In this episode I’m in conversation with Andy Cato, an award-winning mixed arable and livestock farmer and co-founder of Wildfarmed Grain.

This was a treat on many fronts. Not just because Andy is a fascinating human doing extraordinary work to regenerate our planet but this conversation connects up many of my own deep interests.

Before forming Wild Farmed Grain Andy was one half of music act Groove Armada and started his journey with music in the early nineties going on to become a massive global artist and DJ, releasing over 8 albums, touring all over the world and next year will celebrate 25 years of music.

But Andy’s story continued to evolve as he learnt about the impacts our industrial food systems are having on both planetary and human health which kickstarted his inquiry into food growing, farm ownership and his own stark experiences witnessing dying soils and the devastating impacts of industrial agriculture.

His experimental nature and curious enquiring mind led him to the conclusion that regenerating soils for both climate and food is an urgent and pressing task for humanity and he has spent a decade developing farming methodologies where plants, animals and soils are all working in deep symbiosis, and farmers, bakers, millers and customers work together to create highly nutritious grains, flours and products in a value system that works for everyone.

Cut to 2021 and Wild Farmed Grain is making noise and beginning to spread from the underground, fast becoming the flour of choice of chefs and bakers around the country. His original 100Ha farm in Gascony, where his farming journey began, was recognised as the most innovative farm in France when awarded the prestigious Lauréat National de l'Agro-Ecologie 2020. He is the first Englishman to be awarded the Chevalier L’Order Merit de Agricole - the equivalent of a knighthood for services to agriculture.

Now on British soil, Andy is on a mission to take what he’s learned and help other farmers adopt his WildFarmed system so they can produce wheat that is not only more tasty and nutritious, but that eats up huge quantities of CO2 and restores soil health and biodiversity.

This was a wide ranging conversation, Andy has lived an extraordinary life and his knowledge, energy and dedication to building a new regenerative and community led food system is incredible - and for me to have a conversation which included raving , house music, the symbiosis of plant and animal relationships, soil health, complexity, human health, climate action and sourdough was an absolute treat.

I hope you enjoy it. Available on all podcast platforms.

Community and Links

An Agricultural Testament - Albert Howard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Agricultural_Testament

The One Straw Revolution - Masanobu Fukuoka
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/976905.The_One_Straw_Revolution
Kiss the ground
https://kisstheground.com/
Groove Armada
https://www.groovearmada.com/
We Are Grow
https://wearegrow.org/

Connect:
www.instagram.com/wildfarmed
https://wildfarmed.co.uk/
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Play out track:
Sasha - Corner shop
https://sasha.bandcamp.com/album/luzoscura

Thanks for listening to The Spaceship Earth Podcast.
Host: Dan Burgess @dansolo__
Edit: Charlie Shread
Shownotes: Vicki Turner
Music: Escape Goat by Soren Lorenson
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