Learning

Urban living is now the norm in the UK - 90% us now live in towns or cities.This is a relatively recent phenomonon, and one consequence of this population shift is that many of us have lost the connections to the land and soil on which our food is produced that our forebears would have taken for granted. We’ve switched from being a nation of food producers to a nation of consumers. 

So it's no surprise then that most of the food we eat in this country is produced with energy greedy fertilisers and pesticides - production methods that won't be sustainable when faced with the threats of climate change and peak oil. 

The Soil Association is dedicated to rebuilding food production on a more sustainable, resilient basis. But this won't happen without community and individual action. Buying local and organic is a way to support less energy intensive agriculture, but we can all go further and start to reconnect more fully with our food and environment by growing our own vegetables or keeping our own chickens.  

The Soil Association is helping to teach people the skills to support this action. Our Organic Farm School initiative offers individuals the chance to learn from master organic growers and producers, while our apprenticeship scheme provides a chance for individuals to learn farm-scale skills. We also provide a host of support to schools through the Food for Life Partnership in order to rebuild food communities from the bottom up.