BLOG: “Six inches of soil feeds eight billion people”

Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth played host to a packed house for the screening of the thought-provoking film "Six Inches of Soil", hosted by Woodoaks Farm with the support of Three Rivers District Council and Sustainable Three Rivers

A panel of local experts, including the producer of the film, took questions from the audience and debated the possibilities, and barriers when it come to improving our soil in front of more than 240 residents on Tuesday evening at Watersmeet Theatre.

The documentary screened, 6 Inches of Soil, showcasing the inspiring stories of British farmers standing up against the industrial food system to transform the way they produce food, heal the soil, benefit health, and provide for local communities.

A panel of local experts took questions from the audience and debated the possibilities, and barriers when it comes to improving our soil. The panel was made up of Claire Mackenzie, Documentary Producer of Six Inches of Soil, Rose Lewis, Senior Program Manager for the Soil Association at Woodoaks Farm, Flo Garvey, who leads Sarratt Community Garden and the compost club at Woodoaks Farm. Flo runs a drop-in session to teach people all about turning their food and garden waste into nutrient rich compost.

And they were joined by Johnathan Chapman, a local farmer who runs Native Beef and grazes his cows on some of the council’s land as well as other green spaces in the area and is regenerative and animal welfare certified.

The panel addressed the challenges farmers face when transitioning from a traditional farming system to a regenerative one, from both technical and financial perspectives. It was clear that the audience was deeply moved, as they showed genuine concern for the source of their food and how everyone can contribute to improving soils - whether in our own gardens or through the food choices we make.

The energy and enthusiasm in the room was wonderful and it was great for so many liked minded people to come together. This film really made me consider my food choices, and how important soils are in storing carbon and what a huge impact soils could play in solving the climate emergency. I encourage everyone to think about where your food comes from, reduce your food waste, and buy local produce where possible that has been grown in a more sustainable way. If you are a farmer or landowner yourself, I encourage you to look into regenerative farming practices and see what you can begin to implement on your own land.

The event was held in the build up to the twenty-ninth UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29), which took place in Baku from 11 to 22 November.

You can watch the documentary online: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/

To find out more about how Three Rivers is tackling the climate emergency, see this page.