets.

Shape the mixture into about 12 fritters, taking a small handful and pressing it into a flat disc in your hands.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and carefully place half of the fritters into the hot oil using a palette knife. Fry for about 4–5 minutes on each side, turning the fritters once, until they begin to brown.

Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven if you are not serving immediately.

Repeat with the rest of the fritters, adding more oil to the pan, if needed.

Living Earth: LIVING WELL

Fallen (Organic) Heroes By Helen Browning

This has been a year of too many deaths, here and across the globe. Our organic family has lost some amazing people, many of whom I was lucky enough to know well. Indeed, one of them, the redoubtable Barry Wookey, had a big hand to play in getting me involved in organic farming in the first place. Barry converted his large estate at Upavon, on the edge of Salisbury Plain, to organic methods in 1972. He had seen the demise of the grey partridge, and as a sporting man, determined to reverse this trend. He persuaded the ‘Ministry of Agriculture’ (now Defra) to establish trials comparing his fields with matched ones on neighbouring farms that were still using chemicals, and I was the first research student doing the leg work on this project. I counted earthworms, measured the levels of nitrate leaching, monitored disease levels….and learned so much both from this and from the great man himself. He boldly broke with the current received wisdom, and recorded his thoughts in ‘Rushall, the Story of an Organic Farm’. His family have continued farming organically, and his grandson, Joe Wookey, today sits on our Farmer and Grower Board. Richard Mayall was another big figure in the development of the organic movement in the UK. It was his interest, sparked when he was at university, which led to his father, Sam, converting Pimhill Farm, in Shropshire. The farm became renowned for their dairy, and still produce fabulous flours under the Pimhill brand. It’s Ginny, Richard’s daughter, who continues the family commitment to organic farming. Heather Harbinson was not a farmer, but a wonderful supporter of Soil Association

Scotland over many years. Even as she became frailer, she would make every attempt to come to our events and introduce us to like-minded folk. In Scotland too, Nick Rodway’s loss is keenly felt. He and his wife Pam (who was a powerhouse in the SA Scotland team for over 15 years) have farmed at Wester Laurenceton, and inspired so many youngsters to get involved with food, farming and crofting. Andrew Sebire was another strong advocate and pioneer, farming at Lower Hurst in Derbyshire for over 30 years, and supplying Food for Life schools and NHS Trusts with wonderful meat. Through this, he engaged and educated schools on the importance of high welfare farming, and was one of our flagship FFL Supplier Scheme members. I only knew Francis Spear in the last years of his life, when he and his wife Hazel started to support the Soil Association. His life story is worth a book in its own right, and it is through his generosity that we were able to purchase Spear House, our Bristol offices. I will cherish memories of his last visit to my farm, when he relished a ‘safari’ in our old Land Rover, and was entranced by the animals and wildlife. Wonderful memories of wonderful people. We will miss them all, and give thanks for their lives and contributions.

Living Earth: living well

Book worms Book Club

In this issue we’re bringing you two books that are close to our hearts. First up is Zero Waste Gardening by our very own Head of Horticulture & Agroforestry, Ben Raskin. Long-time Living Earth readers will be familiar with Ben from our regular Horticulture Corner pages, where he has written eloquently on subjects from intercropping to community composting. Our second book, A Natural History of the Hedgerow by naturalist John Wright, provides a timely reminder of the importance of hedgerows considering our focus on these key habitats at our new farm at Woodoaks (see page 6-7).

Zero Waste Gardening By Ben Raskin This is a fun and easy-to-read guide to planting an edible garden whilst reducing your waste. With plenty of tips on how to get the most out of your space, this book covers everything from which plants to grow to how to make the most of your produce, all whilst working towards creating a circular sustainable system in your garden. Whether a complete beginner or a seasoned pro, Ben’s tips will help you look afresh at your garden and help you grow with nature in mind.

A Natural History of the Hedgerow By John Wright For a feature that dates back at least 5000 years, many of us know surprisingly little about hedges. Wright delves deeply into this quintessential symbol of the British countryside, bringing both historical and naturalist facts to life; and with up to 3000 species of plants, lichens, animals and fungi living in a 100-yard stretch, we certainly believe him when he writes “there is so much more to a hedge than meets the eye.”

Get in touch with your recommendations If you’re enjoying this section, or would like to share any book ideas, please do get in touch! We’re always happy to hear from our readers, so please do share any books you’ve read that have changed the way you think about your food and where it comes from. memb@soilassociation.org

@soilassociation

Living Earth: Financial Report

Report into the Charity’s financial performance for 2020/21 This is a summary of the Charity’s financial performance taken from the 2020/21 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 2021 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. Income received by the Charity is classified as unrestricted or restricted funds. 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 according to the funder’s direction in delivery of the Charity’s objectives.

2020/2021 Charity Finances

Unrestricted Funds £’000

Restricted Funds £’000

Total 2020/21 £’000

Total 2019/20 £’000

1,087

382

1,469

804

155

730

752

6,180

2,166

1,471

1,805

832

673

Incoming resources Donations Legacies Membership subscriptions Grants Contract income Income from trading subsidiaries Other Total incoming resources

1,471 832

165

4,367

6,562

10,929

6,380

Resources expended Farming and land use transition

(1,224)

(1,110)

(2,334)

(2,507)

Healthy and sustainable diet

(1,454)

(3,387)

(4,841)

(4,812)

(598)

(15)

(613)

(527)

(3,276)

(4,512)

(7,788)

(7,846)

1,091

2,050

3,141

(1,466)

Raising funds Total resources expended

Net incoming resources – before other gains/(losses) Gains/(losses) on investments

(17)

Net incoming resources for the year

1,109

2,050

3,159

(1,483)

Total funds bought forward

2,727

3,387

6,114

7,597

Net incoming resources for the year

1,109

2,050

3,159

(1,483)

Total funds carried forward

3,836

5,437

9,273

6,114

Living Earth: Financial Report

Charitable giving from individual supporters through donations, legacies and memberships totalled £2,281k an increase of a third on the prior financial year. This sum includes a generous multi-year funding pledge from a major donor that due to charity accounting rules means the entire pledge must be recognised in the first year. The year saw a small decline in membership income and a near halving of legacy income which by its nature is unpredictable. Restricted grant funding received in the year is reported as £6,180k, substantially greater than the prior financial year. These 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 multi-year grant being recognised in different financial years, distorting comparison between financial years. The figure for 2020/21 includes further phases of funding for existing programmes such as Food For Life Get Togethers funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Sustainable Food Places funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund and Food for Life Scotland funded by Sustainable Food Places and Scottish Government; combined with grants for new works such as Esmée Fairbairn Foundation supporting a Ten Year Transition to Agroecology research project and EU Erasmus+ funding for a Planet Friendly Schools project. Income earned by providing contract and consultancy services into the public and private sectors fell by nearly a fifth compared to the prior financial year to £1,471k. These revenues are principally associated with our Food for Life work commissioned by local authorities, our Food for Life Served Here scheme used in the catering sector and a significant contract with the Scottish Government to facilitate farmerled innovation. This decline in income shows the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the catering sector and on public sector services. Income received from the Charity’s trading subsidiaries, most notably Soil Association

Certification Limited but also SA Sales and Services Limited increased by nearly a quarter to £832k. Turnover in the certification business saw a small decrease in comparison to the prior financial year but even though the Covid-19 pandemic significantly disrupted business operations, demand for certified organic and forestry products held up well and a profit of £281k was gift-aided to the Charity. Unrestricted expenditure within the Charity was slightly lower than the prior financial year at £3,276k, generating a net unrestricted surplus of £1,109k in the year. This large unrestricted surplus is unusual (cf. prior year £248k) and has been bolstered by one-off Covid-19 grant funding, delays in expenditure as work activity was deferred during the pandemic and the aforementioned accounting treatment of a multi-year major donor pledge that is recognised in its entirety in 2020/21. As at 31st March 2021 the Charity has £3,836k of unrestricted funds of which it considers £974k to be ‘free’ unrestricted reserves which are those amounts readily available to mitigate financial risks to, and provide a source of investment funds for, the Charity and its trading subsidiaries. The balance of £2,862k represents investment in assets required for ongoing operations, including principally our HQ building, as well as amounts we must hold as a condition of our mortgage borrowing. The restricted funding balance of £5,437k carried forward at 31st March 2021 comprises grant income that will fund expenditure in future years in accordance with the grant funder’s direction. The Covid-19 pandemic had a material impact on the activities of the Soil Association Group in 2020/21 and this in turn affected elements of our income. But through prudent financial management, an underlying resilient financial model, access to Government support schemes and the continuing financial support of those individuals, institutions and businesses that share our aims the Soil Association was able to mitigate much of this challenge and are able to confidently prepare these 2020/21 financial statements on a going concern basis.

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