Our Wild Farming Life book – Sustainable Market Farming

A 200-year-old Norwegian Farm; and an ancient fertilizer returns to use.

A 200 Year Old Norwegian Farm

Here’s a lovely video I found in the newsletter from Lynbreck Croft, in the highlands of Scotland.

Sandra says:

“This month’s recommendation points to a short film rather than a book. It portrays the life of Helene, a farmer who cares for her land on the west coast of Norway.

To me this story represents all that is good in this world. A deep sense of connection and rootedness to the land, a love for traditional skills and creation of things that are both useful and beautiful, an appreciation for natural materials, the respectful interaction with animals, the care of one’s belongings ensuring their longevity, supporting people in finding their place in the natural environment…

Among many others, one of the messages that really stuck was that the effort of each and one of us to make a difference in this world matters. It has value, irrespective of how seemingly small it might seem in the moment and that is such an encouraging thought to carry along through life.”

24 Hours on a 200 Year Old Norwegian Farm (a video everyone should watch)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6QkaMpVHcg

This is Helene Olli. I just want to add, that the people Hunter call[s] “farm hands” is [are] WWOOFers and other volunteers. I have been a host for WWOOF Norway since 2015. I have had so much help from fantastic people from around the world th[ese] summers, also some winters. I really, really want to give them credit for helping me [with] building the farm, and also running it. My policy is this: if you stay in Gripen, helping with the farm, it gets a little bit yours. I have a lot of returning volunteers, and I feel I have a much bigger family because of this. I am so happy and thankful that they want to stay and contribute. I wish that could have been more visible in the video, but I am saying it now. I am so blessed, having so much good people around!

LynBreck COURSES – Limited availability left for 2026

Lynbreck BOOK. Our Wild Farming Life: Adventures on a Scottish Highland Croft. I have reviewed their book Our Wild Farming Life.

Or you can sign up to be on the mailing list for their newsletter.

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Aurin Fertilizer: an ancient fertilizer returns to use

On a completely different topic, linked to the one above by the desire and practice of living lightly on the earth, here is information about Aurin, a fertilizer from VunaNexus, that is approved for use in France and Switzerland. Not available in the US, so you’ll have to make your own. I wrote about urine fertilizer Here.

The VunaNexus company say they are recovering minerals, similarly to what is commonly done to recover minerals from used electronics. They supply urine-diverting toilets which send the urine (without diluting it with water) into a small treatment plant in the basement of the building. The treatment plant first removes pollutants such as antibiotics, hormones, and drug residues, then concentrates the nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus while pasteurizing the liquid at 90C (194F) to kill potential viruses and other pathogens. Pure water is distilled out of the liquid and returned to the flushing system. This leaves Aurin, the liquid fertilizer, sold in 0.5 L (1 quart) recyclable PET bottles, as well as 5 L (1.3 US gallons), and 10L (2.6 US gallons) jerricans.

Their urine-diverting toilets are used by the European Space Agency in Paris and the fertilizer is being tested by city authorities in Paris, Lausanne and Zurich. Any lingering prejudice that this is just a hippy idea is fading fast in these days of fertilizer supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The UN says 45 million people are at risk of acute hunger because the conflicts in the Middle East have increased fertilizer prices. We don’t need petroleum-based fertilizers as long as we have urine!

The chief executive of VunaNexus says that if we recycle all the human urine in Europe, we could provide 30% of the nitrogen needs of their farms, provide a more sustainable option to water treatment systems, and reduce the environmental impact of petroleum fertilizers.

Aurin in large-scale agricultural use. Photo VunaNexus

The original idea came from a research project over 10 years ago in South Africa. I read about this company in the Guardian of 12 June 2026 in an article by Chloe Farand

Here’s a late addition from Harvest to Table by Stephen Albert.

He has just reorganized his writings on the topic of Surviving the Summer Heat—Your Complete Guide to Gardening Through Heat Waves

in a special edition of his Substack

This post has lots of helpful tips on heat stress, watering, shade, mulch, pollination, and helping plants recover from heatwaves.

Tree Leaves as Fodder and Hay

I follow the news from Sandra and Lynn at Lynbreck Croft in the Cairngorms National Park of Scotland. They have been guardians of that 150 acres since 2016, restoring the degraded landscape. They grow vegetables, raise long-haired Highland cattle, native rare-breed pigs, honeybees and egg-laying hens. They butcher their own livestock, sell food super-locally, teach courses on the croft, and provide tours by arrangement. They have planted nearly 30,000 trees and installed fencing to keep the land in good heart.

I have reviewed their book Our Wild Farming Life.

Cover image of Our Wild Farming LIfe book.Chelsea Green Publishers

They are members of the UK Agricology Tree Fodder Hub, a group promoting using shrubs and trees as supplementary livestock feed. This was once an important component of animal husbandry, either browsed fresh or harvested and fed dried (“tree hay”) in winter. There is an increasing interest in this practice as it is sustainable, perennial, no-till, and answers a need for those farming in regions with short summers wanting a low-input system that maintains animal health and welfare.

Trees in the animals’ landscape provide not just browse but also shade and shelter. The animals are able to select the varieties and species best suited to their nutritional and medicinal needs and personal preferences.

The Hub includes research into usefulness of various trees, their role in moderating climate change impacts; building soil health; sustaining insect, amphibian, reptile, fungal and bird life; and a link to TreeFEED: Trees for Forage: Short term plantings to enhance livestock production, health and resilience. (Trials of the TreeFEED project carried out in Cornwall by Farm Carbon Toolkit.)Cattle browsing for feed.

Agricology’s Tree Fodder Technical Guide incorporates in its 36 pages a wide range of research and farmer stories, videos, blogs, offering opportunities to learn from other farmers, explore different approaches and pick up practical suggestions.

“Findings & recommendations

Tree fodder provides supplementary nutrition, minerals, and medicinal compounds, supporting livestock health and resilience, especially during dry seasons or winter months.
Domesticated animals naturally browse on trees and shrubs, with goats and sheep showing higher intake due to their ability to digest anti-nutritional factors.
Tree fodder is comparable to grasses and forbs in macronutrients and can be superior in protein, fat, and sugar content.
Tree fodder is a stable source of minerals like zinc, cobalt, selenium, and calcium, which vary by species, location, and season.
Condensed tannins and salicylic compounds in tree fodder can provide health benefits, such as reducing methane emissions, managing intestinal parasites, and treating inflammation and pain.
Direct browsing, cut-and-drop feeding, tree hay, and silage are effective ways to provide tree fodder. Tree hay is highly palatable and can be stored for winter use.
Pollarding and shredding are effective methods for harvesting tree fodder. Proper timing and storage are crucial for preserving nutritional value.
Case studies: Farmers Tim Downes and Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer [of Lynbreck Croft] have successfully integrated tree fodder into their systems, improving livestock health, fertility, and resilience while reducing reliance on chemical treatments.
Recommendations: Incorporate diverse tree species for nutrition, shade, and shelter; manage trees for optimal growth and accessibility; and explore tree fodder as a sustainable supplement to traditional feed.”

Drying tree hay at Lynbreck Croft

Capture hornworms, and watch the film Six Inches of Soil

Large (4″/10 cm) tobacco hornworm on the ground.
Photo Pam Dawling

Hornworms

Hornworms just started to arrive on our hoophouse tomatoes and so we have started to capture them. We have tobacco hornworms on our farm, which was a tobacco farm over 57 years ago. They have 7 diagonal stripes on each side and a red posterior horn. Tomato hornworms have 8 chevrons on each side and a bluish black horn. So if your hornworms look different from ours, you may have the tomato hornworm.

See my earlier posts

Hunting Hornworms on Tomato Plants

Dealing with Hornworms on Tomato Plants

When I saw the batch of new ones that my colleague Raen had photographed, I was reminded of those tests online to make sure you aren’t a robot “Click all the squares with. . . ‘, and so I decided to make our own.

Click all the squares with hornworms in. Nothing will happen, it’s just for fun and to help us all get better at spotting them lurking in the foliage.

Movie: Six Inches of Soil

On a completely different topic, I enjoy following the farmers at Lynbreck Croft in the Cairngorms of Scotland. I’ve introduced Lynn and Sandra and their book Our Wild Farming Life here previously. Earlier this month Sandra and Lynn posted some updates including them waking on June 6 to the sight of fresh snow on the mountains. They hosted a local showing of the film about Regenerative Farming, Six Inches of Soil. Click to see the trailer, and consider how you might one day host a screening, as someone in New Zealand has done. There were six in the UK today!

Here’s the information from Lynbreck Croft’s website

“Six Inches of Soil is a story of courage, vision and hope.

Story of the Film — Six Inches of Soil

Watch the trailer here on You Tube

“Our film, Six Inches of Soil, tells the story of remarkable farmers, communities, small businesses, chefs and entrepreneurs who are leading the way to transform how our food is produced and consumed.

Agroecology is an approach to farming that includes ‘regenerative’ farming techniques that work in harmony with, rather than against nature. It focuses on local food systems and shorter supply chains. The advantages are numerous: we get to know who is growing our food and how, farmers get paid a fair price and have the satisfaction of producing healthy food in a healthy environment. Agroecology may also be our best chance in the face of climate change: it keeps carbon in the ground and creates resilient systems in the face of climate uncertainty.

Six Inches of Soil tells the inspiring story of young British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food – to heal the soil, our health and provide for local communities.

There are approx.178,000 farmers working in the UK who manage 71% of the UK’s land, providing half of the food we eat, we import the rest. Current “industrial” mainstream farming practices significantly contribute to soil degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. Regenerative farming practices, (within an agroecological system) promote healthier soils, provide healthier, affordable food, restore biodiversity and sequester carbon.

Six Inches of Soil is a story of three new farmers on the first year of their regenerative journey to heal the soil and help transform the food system – Anna Jackson, a Lincolnshire 11th generation arable and sheep farmer; Adrienne Gordon, a Cambridgeshire small-scale vegetable farmer; and Ben Thomas, who rears pasture fed beef cattle in Cornwall.

As the trio of young farmers strive to adopt regenerative practices and create viable businesses, they meet seasoned mentors who help them on their journey. They are joined by other experts providing wisdom and solutions from a growing movement of people who are dedicated to changing the trajectory for food, farming and the planetOur farmers will have to navigate a broken food system, farm in a landscape degraded by industrial agriculture and learn how to reconnect people with the soil, where their food comes from and how it is produced.

We don’t shy away from tackling complex and thorny issues. This includes exploring the connection between food and health, food poverty and affordability, the role of animals in the farming system, Britain’s hugely unequal system of land ownership, barriers to new entrant farmers especially from diverse backgrounds and whether there is a place for carbon offsetting on farms.

Alongside hard-hitting facts, we also convey what it feels like to farm agroecologically – to farm with authentic connection with the land, changing seasons and the environment, to produce food for people you know and care about in the local community: to spend your days with your hands in the soil.

The film looks at the history of British farming and asks “How did we get here?” through a short animated chapter that brings the audience up to speed with the industrial heritage of farming and the solutions that are within reach.

We show that agroecological farming is not simply a job, but a way to live values and engage in practices which not only nourish the planet but also the farmers themselves.”