A warm welcome and opening remarks from Charles Le Maistre who farms the Regen Gathering host farm with his brother, Alan, and cousin, John.

Guided by director and wrangler of scientists Peter Byck, “Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there)”is a 4-part documentary series all about adaptive cattle farmers and their conventional neighbors across the fence – and a group of maverick scientists conducting ground-breaking research that explores the costs and benefits of grazing in harmony with nature versus grazing in conflict with nature. In this presentation, Byck screens clips from the series, and discusses research results from the decade-long, $10m research project conducted in the Southeast USA; research that asks: can this simple change in grazing practice help farmers get out of debt, restore their depleted soils, rebuild wildlife habitat and draw down huge amounts of carbon? Watch here: Roots So Deep: Stories from Farmers and Scientists about Soil Health & Farmer Wealth.

Are you interested in learning how to create healthy soils and resilient fields while reducing your reliance on external inputs, even during droughts? This session is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to enhance your farm’s resilience through regenerative agriculture.

Join us as we hear from two experienced agroecological advisers who will share their insights on soil health and sustainable farming practices. The session will feature soil expert Niels Corfield, who will introduce a series of regenerative soil health courses tailored for arable, livestock farmers, and vegetable growers. Niels will guide you through the principles of regenerative agriculture, helping you to understand and implement soil health practices that will optimise crop and livestock performance on your farm.

During this talk, you will:

• Learn how natural ecosystem processes influence your soil, and how to work with these processes to improve soil health.

• Understand the critical role soil biology plays in crop performance, pasture health, and farm resilience.

• Discover practical techniques for monitoring and supporting healthy soils, ensuring long-term sustainability and productivity.

Tim Williams, a farmer, agroecological adviser, and coach, will also share his expertise. Having trained under Nicole Masters and the Integrity Soils team, Tim is passionate about empowering farmers to transition to regenerative and agroecological systems. He will explore the complex relationships both above and within the soil that contribute to on-farm resilience. Tim challenges the conventional notion of competition in farming, emphasising how plant communities naturally support one another, enhance nutrient availability, and ward off pests—showing that diversity is key to a successful farm ecosystem.

Tim will also discuss the "Levels of Regenerative Agriculture," a framework highlighted by Ethan Roland Soloviev and Gregory Landua, which outlines four levels of regenerative practice: Functional, Integrative, Systemic, and Evolutionary. Tim will particularly focus on the Evolutionary Level, which reflects the deep understanding of place and context found in many indigenous cultures. This level of pattern-understanding, which can take generations to develop, underscores the importance of communication, community, and a holistic approach to farming.

This session is ideal for farmers, growers, and anyone interested in sustainable agriculture. Gain valuable insights into how you can build a more resilient farm by nurturing the soil beneath your feet.

Pitch Up! is an initiative that connects farms committed to holistic and sustainable practices with small businesses needing access to land. The scheme promotes the sharing of resources, knowledge, and land to create a thriving circular farming community in the UK, modeled on nature’s "closed loop" system where everything is reused, and waste is minimized.

Originating from Balcaskie Estate in Fife, which spans nearly 5,000 acres and is dedicated to environmental stewardship and local business support, Pitch Up! has expanded into Scotland after its initial success at Kingsclere Estates in Hampshire. The initiative invites sustainable businesses and start-ups to present their plans for using the land, offering them access to resources, expertise, and investment. Participants will join a community of existing businesses focused on sustainable and regenerative practices. Launched by Tim May in 2021, Pitch Up! aims for a national rollout by 2024, supporting rural enterprises at all stages of development.

Frédéric Thomas discovered minimum tillage and Conservation Agriculture during his agricultural training in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, and through extensive travel. In 1991, he began promoting these techniques in France, driven by their economic, agronomic, and environmental benefits, and their adaptability to various local conditions.

In 1996, he took over his family's farm, which had challenging soil conditions, deepening his understanding of soil management and ecosystem sustainability. In 1999, he launched the magazine "TCS" to foster technical exchanges among early adopters and later co-founded the association BASE, leading it for 15 years. He also supported the creation of BASE UK to promote Conservation Agriculture.

Today, Thomas is recognised as a specialist in this field, actively engaging with agricultural professionals worldwide.

A walk with Piers Sangan from Sangan Conservation, Channel Islands. Join Piers on a ecological walk to uncover how the riches of the soil, the natural characteristics of the landscape and traditional farming methods yield exceptional local produce and benefit local wildlife.

Lunch and socialise

Dig into the underworld of soil with a practical demo of how to do in-field observations for regenerative farming. Learn how to monitor the 10 Regen Indicators in the field diving into key indicators at different stops with Annie from the Soilmentor team and see how you can use the Indicators and many other observations to support you in your Rural Economic Scheme and Leaf reporting. Grow your regen mindset and change the way you see your farm by observing through the lens of the regen indicators.

Join Sarah Carre and Jamie Prow for an engaging exploration of Regenerative Economics.

The regenerative conversation doesn't stop at farming.

Regeneration can, and should, be applied to how we design and run our businesses, aiming to restore not only depleted rural economies but also to reshape financial, industrial, and political systems.

In this workshop, Sarah and Jamie will challenge common economic assumptions, discuss alternative business models, and bring forward voices from the frontlines who are reimagining business as a force for regeneration.

You'll learn about:

The tangible benefits of regenerative practices in both nature and enterprise.

How businesses are rethinking market structures, financial models, and community impact.

The myths around conventional economics and why it's vital to acknowledge and debunk them for the future of business.

This is an opportunity to rethink how we build businesses that nurture not only the land but our economics as a whole.

Diversifying into non-farming business ventures is now almost an essential for farmers who want to secure their financial survival.

Nibthwaite / Dogson Wood Farm in the Lake District has searched out different markets for its produce and developed new products and income streams to add value.

John Atkinson has spent over 40 years as a commercial farmer, and also has 25 years’ experience of working for the National Trust, and he currently sits on the Board of the Whitebred Shorthorn Association and The Federation of Cumbrian Commoners.

With his partner Maria Benjamin, John farms 450 acres in the Lake District, running rare and native breeds of cattle and sheep.

Maria runs ethical businesses utilising farm commodities from their farm, Including The Soap Dairy, utilising their Jersey cow milk, Lake District Tweed, using wool sourced from within the different Lake District valleys and The Wool Library, bringing farming closer to fashion.

Farm diversification has also allowed Rebecca Mayhew and her family to transform their 500 acres in South Norfolk from intensive farming to a regenerative oasis. Their diverse enterprises include a raw Jersey dairy, a suckler herd, sheep, pigs, goats, laying hens, and a farm shop, café, butchery, and vineyard. Holistic Management training has been crucial in both restoring the farm and managing their varied business, while also fostering community engagement on climate change, farming practices, and nutrient-dense food.

In the face of environmental, economic, social, and institutional challenges, how can farms develop resilience and become long term, thriving businesses?

We will hear from three experienced farmers who work with cattle and arable who have adopted holistic practices to improve the quality of their soils and the health of their animals. The conversation focuses on farm resilience from weather proofing your farm by linking soil, forage and health.

This panel is sponsored by Farming for the Future: Industry, a new initiative being launched at Regen which aims to facilitate a farmer curated learning and development programme in Jersey.

Join us for an insightful discussion that tackles the often challenging disconnect between government planning and the rural economy. While mistrust and communication barriers can hinder progress, this session will shine a light on the positive strides being made in agroforestry through UK government initiatives like Countryside Stewardship, Woodland Management, and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

Ed Bonn, orginally from Jersey and now working with Farming & Wildlife Advisory (FWAG SW), will discuss his passion for integrating woodlands into farming systems. He will introduce his project that is not only reintroducing woodlands to the agricultural landscape but also serving as a catalyst for stackable, mutually supportive enterprises. This project is reconnecting people with the landscape, demonstrating the multifaceted benefits of agroforestry.

Finally, agroforestry expert Niels Corfield will provide practical insights on how to get started with planting trees on your farm. His talk will include:

• 🌲 A virtual tour of Wakelyns farm, showcasing agroforestry in action.

• 🌲 Tips on incorporating trees into your land management strategy.

• 🌲 Advice on how design choices can diversify and improve your farming conditions.

• 🌲 Guidance on developing a tree planting plan tailored to your farm's needs.

Without an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of your soil, you cannot understand how to manage it. Soil health assessments, which can be combined with soil scanning and soil sampling, will give you the knowledge you need to improve your soils. Four simple soil assessments can be used to analyse soil health: visual evaluation of soil structure (VESS), earthworm count, infiltration rate and slake test.

Join us for a film screening of parts 1 and 4 of Roots so Deep (you can see the devil down there) w/ director Peter Byck.

Roots So Deep is a 4-part documentary series about inventive farmers and maverick scientists building a path to solving climate change with hooves, heart & soil.