Our Dirt Crazy Approach to Farming
At Alveston Pastoral our vision is Restoring Life to Landscapes by using a Holistic approach to our agricultural production. Here our focus is on soil and land stewardship. We believe Regenerative Agriculture offers an exciting and sustainable approach to farming and food production.
Although there maybe a number of approaches to Regenerative Agriculture as it is definitely not a one size fits all, at its heart it aims to revitalise both farmland and the wider ecosystem by placing a firm emphasis on soil health.
In fact this is the "big secret" of Regenerative Agriculture, it is all in the soil. Soil is the key to life on earth. Life would not exist without this thin layer of organic matter mixed with minerals, water, gas and micro-organisms that covers our land, produces our food, and sustains our communities.
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Benefits of Dirt Crazy Farming
Healthier Soils
Number one aim to develop soil that is full of micro-organisms working in unison to the benefit of the plants above.
Carbon Drawdown
As plants grow, they absorb carbon from the atmosphere. By absorbing excessive carbon, the greater use of plants in regenerative agriculture offsets a large amount of carbon emissions and increase soil carbon levels. It’s worth noting that full scientific understanding is still being developed on this.
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Better water management and reduced flood risk
The practice of keeping the soil covered with vegetation and not tilled results in less soil erosion and allows the soil to act as an enormous sponge, soaking up those summer thunderstorm rains as well as preventing high summer evaporation and excessive moisture lost. Farmland that isn’t managed sustainably becomes depleted and dry, which increases the amount of water that runs off and causes flooding issues downstream.
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Better quality nutritious food
When you have healthier, nutrient-rich soils and better below-ground ecosystems, the result is increased fertility of the land. With more available nutrients, crops can grow stronger, healthier and produce higher yields as well supporting healthier livestock and producing nutrient dense meat.
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Reduced chemical usage
No pesticides used.
Soils are carefully analysed so we can feed soil biology and focus on organic inputs such as composts, manures & nutrient balancing.
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More biodiversity
Our Holistic approach looks at ecosystems rather than a single monoculture crops. Because of the our diverse use of plants, integration of trees and shrubs, Dirt Crazy farming has an increases in biodiversity on the land, air, and in the soil. Important organisms such as birds, bees, insects, and microbes all thrive - the sign of a healthy ecosystem.
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Community benefits
Regenerative farming can bring wider benefits to our local communities. It can help build stronger ties and relationships between regenerative farmers, engaged customers and workers who help out on the land.