I can’t believe I am writing to send everyone my very best Seasons Greetings – how did it get to December already? 2023 has been a jam-packed year for ORC – we have researched, visited, hosted and collaborated with so many people and organisations over the year, it is amazing to realise just how much we have fitted in. We’ve welcomed some brilliant new members of the ORC team who have made a massive contribution to the organisation; we’ve worked on over 20 different research projects, have travelled extensively across the UK and Europe, worked with hundreds of different farmers across the country (including developing a stronger presence in the North), and attended events such as Oxford Real Farming Conference, Groundswell, National Organic Conference, Organic Growers Gathering, the Agroforestry Show and Carbon Calling. None of this would have been possible without the support from our research participants and partners, underpinned by the generous donations and sponsorship that we have received from our funders, for which we are incredibly grateful. Your support means that ORC will continue to go from strength to strength with another action-packed exciting year planned for 2024, kicking off with the Oxford Real Farming Conference in January – we hope to see you there, but in the meantime, I hope everyone has a wonderful winter break and the opportunity to relax and enjoy time with family and friends and a well-deserved rest. Best wishes for 2024 when it arrives!
Wishing you a peaceful festive season and Happy New Year.
Here are a few photos the ORC team have shared showing some highlights from 2023.
May 2023
ORC agroforestry researchers explained their work at the Agroforestry Open Weekend at Wakelyns, including how ORC are part of an EU wide project studying the long term impacts of agroforestry.
November 2023
Dr. Will Simonson, Dr. Colin Tosh and Dr. Julia Cooper visited the Gibside Community Farm in Burnopfield, County Durham. To consider its potential for the REFOREST project.
September 2023
We visited York for all the staff to connect and dicscuss ORC projects and plan for the future.
September 2023
We visited The Food Circle in York connected to ORC via the OATH project , building on feeding communities via a network of farmers.
July 2023
ORC presented the Young Organic Farmer of the Year Award to Alex Parkinson of RBOrganic at the National Organic Conference.
July 2023
ORC presented the Young Organic Farmer of the Year Award to Alex Parkinson of RBOrganic at the National Organic Conference
July 2023
ORC attended the National Organic Conference.
June 2023
Groundswell gave ORC staff Charlotte Bickler, Lindsay Whistance, Julia Cooper and Trustee Janet Dwyer a platform to present thoughts on various subjects.
June 2023
Groundswell gave ORC staff Charlotte Bickler, Lindsay Whistance, Julia Cooper and Trustee Janet Dwyer a platform to present thoughts on various subjects.
June 2023
Groundswell gave ORC staff Charlotte Bickler, Lindsay Whistance, Julia Cooper and Trustee Janet Dwyer a platform to present thought on various subjects.
September 2023
Dr. Will Simonson shared insights in his hit article in the Autum edition of Organic Farming
May 2023
Our Crops team led the Living Mulches Network Day where they presented the potential for living mulches to contribute to reducing tillage in organic systems and reducing chemical inputs in conventional ones and the plan for the coming trials led by ORC.
May 2023
Our Crops team led the Living Mulches Network Day where they presented the potential for living mulches to contribute to reducing tillage in organic systems and reducing chemical inputs in conventional ones and the plan for the coming trials led by ORC.
October 2023
ORC’s proud unboxing moment of the 12th Edition of the Organic Farm Management Handbook at the Organic Growers Gathering 2023 in October. This was a huge event resulting from all the hard work from the Editors, ORC staff and network of contributors some of which were interviewed.
October 2023
ORC’s proud unboxing moment of the 12th Edition of the Organic Farm Management Handbook at the Organic Growers Gathering 2023 in October. This was a huge event resulting from all the hard work from the Editors, ORC staff and network of contributors some of which were interviewed.
August 2023
We welcomed Isabel Mackintosh to the Crops team in August who is working on living mulches and presented on the project at the Organic Growers’ Gathering.
August 2023
Isabel is also working on Reforest project where she visited Gowbarrow Hall Farm North of England living lab.
August 2023
ORC work on Reforest took the team to the Gowbarrow Hall Farm North of England living lab.
January 2023
We welcomed Julia Cooper as Senior Crops Researcher in January. Julia was made our Head of Research in July.
September 2023
ORC join more than a thousand people to discuss the future of farming with trees to boost the uptake of agroforestry at the UK’s first ever Agroforestry Show. Will, Colin and Lindsay shared insights from ORC projects on how trees can benefit farms.
September 2023
ORC join more than a thousand people to discuss the future of farming with trees to boost the uptake of agroforestry at the UK’s first ever Agroforestry Show. Will, Colin and Lindsay shared insights from ORC projects on how trees can benefit farms and included and article in Soils Association Autum edition of Organic Farming
June 2023
Groundswell gave ORC staff Charlotte Bickler, Lindsay Whistance, Julia Cooper and Trustee Janet Dwyer a platform to present thought on various subjects.
