Denise Walton owns a farm in Scotland with her husband Chris and son Angus.
They bought Peelham Farm in 1989. Back then it was a smallholding conventional mixed farm, but over the years the family have gradually transitioned to adopting regenerative principles, focusing on enhancing soil health and abstaining from chemical pesticides to improve biodiversity on the farm and soften the impacts of climate change.
By 2005 they were completely organic, and 10 years later they were certified as a ‘Pasture For Life’ farm, meaning that their livestock is raised only on grass and pasture.
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“Adopting regenerative farming techniques will always have many challenges," explains Denise, who has a background in ecology, "but the concept of ‘farming with nature’ has provided a huge amount of hope and positivity in our lives.
"This has been due to the often unexpected and counter-intuitive responses of wildlife and farm productivity, such as improvements in grassland plant biodiversity with increased productivity.”
“Regenerative agriculture is so much more than the physical regenerating of farming, but also allows for a regenerative mindset and allows the social and environmental impact of farming to be a very positive thing for now and future generations.”
Every morning and evening, Denise dedicates time to meditation on her farm. She considers this practice the simplest way to find clarity and help with decision-making for the upcoming day.
Engaging in this ritual allows her to fully connect with the land, immersing herself in its sounds, scents and touch. She can hear, breathe in and smell the land. “It brings my mind to the peace and healing of my heart,” says Denise.
Much like Denise, Angus, her son, has also felt the benefits of agroecological principles on his mental wellbeing. He has found solace in regenerative farming, especially during periods of depression in his life.
“Having had periods of fairly low mental health, regenerative agriculture has been a very powerful tool to improve my mental health,” says Angus.
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