Crusty cow pats crunch underfoot as red kites soar above and a sign warns ‘beware of the bull’. The twittering birds, the country air, the ancient oaks sprouting from Somerset’s rolling hills – they wash away the white noise of modern life, calm my nervous system.
That’s the idea of Jamie’s Farm, based on the outskirts of Bath in England. Redefining regenerative agriculture, it nurtures both the planet while producing food, and people – specifically young people who are experiencing mental health challenges.
Blending farming with therapy in a homely setting, the farm-cum-charity immerses young people in agricultural life, entrusting them with gritty jobs that some people would have us believe ‘the snowflake generation’ are not cut out for. Nonsense, says the farm’s co-founder, psychotherapist Tish Feilden.
