Sunday 2nd June 2024, 18:00, St Peter’s Church, Horningsea
On Environment Sunday 2 June 2024 the Friends of St Peter’s Church Horningsea are delighted to be able to show the acclaimed film ‘Six Inches of Soil” with an introduction by the Director Colin Ramsay (a Horningsea resident). There will be an opportunity to discuss the film over a glass of wine or fruit juice at the end.
Six Inches of Soil tells the story of remarkable farmers, communities, small businesses, chefs, and entrepreneurs who are leading the way to transform how our food is produced and consumed.
Agroecology is an approach to farming that includes ‘regenerative’ farming techniques that work in harmony with, rather than against, nature. It focuses on local food systems and shorter supply chains. The advantages are numerous: we get to know who is growing our food and how farmers get paid a fair price, and have the satisfaction of producing healthy food in a healthy environment. Agroecology may also be our best chance in the face of climate change: it keeps carbon in the ground and creates resilient systems in the face of climate uncertainty.
Six Inches of Soil tells the inspiring story of young British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming how they produce food – to heal the soil, our health and provide for local communities. It follows three new farmers on the first year of their regenerative journey to heal the soil and help transform the food system – Anna Jackson, a Lincolnshire 11th generation arable and sheep farmer; Adrienne Gordon, a Cambridgeshire small-scale vegetable farmer; and Ben Thomas, who rears pasture fed beef cattle in Cornwall.
There are approximately 178,000 farmers working in the UK who manage 71% of the UK’s land, providing half of the food we eat; we import the rest. Current “industrial” mainstream farming practices significantly contribute to soil degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. Regenerative farming practices, (within an agroecological system) promote healthier soils, provide healthier, affordable food, restore biodiversity, and sequester carbon.
The film looks at the history of British farming and asks, “How did we get here?” through a short, animated chapter that brings the audience up to speed with the industrial heritage of farming and the solutions that are within reach.
We show that agroecological farming is not simply a job, but a way to live values and engage in practices which not only nourish the planet but also the farmers themselves.