Most of the CXC team’s days are spend in front of a computer, on teams calls or reviewing research outputs. It is easy to be caught up in the busyness of the everyday work so our recent away day was an opportunity to see and hear about some of the great work happening on the ground to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.
Our recent team away day offered the opportunity to focus on developing some of our working practices and processes. By stepping away from the office and visiting a local farm business near Edinburgh, we also had a refreshing look at climate-positive action on our doorstep.
We split our day in two – half a day hearing about the farm, followed by a team workshop.
The Free Company takes a regenerative approach to farming, focusing on building soil health and improving biodiversity.
During our tour of the farm we learned about their in-house composting processes, essential for nurturing the market garden where they grow 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
We heard how the farm is recognising the importance of epigenetics in seed adaptation, ensuring crops become more resilient within their local environment over generational use.
We also learned about the “no dig” method used on the farm, which aims to boost soil health, capture carbon and control weeds.
Our visit extended to livestock where discussions on grazing patterns and the resulting benefits for animal health and biodiversity underscored the importance of the ongoing learning and adaptation required for resilience in farming amidst climate change.
The combination of fresh air, learning about practical farming experiences on the ground, and being together as a team in a different setting was the perfect recipe for a productive and enjoyable day. While we could have heard the same information and discussed the same challenges in a meeting room closer to the office, it would definitely not have been as inspirational nor given us the same valuable time together as a team.
And if you are inspired to plan your own day away from the office – plan in an energy-boosting activity after lunch. Ours had just the right level of competition as we zoomed around the farm in pairs photographing every colour of the rainbow.
If you are interested in finding out more about adapting farming practices in response to the changing climate, check out the links below for some recent ClimateXChange publications.
Related publications
Mapping land use support systems and access pathways
Enabling collaborative landscape management
Organic farming, net zero targets and the impact of a changing climate – an evidence review