Discover how Birch Farm builds soil fertility using Indigenous Microorganisms, Effective Microorganisms, polycultures, agroforestry and natural farming methods, with minimal reliance on imported compost and external inputs.

Chalk soils can be free-draining, low in organic matter and prone to drought, but the answer isn't always more fertiliser. Discover how living compost, beneficial microbes and biological lawn care can help build resilient, healthy lawns by improving the soil beneath your feet. 🌱

What happens when a community project stops treating organic matter as waste and starts treating it as a resource? Our latest visit to Ark at Egwood captures the complete before, during and after story of their Bokashi composting system and its impact on soil health.

As UK summers become hotter and more unpredictable, exposed soils and traditional garden designs are beginning to struggle. This article explores how agroforestry, layered planting, bokashi fermentation, and Indigenous Microorganisms (IMOs) can help create cooler, more resilient landscapes that retain moisture, protect biology, and store carbon. Featuring insights from regenerative grower Josh Sparkes of Woolsery Collective — including his powerful observation that “shade will become a premium on farms” — we explore why the future of gardening and farming may lie in living systems, healthy soils, and intelligently managed shade.