12.01.26
We are just back from another whirlwind 2 days at the Oxford Real Farming Conference. Now in its 17th year, it seeks to highlight topics such as agroecological practice (farming with nature), policy, access to the countryside and land, and social justice. It facilitates around 140 sessions, 400 odd speakers and 2000 delegates. Some sessions were practical, with advice and tips that we’ll be seeking to implement, other sessions covered topics that were challenging and thought provoking as it is important to understand different perspectives.
 
At the end of last year, co-founders Ruth West and Colin Tudge were awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the BBC Food and Farming awards this year for getting the ORFC to where it is today.

George was part of a panel discussion facilitated by Oxford University’s relatively new group “Agricultural Resilience Impact and Information Hub” (AGRIIH). The session title was “CO-CREATING RESILIENCE: NATURE, FARMERS AND SCIENCE”. George (and Sandy Lane Farm), was there as an exemplar of a farm that has embraced farming where productivity and nature are intrinsically linked and can be a model for an economically viable farm business. BUT, there is so much research that is either inaccessible to those on the ground or is not specific to the issues we face, or has limitations in putting scientific rigour around the methods we use. For example, we see concrete results in the benefits of promoting biodiversity – but to convince those sceptical or those setting out policy, objective research is needed.  You may have heard George’s  contribution on the topic on BBC R4’s Farming Today program on Saturday 10th January 2026: 3 minutes, 17 seconds.
 
Some other talks we attended were:

• Bio-stimulants – using biology rather than synthetics to build a fertile and resilient soil. With a caution that inputs should be used to plug holes in short-term system weaknesses. If you rely on products routinely, the product becomes the system and masks issues.
• Couples Therapy – farming can be all-consuming, farming couples were sharing insights into supporting and working together, giving attention to children, and a life outside the work.
• Horticultural Field trials – technical detail on different types of raising plants and how sowing rate can affect yield and pest pressure.
• The migratory world of insects – different from birds, insect migrations are multi-generational.  The distances are staggering and I never knew their vital function in transporting biomass, pollen and genetic diversity across continents. I thought that we were building up our own self-sufficient biodiversity on the farm – but in reality we rely on habitat and ecosystems across the world. For me it has highlighted the need to support organic farmers overseas, not just in our own patch.
• Combatting hate in food and farming - Practical actions for solidarity.
• Farmer Perspectives: Pathways to Healing People and Planet. Patrick Holden of the Sustainable Farming Trust and 3 other speakers from Japan, Zambia and Ireland, talked about their growing awareness of the connection between personal wellbeing, planetary health and the current food system from their experiences of working with the land. 
• Tastes of Tomorrow: What Grows when the Climate Changes. Innovative farmers talked about their experience of already growing crops that were previously impossible in the UK’s climate - such as tea, rice and peppercorns. 

 
We are incredibly grateful to the team that stayed behind to keep things running on the farm. It was wonderful to see so many customers and fellow organic growers at the talks. For us, the conference was educational, informative, challenging, hopeful and affirming (amongst so many other things!). It's always a timely reminder that we are not alone, we are part of a vital and progressive community.