The Happy Pear Podcast

Soil - Our food system's superpower? With Charles Dowding


Listen Later

Would you eat veg with soil on it? But what if it was potentially healthier for you and the planet?


According to the UN’s FAO, over 90% of the Earth’s soil could be degraded by 2050. There are several reasons but “conventional farming” that uses chemicals (e.g. pesticides), machinery and other modern techniques is potentially adding to the problem.


So what’s the solution? Is organic farming (using no pesticides) enough?


Charles Dowding, this week’s podcast guest, is an unsung hero of progressive farming. An author, YouTuber and NO DIG pioneer, Charles started his experimentation with NO DIG back in 1982 and the results were amazing. From the wonderful harvest and reduction in weeds; to the improvement in retention of health within the food he grew, Charles realised he had hit on something special!


Since then Charles has been sharing his findings about the benefits of NO DIG and the movement is catching on! 


Within our own 4-acre farm we also practice the method of NO DIG: we are new to farming in this capacity and so far we are getting so much joy from it.


“Through my experience, I’ve become more and more aware of how soil works, through not working it! I’ve increased my understanding of biodiversity and the need to keep carbon in the soil. Digging, and any form of soil exposure, releases CO2 into the atmosphere. No dig keeps carbon locked in the soil, and carbon in many forms is the building block of soil structure and food.”


We absolutely loved this episode. We hope you dig it, too!


Lots of Love,

Dave & Steve


To find out more about Charles and the NO DIG movement visit his site: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/


Produced By Sean Cahill and Sara Fawsitt

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Happy Pear PodcastBy The Happy Pear

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

123 ratings


More shows like The Happy Pear Podcast

View all
The Liz Earle Wellbeing Show by Liz Earle

The Liz Earle Wellbeing Show

255 Listeners

The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast by Dr Rupy Aujla

The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

628 Listeners

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee by Dr Rangan Chatterjee: GP & Author

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

4,096 Listeners

Happy Place by Fearne Cotton

Happy Place

1,168 Listeners

The Food Medic by Dr. Hazel Wallace

The Food Medic

325 Listeners

The Wellness Scoop by The Wellness Scoop

The Wellness Scoop

1,329 Listeners

Food For Thought by Rhiannon Lambert

Food For Thought

198 Listeners

The Dr Louise Newson Podcast by Dr Louise Newson

The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

256 Listeners

Postcards From Midlife by Lorraine Candy & Trish Halpin

Postcards From Midlife

155 Listeners

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan by Spiritland Creative

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

328 Listeners

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley by BBC Radio 4

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

238 Listeners

ZOE Science & Nutrition by ZOE

ZOE Science & Nutrition

2,029 Listeners

Stompcast by Dr Alex George

Stompcast

37 Listeners

Begin Again with Davina McCall by Begin Again

Begin Again with Davina McCall

541 Listeners

The Eat This Podcast with Dr. Alan Desmond by Dr Alan Desmond

The Eat This Podcast with Dr. Alan Desmond

28 Listeners