Guest blog from alliance member and farmer, Heather Gorringe... Herefordshire has been chosen as the pilot county for an exciting new regenerative farming programme supported by the Royal Countryside Fund, working with Herefordshire Rural Hub and the Regenified certification scheme – and that is something our whole county can be proud of.
Regenified was founded by Gabe Brown, widely regarded as the godfather of regenerative agriculture and author of Dirt to Soil. His work has inspired farmers around the world to rebuild soil, restore nature and create profitable, resilient farming systems based on biology rather than heavy inputs.
The programme is built around the six principles of regenerative farming:
- Keep the soil covered – think of it as a duvet for the biology, not leaving it naked to the elements
- Keep living roots in the ground – a constant food supply for the underground workforce
- Minimise disturbance – stop ripping the house apart if all you need to do is tidy the room
- Increase plant diversity – a mixed crowd keeps the system healthier and the bullies in check
- Integrate livestock – when managed properly, they’re skilled recyclers, not environmental villains
- Farm to local context – because Herefordshire mud, hills and rainfall play by different rules to anywhere else
Together, these principles are about one big thing: resilience.
Resilient soils that hold water in a drought and drain in a deluge.
Resilient crops that cope better with stress.
Resilient businesses that rely less on expensive inputs and more on biology.
And resilient farmers who can face another “interesting” season without needing to lie down in a dark room.
Herefordshire already has leaders showing what’s possible. One outstanding example is John Joseph, who farms with his wife Julia at Trecorras Farm. John has been quietly and consistently pushing regenerative practice forward for over a decade, and in 2025 his work was recognised nationally when he was awarded the prestigious SOIL Farmer of the Year at Groundswell.
Our own farm, Lower Blakemere, is very much starting out on the journey. We’re not pretending to be top of the class – more like keen students who sometimes forget their homework but are learning fast. As a Duchy farm taking part in this pilot, we’re proud to be part of a group of Herefordshire farmers proving that resilience can be built from the soil up.
You can follow our progress, warts, worms and all, at:
www.lowerblakemerefarm.co.uk
Want to help support this movement?
You don’t need to own a tractor to be part of regenerative farming’s future.
- Buy direct from farmers– farm shops, box schemes, local butchers, veg growers and markets keep value in the county and reward good practice
- Champion what farming can do for carbon – healthy soils are one of the biggest carbon sinks we have. Regenerative farming builds carbon in the ground, where it belongs.
- Question the “cows are the climate villains” narrative – in regenerative systems, grazing animals are part of the carbon cycle, not the problem. Well-managed grassland with ruminants can sequester more carbon than the animals emit, while building soil, biodiversity and food security. It’s not “the cow”, it’s the how.
- Visit farms and ask questions – open days, walks, talks and school visits reconnect people with how food is really produced.
- Choose nutrient-dense food – food grown in living soils contains more minerals, better protein and real flavour. Healthy soil = healthy plants = healthy animals = healthy people.
For the people of Herefordshire, this pilot matters. It shows that our county is helping to lead the way in farming that restores soil, cleans up rivers, brings back wildlife, produces genuinely nutritious food – and builds the resilience our countryside will need for whatever the future throws at it.
Heather Gorringe