There seems to be many similarities between those of us who eat, and those of us who produce food.
A growing number of regenerative farmers have grown tired of waiting for any government action on farming, and are part of a farmer-led movement to cut pesticides, protect soil and restore nature, as we report in our Regenerative Farming Special (pages 4-5).
Then there’s the community of ethical eaters and citizens, who we know make up Wicked Leeks’ readership, who desperately want to make the right decision and find the right information, reducing the impact of their diet while enjoying the delights of good quality, seasonal food. We gathered some of your questions on issues ranging from plastic to price, and put them to our pool of expert writers (pages 16-19).
Connecting farmers with consumers has always been a big part of Wicked Leeks, as it’s so often the case that the damage is done when there is too much distance – people can’t make informed choices, farmers aren’t properly reimbursed, and no one is held to account. It’s also why author and farmer James Rebanks ends his column on the future of farming (pages 6-7) with a plea for help to you, the buyers of the food he produces, before it’s too late to save small-scale British farming.
It’s inspiring reading, and not the only voice of leadership we’re featuring in this issue. Asma Khan’s background as a second daughter in India has done much to inspire her championing of marginalised communities (pages 11-15), but it’s the possibility of a progressive world where ethical businesses are the norm – whether that’s flexible working to allow a fairer workplace, or when no bullying goes unchallenged – that drives her forward. That and a strong belief in the transformative power of food, however you come across it.
I guess I have been “softened up” by the weekly newsletters we get with our Riverford deliveries, but reading through this print edition was stimulating, thought-provoking, highly informative – a real treat.
So much nowadays tends to the polemic – here important issues are aired with intelligence and a real attempt to cover diverse viewpoints in a way that helps us move forward.
Thank you so much Guy, Nina and the Riverford gang