A year in Devon, farming in Ghana, a manifesto, podcasts
Hello.
We moved to Devon one year ago. We still haven't settled in our long-term home, but we're working on it; meanwhile there's always more of Dartmoor to explore, and we've been discovering good things in Plymouth, not least the Persian food at Toot and the vegan Scotch egg at Cosmic Kitchen. Led by my stomach? Guilty.
I've been talking recently with Ashanti Development who are keen to support a move towards more sustainable farming practices in the communities they work with in the Ashanti region of Ghana. This gave me a good excuse to catch up with farming mentor Stephen Briggs, who has several years of experience of farming in sub-Saharan Africa.
I shared a loose roadmap to support Ashanti Development's team on the ground and manage expectations; baseline, understand drivers for change from the farmers themselves, seek lessons from farmers in the region currently farming more sustainably, tests and trials. They have improved the situation for over 40 farms already by providing microcredit and technical support, so a cautious approach was advised, to find ways to reduce use of artificial inputs while not undermining the success they've achieved so far.
Reply if you'd like to chat about the report.
It has been a big week for announcements on landscape and nature recovery. 34 successful projects have been announced in the second round of Landscape Recovery, while tools and guides have been published by Defra to support statutory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) due in January. Draft secondary legislation is also out to support BNG delivery.
A conversation worth a listen on landscape-scale regeneration: this episode of the brilliant Farmerama podcast recorded at Groundswell in June focusses on an initiative in Waterford, Ireland, working across the region to drive meaningful change. Part of this work was bringing together 35 citizens to co-create the Waterford Food Manifesto. The manifesto is included in the Farmerama podcast but also here on YouTube. If you click one link from this newsletter, make it this one. It's incredibly powerful.
Last week I wished a happy Thanksgiving to an accidental penpal in Etna, New Hampshire. In early 2018, I received an email by mistake from the organiser of a potluck in Etna's community centre. I replied - sorry, I think you emailed me by mistake but enjoy your potluck. Correspondence has continued since, more than anything because they keep forgetting to take me off their mailing list. There was a minor drama when a goose escaped and the residents of Etna were asked to keep an eye out (the goose was fine).
As COP28 kicks off in Dubai, FT columnist Pilita Clark observes that "the way humans have chosen to save themselves from climate change is unhinged" (paywall). A fascinating account of the challenges to be tackled at the latest COP, starting with just how unweildy the whole process is.
We've cancelled all of our paid streaming subscriptions except for Apple TV+. No Spotify Unwrapped this year for me then, but Pocket Casts surprised me with my podcasts of the year, including:
The Rest is Politics (and sister podcast Leading)
The government just published guidance on what to do in a radiation emergency. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.
More links for the Good File:
The incredible power of nature to transform our memory, imagination and logic
I'm not a big Wetherspoons fan, but this is a good story on paying it forward
Gorgeousness (and maybe your next desktop wallpaper) in the Natural Landscape Photography Awards (via Matt's Web Curios)
Infectiously happy and energetic crowds enjoying drum and bass are my new work soundtrack: Charlie Tee's set from DnB Allstars 360° and any of Dom Whiting's brilliant Drum & Bass on the Bike events. If you could bottle that energy...
The trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa is out and pulsating, with drums straight out of AC/DC's Thunderstruck
Social media's over, so find a blog to read
Streaming radio choice: Kingston Green Radio
All the best,
Nathan