Starting Points.

In the end of March, I traveled to the UK for the full team meeting of a regenerative dairy project we as @landregeneration are involved in. 26 farmers from 5 different European countries, the local regenerative coaches – like me – and the project team from the dairy cooperative.

We gathered inspiration through farm visits and conversations, brought together insights from the passed year, and challenged each other for the way forward.

With the initial farm visits on day one, the whole bandwidth of starting points on these individual journeys opened up. Neil’s farm with 1.800 dairy cows, fully in-house, all processes running efficiently. And then Tom and Sophie‘s operation, fully grazing, low input, microscope on the table in their office-kitchen.

Contrasts. Contexts. Colors on a spectrum. Followed by many discussions, working groups, and focus projects for this year.

What stayed with me the most was a conversation with Neil.

„Have you noticed? Not everyone showed up for my farm visit. Why? I can feel people judging. ‚What is he doing here?‘ But that brings me nowhere. How should I even get started when already everyone doesn’t really want to talk or work with me?“

What we don’t need is righteousness. Or sides to choose from.

How can we stay open and not take any (political) side in this transition towards a regenerative management? How can we challenge each other to co-create a journey forward? Without any bullshit. Or only the literal one.

How can we show that we don’t even need to choose a side when we are all managing and making decisions within a shared holistic context?

As always, more questions than answers. More beautiful questions.