The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation.

In this short, Pavlos Georgiadis and Olly Moore look back on their tour of 5 very different types of farm across Greece and reveal some of the other projects they will be visiting. Many of these visits can be heard on the Farmerama Soundcloud pages, collected on the GROW Observatory playlist.

Hear from Pasture For Life farmer Rob Havard who was at the Future of UK Farming Conference. He tells us some clever tips on how to harvest your own seeds for planting herbal leys and how he has been experimenting with terminating herbal leys, working solely with his animals.

This month we hear from a self-confessed non-environmentalist about an ocean-based farming solution that might inadvertently be saving the environment as well as providing a simple, new and sensible option for people wanting to make a living from the sea. In Northern Ireland, we get stuck into the very important issue of mental health in farming. We get the lowdown on plants activating genes and how this relates to seed saving, and we end with a farmer in the remote South of Chile telling us about the importance of community and how we can contribute to what he calls ‘circle agriculture’.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here he reports from inside his new polytunnel.

In this interview Pavlos Georgiadis speaks to Hannes Lorensen, after the European rural sustainability gathering at Lake Plastiras, who talks about the problems with the sustainability of modern food production, and makes the case for the urban consumer needing to do more listen to and support farmers and grow connections.

The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation. Farmerama are partnering with GROW to bring you interviews from the teams travels and investigations.

www.growobservatory.org

The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation.

In this spcial feature, Nikos Vrantsis speaks to Greek organic olive grower Pavlos Georgiadis, one of the initiators of the GROW Observatory, from one of the first GROW Places - Pavlos' own olive farm in Alexandroupoli. He explains how the project is able to provide benefit to growers, people passionate about soil and communities who will take part in the project. He also has some interesting things to say in support of the democratisation of knowledge for Soil Stewardship.

www.growobservatory.org

This month we have a political focus, but still manage to squeeze in talk of our fave topics, soil and microbes. First up, some personal stories from a ‘kitchen table talk’ on what good food means to the people in Scotland. A Jersey farmer tells us about trying out an innovative approach to growing the island’s favourite potato. We have an update on ‘Green Brexit’ and how global trade agreements affect farmers. We end with the launch of a ‘Pig Club’ and a catchy tune from the bee-lievers. 🐝 🐖🍭🍏

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here is his latest report, recorded in March 2017.

If you live in Scotland – or even if you don’t – you might have heard that the Scottish Government will soon be introducing a “Good Food Nation Bill”. It’s set to be a wide-ranging piece of legislation, touching on health, sustainable production, food poverty, food culture, and a lot more besides. It has the potential to be radical and world-leading – or a huge missed opportunity. Katie spoke to Bella Crowe from Nourish Scotland about the Bill, the upcoming consultation, and the broader context for food in Scotland. Bella also explained the Scottish Food Coalition’s “Kitchen Table Talk” initiative: an effort to make sure the consultation is as broad and representative as possible.

To find out more about the Good Food Nation Bill and the Kitchen Table talks, visit nourishscotland.org

This month we get an update from Abby’s farm in Chile a year after the huge fires burned all their crops. We head to a farm in Wales to learn how planning legislation is opening doors for people wanting to produce, and live sustainably. Then we head to the US to hear how one farmer is taking a philosophical approach to sharing the practice of farming and connecting to the land. And finally, back on British soil to hear from a long-time soil scientist about organic matter. Plus if you listen to the very end you will hear a nice teaser about an exciting opportunity in Scotland.