Mindset and Change with Silas Hedley-Lawrence

Where: Sherborne Social Club GL54 3DH / Sandy Hill Farm, Sherborne, Gloucs, GL54 3DH

When: Wednesday 20th November, 10:00 to 16:00

Host: Silas Hedley-Lawrence / Matt and Laura Elliott

Outline of the day

10:00 - 13:00 Mindset workshop at Sherborne Social Club with Silas Hedley-Lawrence

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch will be provided (please inform us of any dietary requirements)

14:00 - 16:00 Farm walk at Sandy Hill Farm with Matt and Laura Elliott

Mindset and Change workshop

Silas Hedley – Lawrence is a regenerative farmer, coach & consultant with a decade of experience in regenerative agriculture. Formerly farm manager at FAI Farms, and beginning farming back in New Zealand through his family dairy farm and kiwi fruit orchards, he helps farmers create resilient, low-input systems that capture carbon, improve water cycles, increase biodiversity, and enhance soil health by working with nature. To learn more check out https://www.grassfedfarmer.com/

Mindset & change is a concept often highlighted in transitioning to regenerative agriculture. It often has an impact on our work life balance, our money story, our relationships and the story we tell ourselves as to why we can or cannot do something.

This session will explore:

• What do we mean by mindset & how can we change it?
• How to identify what is holding us or our system back?
• Embracing change / trigger points
• How to take that first step
• What to prioritise first
• How and where best to invest limited funds
• Weeds vs Mindset
• Working with nature to build a renewable system not an exploitative one

About Sandy Hill Farm

Matt and Laura Elliott are farming 190 acres at Sandy Hill Farm on the National Trusts’ ‘Sherborne and Lodge Park’ estate. Farming on a mix of Cotswold brash with well drained calcareous, sandy soils with 60 acres of herbal leys and 130 acres of permanent pasture on loamy, clayey soils, large parts of which are historic parkland.

Trading as The Sandy Hill Mob Matt and Laura direct sell beef, biltong, honey and eggs from pastured hens to local consumers.

The herd of 60+ pedigree Hereford cattle (20 cows plus followers) are kept in a family group as much as possible and kept outside all year round - mob-grazed during the growing season and bale-grazed + deferred grazing in the winter. All stock is 100% grass fed (Pasture For Life certified), finished on farm and sold directly via a beef box scheme and farmers market. Cattle are finished all year round to maintain a supply for the direct sales – finished between 24 and 36 months of age with carcasses weighing between 300 to 360kg DW.

The farm is currently in Higher Level Stewardship and considering where to go next – possibly exploring options available via Countryside Stewardship or the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

The management of the cattle is aimed at creating a low cost, low input system with multiple output benefits in terms of profit, biodiversity, soil health, producing nutritious healthy food and growing healthy low maintenance cattle.

This visit is part of the Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes programme, a new FiPL-funded project in the Cotswolds, Chilterns and North Wessex Downs. The project links farmers with other farmers to learn how to make more of their grazing, and how to reduce inputs to make livestock businesses more profitable.

1. Specially selected informative farm walks with a variety of experts
2. Farmer-led programme of events
3. Mentoring scheme with one-to-one advice from a trained farmer and mentor
4. Membership of Pasture For Life and access to its active community
5. All at no cost to the participant (the programme is funded by the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme across the three National Landscapes: Cotswolds, Chilterns, North Wessex Downs)

More about the programme of events or if you'd like to take part, contact us via email: [email protected] or phone: 07398 745238

Host or Publisher Pasture for Life