Biodynamic Gardening Club Webinars 2023 – Zoom details
10th October 2022
Biodynamic Activity in the UK – Presentation for the Biodynamic Federation Members Assemby Meeting November 2022
18th November 2022By Soil Sisters: Miche Fabre Lewin and Daphne Lambert
Miche and Daphne have been working together as Soil Sisters for over two decades. Daphne is an eco-nutritionist, founder of Greencuisine Trust, and Visiting Tutor for the Forest Food Garden at the University of Sussex. Miche is an artist-philosopher, co-founder of Studio Fabre Hardy, and
Research Associate with Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience at Coventry University, and Sustainability Institute, Lynedoch, South Africa.
Overview
Soil Sisters’ ecological gastronomy sees the living soil as fundamental in supporting the interconnected health of ecosystems, agroecological farming, cohesive communities and human well-being – what is known as whole health.
The perspective we give here is in response to George Monbiot’s book Regenesis and his disturbing vision of a new future for food and farming. He claims to solve ecological degradation and prevent animal cruelty by stopping livestock farming in order to release land for rewilding, and by manufacturing bio-engineered ‘replicates’ to replace animal proteins and fats.
Soil Sisters offer two interconnected contributions to add to those of others who have presented strong cases against Monbiot’s arguments (Meirs, Langford, Smaje, Young). Firstly, we consider the nutritional and human health implications of eating the laboratory-derived foods he advocates. Secondly, we highlight how mixed farming which combines growing crops and animal husbandry is integral to the genuine regenesis of both agriculture and human culture. Disregarded by the narrative of Regenesis are the life-affirming connections between the health of humans, soil and food, and the vital interdependence between small-scale farming and regenerative cultures. It is these relationships that are the lifeblood of agroecological farming. Soil Sisters acknowledge the challenge of providing health-giving food for increasing populations, notably in urban environments. However, across the globe, rural and urban small-scale initiatives already contribute to viable and ethical models of sustainable food cultures. This is a vibrant food justice movement which integrates traditional knowledge and indigenous wisdoms with science and practice-led research to produce nutritious food from fertile soils that restore whole health.