{"id":36910,"date":"2024-05-13T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dfc340e7-fa3c-475e-b6f6-9166479752f0"},"modified":"2024-05-13T05:39:21","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T03:39:21","slug":"i-can-feel-the-spirituality-of-the-farm-meditating-farmer-embraces-nature-for-land-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/i-can-feel-the-spirituality-of-the-farm-meditating-farmer-embraces-nature-for-land-and-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"“I can feel the spirituality of the farm”. Meditating farmer embraces nature for land and mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Denise Walton meditates every morning and evening. It’s the simplest way to find clarity and help with decision-making for the day ahead, says the regenerative farmer. <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Monday, 13 May 2024 at 03:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Denise Walton owns a farm in Scotland with her husband Chris and son Angus. <\/p>

They bought\u00a0Peelham Farm<\/a>\u00a0in 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.<\/p>

By 2005 they were completely organic, and 10 years later they were certified as a \u2018 Pasture For Life<\/a>\u2019 farm, meaning that their livestock is raised only on grass and pasture.<\/p>

Denise and her family own and run Peelham Farm\u00a0in Berwickshire, Scotland. Credit: WWF<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Adam Henson’s guide to farming lingo<\/a><\/li>
Guide to the farming calendar: a year in the life of a British farmer<\/a><\/li>
How to get into farming<\/a><\/li>
What’s the point of organic farming?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
\u201cAdopting regenerative farming techniques will always have many challenges,” explains Denise, who has a background in ecology, “but the concept of \u2018farming with nature\u2019 has provided a huge amount of hope and positivity in our lives. <\/p>
“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.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>
Denise describes her definition of regenerative agriculture. Credit: WWF<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cRegenerative 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.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>
What inspired Denise to get into regenerative farming? Credit: WWF<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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. <\/p>
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. \u201cIt brings my mind to the peace and healing of my heart,\u201d says Denise.<\/p>
Denise discusses her spiritual connection with the farm; and the farm’s connection with her. Credit: WWF<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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. <\/p>
\u201cHaving had periods of fairly low mental health, regenerative agriculture has been a very powerful tool to improve my mental health,\u201d says Angus.<\/p>
$\"Peelham$
From left: Farmers Chris and Denise Walton with son Angus. Credit: WWF<\/figcaption><\/figure>
More about farming and the land:<\/strong><\/p>
John Craven: This TikTok star is the new joyful face of farming<\/a><\/li>
King Charles III is dumping deer bones and dead trees in rivers. Here’s how it’s saving Scotland\u2019s waterways<\/a><\/li>
John Craven: Could more of Scotland be community owned?<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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