Cirencester 'zero dig' project promotes sustainable farming
A new seven-acre market garden is being created in Cirencester.
The Zerodig project aims to boost nature-friendly food production, strength the local economy, and foster community collaboration for sustainable, healthy food.
The garden will grow vegetables using the zero dig method designed by Christopher Upton and Dr Mario Peters.
The technique uses woodchip laid on top of the ground, rather than digging into the soil. It means soil will not be disturbed but will be regenerated by the organic matter on top.
The team aim to grow a diverse range of plants. With a 7.5 acre field leased from the Bathurst Estate, the site plan includes experimental plots of different seed mixes and green manures.
The site is on the doorstep of the Royal Agricultural University. And it is hoped the project will providing students with the opportunity to gain practical experience of small-scale commercial food production.
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Southwest are leading the project and have secured £110,000 of funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
Ed Bond, from FWAG is managing the project, he explained how it will work.
He said: "You overlay the soils with woodchip and compost and that's your growing medium so the soil is left undisturbed. And all the subsoil activity gets a bit of a boost, we're essentially feeding all of the ecosystems under the soil."
Christopher Upton, co-founder of Zerodig, explains the need for regenerative farming.
He said: "If we carry on as we are we'll end up with more animals indoors which will cause issues with the spread of disease. And we will be increasingly eating food that is not very good for us.
"If we can move to regenerative agriculture there will be much more rural employment and there's an opportunity for the rural areas to come back to life."
It is hoped the project will eventually become a commercially viable fruit and vegetable business, supplying produce to the local community.