A Farm For The Future

BBC Natural World (2008-2009: Episode 14 of 16) Duration: 50 minutes

Wildlife film maker Rebecca Hosking investigates how to transform her family's farm in Devon into a low energy farm for the future, and discovers that nature holds the key. With her father close to retirement, Rebecca returns to her family's wildlife-friendly farm in Devon, to become the next generation to farm the land. But last year's high fuel prices were a wake-up call for Rebecca. Realising that all food production in the UK is completely dependent on abundant cheap fossil fuel, particularly oil, she sets out to discover just how secure this oil supply is. Alarmed by the answers, she explores ways of farming without using fossil fuel. With the help of pioneering farmers and growers, Rebecca learns that it is actually nature that holds the key to farming in a low-energy future.

What I like about this episode is not so much the twee, Vaughan Williams 'quintessentially English' flavour, although it is good to see how permaculture ideas can be moulded to a traditional temperate grassland system. I am more impressed at how it logically conveys the intimate level of integration which is possible when small scale, low tech, mixed agriculture design is employed. It makes sense on every level [Video removed by Youtube but available here].

By South Utsire