Vitamin B12 and the Holobiont
Vitamin B12 is usually treated as a footnote — a line in a vet’s handbook, a supplement on a shelf, or a number that barely registers on a soil test. But when you follow it properly, it becomes something else entirely: a thread that runs from soil chemistry through...
Triage: Sifting for gold in the torrent of Information
Information Triage: Making Sense of Complexity At Mindrum, we’re surrounded by information — from soil tests and grazing records to field observations, weather data, research papers, and the quiet signals that come from simply walking the ground. Some of it is urgent,...
Many ways of knowing … Harnessing the system
“Many Ways of Knowing” – The Mindrum Knowledge Ecosystem Farming is often described in terms of inputs and outputs, or science and economics. But in practice, farming — particularly regenerative farming — is about how we make decisions and deliver effects on, in and...
The story of The Earth, The World, and two ways of knowing
At Mindrum we have always valued good management information and the research that generates it. We spend a lot of time, resource and effort on it. It drives our daily decision making and as a result, we are tuned to the fact that our information picture is...
We Happy few
Last week, Some hardy souls from the RBST (Rare Breeds Survival Trust) travelled north and south to Chatton in North Northumberland for the AGM — and on to visit the legendary Chillingham Wild Cattle. It was one of those days that remind you what all the governance,...
What if Agroforestry isn’t Just about Trees?
When we talk about agroforestry, the conversation often begins with trees: what species, where to plant them, how wide to space the rows. It’s an understandable place to start, but I sometimes wonder whether that focus risks missing the point a little. What if...
Seeing The bigger picture: Regeneration, Perception, and the Invisible Corridors of Life
This morning I found myself on a hillside, trying to make sense of life, the universe, and everything (with apologies to Douglas Adams!). The answer wasn’t 42 — but a few thoughts did land and I thought I would share them! Seeing the Bigger Picture Regenerative...
Why it’s critical for farm businesses to understand the seat of their productive power
British agriculture is operating in a period of deep uncertainty—shifting government schemes, unstable markets, unpredictable weather and social pressures are reshaping what it means to run a productive farm. At Mindrum, we’ve found that responding to these challenges...
Are you about to inadvertently become an environmental criminal?
Trying to plan the next ten years of farming when you can’t even renew a composting exemption feels a bit like preparing to climb Everest but getting stuck in the car park at Gatwick. But such is the joy of land management in modern Britain: part ecology, part...
A Regenerative Farming Mindset, Harnessing the productive power of the ecosystem.
As humans, we often see ourselves as separate from the world in which we live. I'm thinking that this perception of isolation is both misleading and dangerous. Ironically, I wonder whether we are inadvertently making life harder for ourselves and the world in which we...
