On return to the farm in 2020 with an understanding of the principles of how nature has been designed to function and seeing the practical outworking of that in growing vegetables and other food crops in Uganda. Roslyn was in a situation of now rearing cattle on perennial grassland in Northern Ireland, a very different scenario. She knew all she had learned in Africa was true but struggled to apply some of the principles of ‘Farming God’s Way’ within her new context. After a number of years she discovered ‘Regenerative Farming’ which seemed to align with many of the ‘Farming God’s Way’ principles but in a way that was applicable to grazing livestock. She was understandably quite excited to learn of this and delved into the world of regenerative farming to learn as much as possible about the practical application of it. Fields Good regenerative farming festival had its first event in 2024 in NI and that where she was first introduced to it. With her underlaying and deeply held beliefs about God’s creation she didn’t need convincing that the principles would work she just needed to begin to apply them. Setting up the fields for AMP grazing was the first step she needed to take. (AMP grazing is a type of grazing that emulates the buffalo herds migration across the great plains of America resulting in a deep, rich topsoil.)
One evening in 2026 as she checked the cattle while the sun was setting she watched 3 hares run across the pasture and realised that regenerative farming is farming God’s way but without the acknowledgement of God. Farming in tune with nature, farming that nature wants to be on, nature friendly farming, farming with nature not against it … whatever way it’s put it acknowledges that nature knows best and we do well to work with it. What it doesn’t tend to acknowledge is the Designer of that nature. Nature is complex beyond our understanding and that is proven by the ongoing discoveries in science and the mind-boggling things that happen beneath our feet. ‘Farming isn’t rocket-science, it’s way harder than that’ is one comment that helps place the complexities. The great thing is we don’t have to understand it all we just have to watch the natural systems and cycles that God has put in place and try our best to copy them, because they work… He has made them to.
The term regenerative means to regrow, renew or restore something damaged or lost. A regenerative process actively rebuilds and brings new life back to a system. That means getting back to what was there before. Nature, without human interference, can provide deep topsoil, healthy plants, healthy animals, clean water and clean air. What we’re doing by farming regeneratively is trying to get some of that back. It is definitely a noble (and needed) cause and a fitting name, the only thing it doesn’t give credit to is the very one who put it all there in the first place.
Roslyn would say she regeneratively farms God’s way as she continues to learn and apply all the principles of both ‘Regenerative Farming’ and ‘Farming God’s Way’ as they apply in her context.
When there is an acknowledgment of God as Creator there’s more to uncover about how we as farmers can also live in a way that is His way too.
The principles of regenerative farming are:
- Minimise soil disturbance
- Keeping the soil covered
- Diversity of species
- Living roots year round
- Livestock integration
Bridge & Barn 