Attempting to improve the plant, animal and human health on our farm drew us to organic farming and a focus on soil. The story is unfolding, we’re enjoying the first chapter…

Our land, crops and livestock were certified Organic by the Soil Association in November 2023. Since then, we have been inspected annually by independent specialists to confirm that we are adhering to strict standards. Initially, these audits, which often took most of the day, were a little unnerving. We were concentrating hard on evidencing the absence of practices that were prohibited. Just a short while forward and we are beginning to value these visits deeply. We’re seeing them as learning experiences that focus on what is possible more than what is not.

This subtle shift in mindset, from a slight sense of restriction to one of freedom is beginning to reward us. We are beginning to see that biology and diversity have benefit. We are getting better, slowly, at getting out of the way, allowing the natural system to emerge. Fear and frustration over weeds growing faster than garlic, or livestock being bothered by flies is steadily subsiding as we learn to listen and look at systemic causes rather than chemical cures.

After many decades here of suppressing weed competition for garlic by doing what most farms do: using herbicide, we initially struggled to produce a good yield when growing organically. Happily, we got some help, in the form of the French! We visited a ‘groupement’ of experienced organic growers in the Drôme region. Their tips on the mechanical devices that could replace synthetic weed killers were very helpful: “très bien, merci á Florence et les agriculteurs biologique!”. We returned home reassured, well fed and immediately ordered a ‘Treffler’ spring-tine weeder.

Dealing with flies on cattle and intestinal parasite management required a similar leap of faith. As routine chemicals are not an option with organic certification, the livestock need diverse, mineral-rich nutrition to help them build up a natural defence. Perhaps more significantly, me (the farmer in training) needed a bit of patience and a good support network. ‘Pasture for Life’ is both a certification body as well as community of livestock graziers who are passionate about the restorative power of grazing animals on 100% pasture (i.e. no grain or concentrates). Most of this group advocate and practise adaptive multi-paddock grazing, where animals are moved to fresh pasture every day. The impact on soil and plant health of this method that builds rest periods for the growing plants has a knock-on effect on animal and even human health. The diversity of herbs, legumes and grasses and physical height of plants that develop from this approach is moving us to a nature-based solution that was once a routine chemical treatment.

The results above and below ground of just these two organic practices of replacing chemical weed control with mechanical for the garlic, and natural health for the cows, is rewarding to witness here and on farms with a similar approach. The garlic harvest last year (2025) was superb and many of the grazing pastures were lush, dense, diverse and resilient throughout a very dry summer. We’re seeing increasing worm counts in the soil and once the dung beetles ‘moved in’ after our second year of organic farming they are ever more evident as I write. Some of you might be reading this in our restaurant so I won’t go into detail on dung beetles now and promise to forewarn when I write a whole article all about them – they are incredible ecosystem engineers!

It’s strange that the arrival of single species of beetle that was notably absent from our farm could have such a significant impact on myself, some of our team, our visitors, neighbours and network. This tiny, humble indicator is both validation and encouragement. It shows us that what we are not doing is as important as what we are doing. Through the restriction of Organic standards, we are liberating our soils and ecosystem. Happy times, all because of clean poo! (Sorry, I mentioned it again, hope I haven’t put you off your food).

There’s huge curiosity that is stimulated by seeing evidence of something more sophisticated than humans. As wondrous as science can be, the pure intelligence of nature dwarfs our designs every time. Farming, I am learning, is more challenging than any sector I have been exposed to in a varied prior career. This might be, in part because some farming practice attempts to use science to overcome nature, in some cases delivering short term rewards but long-term reliance on more synthetic intervention. The variables and pressures on farming are extreme, and the human tenacity and technology delivered and dreamed up to battle adversity are worthy of respect and admiration. Where science delivers designs to bend nature, things break, but where science offers farmers tools for observation, useful lessons are learned and humbling, powerful progress is born.

Perhaps the simplest way to describe our organic journey so far is one word: love. To be fighting the cost, contradictions and climate impact of chemicals in a recipe-driven, synthetic farming process can be wearing on every level. To feel part of a harmonious, connected web of symbiotic life and death cycles that feed the soil, plants, animals and ultimately humans with natural health can be wondrous on every level. We’re working towards love and harmony; it’s a wild journey so far.

Author: Barnes Edwards