Wednesday, July 17th, was far from my typical office afternoon, especially since I usually work from home. That day, I found myself in a field discussing farming, dressed in what I consider smart attire—a flamingo short-sleeved shirt and jeans—amidst cow pats, pony poo, and pig poops.
Why was I there?
As you may know, Gibe Digital Ltd is now a B Corp business. We were invited to an event organized by Andy from Business on Purpose, the same person who guided us brilliantly through our B Corp application journey.
The event, called "Purpose Fest," is a semi-regular gathering designed to bring together new, aspiring, and established B Corps, fostering a sense of community. And what a wonderfully diverse community it is! I networked with ethical email companies, sustainability experts, car sales people, and even ice cream makers.
The event took place at the Belmont Estate, not in a drab meeting space. The purpose was to share ideas with like-minded individuals in an incredible setting. Belmont's philosophy focuses on reconnecting with nature through restoration, education, and community. While much of the estate is listed and can't undergo experimental changes, they have purchased a nearby farm, Watercress Farm, where they practice rewilding, rewetting, and regenerative agriculture.
Working with nature isn't new; it was the standard until the end of World War II. Farms used to have a mix of animals and crops, wild areas, streams, and kitchen gardens, working with nature rather than against it. They didn't rely on the industrial levels of chemicals and intensive land use that became common in the 1950s.
Our current farming methods are unsustainable. Belmont demonstrates that alternative, often traditional, methods can be more sustainable and effective. This mirrors how businesses should treat their workers. Overworking without rest leads to failure, but taking care of people and the planet ensures sustainability.
Walking through fields of cows, ponies, and pigs, seeing their innovative approaches to managing their animals, hedges, water management, and land management, was a brilliant experience. It also felt relevant—farming and web development may seem worlds apart, but reconnecting with nature, understanding our role in a cyclical system, and fostering education and connection are universally important.
As web developers and inhabitants of this planet, we can make today better than yesterday and ensure a fantastic tomorrow. If we don't, the consequences will affect all of us, not just future generations, it’s happening now. We have a responsibility as individuals and businesses to find ways to improve everything.
Gibe Digital is already reducing it’s impact planting trees and funding projects, we’ve become a B Corp and are educating our team, and looking to hopefully inspire our clients, and make positive changes by selecting like-minded suppliers. Ideally we’ll be able to attract more like-minded clients, perhaps those working directly in the environmental and social responsibility space or those who’ve gone or aspire to transition to do better. We hope eventually everyone will think the same; and those who treat people and planet badly are the minority.
About hedges:
An example of the many things we were told about on our walking tour is that hedges are not hedges. We often think of hedges as neat, natural fences. While they do provide essential wildlife corridors and are better than wire fences, a hedge is essentially manicured scrubland. Natural scrubland offers habitats for smaller wildlife and plants, acts as a barrier for larger animals, slows water, manages flooding, protects sapling trees, and captures carbon. Scrub left alone can go from a bush, to a thicket to a forest, providing essential habitats for many species. However, manicured farms cover 70% of Britain, leaving little natural scrubland, or meadows, etc.
Belmont lets nature take its course. Their hedges will no longer be manicured, becoming organic havens for pollinators, predatory insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. This natural approach negates the need for harmful chemicals, benefiting the environment and reducing costs.
Interestingly, they use modern technology to manage animals without traditional fences. Collars linked to satellites allow virtual fencing, emitting an uncomfortable noise or a light shock if animals try to cross the boundaries. This system works very effectively and shows how modern tech can enhance what our ancestors knew for millenia. Science, creativity, will can shift us away from unsustainable farming methods but most impotranlty in our society - it can be commercially viable - and Watercress farm is demonstrating this most admirably. In fact working with nature is proving it can outcompete the post 1950s mono-culture obsessed, biodiversity absent, chemical and fossil fueled monstrosity that is sadly the current norm of where we get most of our food from - if it can make more money it’s madness that everyone isn’t doing it yet - but of course that’s going to take evidence, time and education.
Belmont's approach, blending old and new methods, is just one example of innovative practices. If you're intrigued, consider visiting Belmont or similar forward-thinking businesses.
And, of course, consider what radical steps we can take to benefit both people and the planet.
One final thought - as we were told on the farm; education is the most powerful tool. There is only so much you can do as one person, but if you can help educate the world together we can do anything - even restore our planet within a generation.
