Ómós Digest #166: Harvesting Change
Ireland's regenerative food movement + farm map. Written by Cúán Greene.
Hello,
Last week I met a group of farmers with big ambitions to transform Ireland's food system, starting from the soil up. They're leading a revolution by restoring biodiversity and reconnecting communities with healthier, more flavourful food. Discover the future of farming from the North to Ireland’s southernmost point.
I hope you enjoy it,
Cúán and the Ómós team.
The Longest Malin to Mizen
Regenerative farming is revolutionising the way we think about agriculture. In essence, it’s an ancient farming practice that restores soil health, capturing carbon and resulting in increased biodiversity. While conventional farms throughout the planet are experiencing record-breaking levels of crop failure, regenerative farming is experiencing more resilient yields, lower expenditure and high levels of carbon sequestration. Who doesn’t want a bit of that?
But regenerative agriculture doesn't just repair the soil; it creates food that tastes better and is more nourishing. Conventional farming - reliant on synthetic inputs - depletes soil microbiomes, leading to bland and nutritionally poor crops. These deficiencies often result in processed foods being over-reliant on additives and sugars to compensate for the lack of flavour. Regeneratively farmed produce, by contrast, starts with healthy, vibrant soil, which translates to rich, authentic flavours requiring minimal intervention in the kitchen.
Brendan Guinan, a regenerative farmer from Laois, who farms a multitude of livestock and bi-products on his self-planted forestland, embodies this philosophy, seeing it as a community-driven movement: “Regenerative farming is about community, it starts with us and how we support each other.” I reference Brendan, as last week I attended the premiere of The Longest Malin to Mizen, a film which documents his journey from the Northeast of Ireland down to its Southern tip via bicycle. It's a well-known route in Ireland spanning over 1200km with scenic views of the Wild Atlantic Way. However, for Brendan and his soil-centric comrades (of which there were 7 plus crew), their route was dictated by the regenerative farms they would find refuge in each evening. Told through those who cultivate the land, this journey sheds light on how these practices can heal the land and reconnect communities. Most noteworthy was the emphasis placed on the nutrient-dense potential of regenerative farming practices and the impact on human health and culinary significance.
As the lights dimmed, the title faded into the background and the documentary began, I momentarily sat with Brendan's statement, digesting its significance. So little of what we do can be done alone with any great impact. To fully realise the potential of any decision, belief or desire, we need the support and help of others. If our goal is to make positive change, in this case, to regenerate soil matter, introduce more nutrition, drive happiness and ultimately change how we cultivate the most precious commodity on our planet i.e. food, well then, we need to act as a community with an impulse to improve the wellbeing of our communities.
