Now in its ninth year, Groundswell has once again been a sell-out event, with close to 8000 visitors passing through the gates of the two-day regenerative agriculture festival which is rooted in aiding farmers and those curious about regenerative agriculture to discover more, and to build relationships with likeminded people.

A group of attending farmers described the speakers as the ‘who’s who’ in the global ‘regen ag’ community, including John Kempf, Joel Williams, Odette Ménard, Josef Holzer and Andy Cato.

Hosted by the Cherry family at Lannock Manor Farm in Hertfordshire on 26 and 27 June, a total of 300 speakers took to the 10 main stages, and event goers joined farm-wide practical demonstrations and walks covering every aspect of agroecological and regenerative farming practices: from mob grazing to hedgerow and dung beetle safaris, truffle hunting and soil water infiltration demonstrations.

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Event director, Alex Cherry said of the event: “As a family, we’ve been on an extraordinary journey. My uncle, John, describes it as constantly surfing the groundswell of ideas that have risen up from a farmer-led revolution. The sense of community is what people seem to love about this event. It’s really heartening for us to be playing a part in the sharing of ideas and practices to help farmers change and develop what they are doing. Some are at the start of their regen journey, while others are here to learn how to tweak and improve what’s already working well. The net gain from this gathering is people doing good things to improve soils, their farm’s natural environment, always with profitability at the heart of farm practice.”

Wildfarmed co-founder Andy Cato gave an honest account of his journey into regenerative farming in conversation with food strategist Henry Dimbleby, author and co-founder of Leon Restaurants. In the evening Andy switched into his better-known role, that of Groove Armada DJ, drawing a huge crowd for a party in the Earthworm Arms bar.

Groundswell’s exhibitors and partners are central to the success of the event. Senior asset manager, Alister Leggatt from headline partner Affinity Water who has been working with the Cherry family for more than seven years shared his reflections: "We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Groundswell for the seventh year. This event is a cornerstone for showcasing sustainable farming practices that align with our commitment to enhancing soil health and protecting water.”

“Looking ahead, we're excited to explore new research and initiatives that further support regenerative practices that can benefit farming, water and the wider environment."

"Groundswell is more than an event—it's a movement towards a more sustainable future. The ongoing trials, initiatives and collaborations, including our own, are paving the way for innovative solutions that will have lasting benefits for our water sources and the agricultural landscape."