Rachel Carson, Science and Biodynamics
About this event
St Anthony’s Trust invites you to a celebration of Silent Spring 60 years, honouring the legacies of Rachel Carson and the biodynamic farmers who informed the writing of her groundbreaking book, creating awareness of the dangers of pesticides and inspiring the modern environmental movement.
Talks, workshops and exhibitions will explore the significance of Rachel Carson’s enduring work in connection with biodynamic agriculture and the future of UK food and farming. Biodynamic farmer Marina O’Connell will launch her book Designing Regenerative Food Systems. There will be guided walks through biodynamic botanical gardens and nearby community farms in the beautiful Sussex countryside.
9.30am Start (registration opens at 9.00am)
Full programme below.
5.30pm End of programme
5.30pm Farm walks, 5.30-7.00pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/silent-spring-the-future-of-food-and-farming-tickets-381144111297
A St Anthony’s Trust and Living Earth Conversations event
St Anthony’s Trust is guardian of the Rachel Carson Centre at Emerson College, and Tablehurst and Plaw Hatch Community Farms in Forest Row
https://emerson.org.uk/our-venue/explore-our-campus/
This event is by invitation. For further information contact Sarri Tapales info@livingsystems.uk
Celebrating 60 Years of Silent Spring
Silent Spring — The Future of Food and Farming
Rachel Carson, Biology and Biodynamics
Programme
23 September 2022, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, with farm walks at 5.30 pm.
Emerson College, Forest Row
AM (Foundation Room)
9.30: WELCOME
Sarri Tapales and Simon Blaxland de Lange
9.50: OPENING REMARKS
Rachel Carson, biodynamics and the future of food and farming
–Neil Ravenscroft, Professor, International Agricultural University
10.10: TRIBUTE
Who is Rachel Carson?
And the biodynamic farmers who informed the writing of Silent Spring
–Sarri Tapales and ecologists, Schumacher College
CONVERSATIONS IN THE ROUND
Sarri Tapales and Martin Large, facilitators
with
Peter Brown (Tablehurst Farm), Josie Cohen (Pesticide Action Network), Berni Courts (Ruskin Mill Trust), Kirsten Hartvig (Healing Gardens), Gabriel Kaye (Biodynamic Association), Sarah Langford (farmer and author Rooted), Marina O’Connell (farmer and author Designing Regenerative Food Systems), Neil Ravenscroft (International Agricultural University), biodynamic and regenerative farmers and growers, Sussex and UK food practitioners
- The writing of Silent Spring and the influence of biodynamic
- The message of Silent Spring for UK food and farming today
- Challenges facing food and farming in post-Brexit UK
Music inspired by Nature
11.00: Tea at Pixton
11.20: INTRO TO RACHEL CARSON CENTRE PROJECT
The Biodynamic Botanical Gardens at Emerson
–Kirsten Hartvig Healing Gardens
11.30: BOOKLAUNCH
Designing Regenerative Food Systems and why we need them now
Marina O’Connell, The Apricot Centre at Huxhams Cross Farm
Martin Large, Hawthorn Press
–Marina and Martin introduce the book followed by Q&A
PM
All walk to Rachel Carson Centre for book signing
12.10: Rachel Carson Centre
Celebration at Rachel Carson Centre
— St Anthony’s trustees
A brief history of the Rachel Carson Centre and the work of St Anthony’s Trust by trustee Brian Swain, with founder Bob Wills, unveiling the newly installed plaque by special guest, Camilla Fayed, Farmacy Restaurant.
Welcome everyone into the building
12.25: (Lobby)
Videos of Rachel Carson interviews
Book signing by Marina O’Connell, Designing Regenerative Food Systems
(Healing Garden room)
Exhibition – Encountering Rachel Carson’s work
Books by Rachel Carson, in a nature display, browsing copies available for guests, resource persons to answer questions about her work
(Green room)
Exhibition – Encountering Biodynamic Agriculture
Exhibition, books (BDA, Ruskin Mill Trust), information desks – resource persons to answer queries about Biodynamics
Biodynamic Association, Ruskin Mill, Tablehurst and Plaw Hatch Farm Co-op
12.45: Lunch at Pixton
1.30: Guided walks
GROUP A: Biodynamic Botanical Gardens led by Kirsten Hartvig, Healing Gardens (15 places)
GROUP B: Emerson gardens led by Chris Stott, Emerson College gardener (15)
GROUP C: Emerson gardens led by Katherine Beaven, St Anthony’s trustee (15)
GROUP D: Exploring food quality through Goethean observation (see Workshops) (10)
2.30: Workshops
GROUP E: Biodynamics, an ecology of care (20 places) tbc. (Green room, Rachel Carson Centre)
GROUP F: Exploring food quality through Goethean observation (10 places, second group)(Garden and Lobby, Rachel Carson Centre)
Berni Courts, Ruskin Mill Trust
- Nature observation exercises, attuning the senses
- Tasting, observing the quality of food produced conventionally, organically, biodynamically
GROUP G: (Foundation Room)
Food resilience mapping workshop (15 places)
Martin Large, Biodynamic Land Trust founder
Sarri Tapales, food ecosystems researcher
- How do we secure the right to food and health for Sussex?
- How do we shape regenerative food systems for Sussex?
- Exploring holistic trisectoral approaches in biodynamic farms and CSA models
- Commoning approaches towards food, community and ecological resilience
GROUP H: (Gardens)
Biodynamic Botanical Gardens, led by Kirsten Hartvig (15 places, second group)
3.30: Tea at Pixton
3.50: Foundation Room
IN CONVERSATION
Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution
by Sarah Langford, lawyer, regenerative farmer and author
–Sarah introduces book followed by Q&A
4.30: Music inspired by Nature
Lighting a candle to Rachel Carson, Marjorie Spock, Mary Richards, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer
Silent Spring book display, centre of room
Leading thoughts from Rachel Carson
CONVERSATIONS IN THE ROUND
Sarri Tapales and Martin Large, facilitators
with
Peter Brown (Tablehurst Farm), Josie Cohen (Pesticide Action Network), Berni Courts (Ruskin Mill Trust), Camilla Fayed (Farmacy Restaurant), Gabriel Kaye (Biodynamic Association), Sarah Langford (farmer and author), Marina O’Connell (farmer and author), Neil Ravenscroft (International Agricultural University), biodynamic and regenerative farmers and growers, Sussex and UK food practitioners
- Harvesting the day
- The questions we should be asking for the future of food
- Community call to action –taking action now, as individuals and communities
5.20: Closing and thanks
Book signing by Sarah Langford, Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution
5.30: Guided farm walks (optional)
GROUP A: Tablehurst legacy farm walk with Peter Brown (15 places)
GROUP B: Tablehurst legacy farm walk with Neil Ravenscroft (15)
GROUP C: Plaw Hatch farm walks with Gala /Rebecca? (15) tbc