Catch the Rain - Taking steps to build a Weatherproof Farm - An Evening Workshop - Grewelthorpe Village Hall

This is the first event in our Catch the Rain project - a collaborative soil health initiative designed to strengthen Nidderdales resilience to climate change and support the long-term regeneration of our farming landscape.

The project is inspired by a New Zealand initiative:Catch the Rain Project Quorum Sense [https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/catch-the-rain-project] and shares many of the same objectives.

Catch the Rain aims to

* Build farmer understanding of the factors affecting rainfall infiltration
* Measure and assess the problem/opportunity on individual farms
* Support farmers to develop, trial and monitor practice/system changes
* Share the learnings and results with the wider farming sector

Funded through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, Catch the Rain will partner with ten local farm teams to co-design trials.
Farm teams will be supported by independent advisor Niels Corfield, Nidderdale National Landscape staff, and Vidacycle (Soilmentor).

Our Nidderdale project kicks off with this free 2-hour evening workshop. Well dig into soil health and look at the design of potential trials. Well discuss the main objectives of the project and consider how to make the science as robust and relevant as possible.

Registering for this workshop does not commit you to taking part in the trials - though of course, I hope this evening will spark your interest.

At the workshop, well explore how trials can complement the work youre already doing and consider a variety of potential interventions.

The main objectives of all trials will be, improving soil health, to deliver (on-farm):

* Shorten housing periods, aim for at least 1 full month on average in immediate future
* Grow more grass (especially in dry years) and increase stocking rates
* Eliminate burning-off and drought

Measuring infiltration will be a basic requirement of all trials but well also be looking at the impact of soil health on productivity, and financial resilience.

Well also be mindful of wider protected landscape priorities, including, for example, the conservation of waxcap fungi or ground nesting birds.

Why Join Catch the Rain?

I am deeply grateful for the knowledge, time, and commitment that farmers bring to this project.
Im hopeful this January 13th workshop will convince you to sign up to the trial stage, which give you free 12-month access to a customised Regen Plus version of VidacyclessSoilmentor [https://soils.vidacycle.com/] App The simple monitoring platform for building healthier soils (worth 640).

Youll also receive practical support, including:

* Funding to cover trial costs
* Help from soil health expert, Niels Corfield and Nidderdale NL advisors.

Taking part in this flagship project will be likely to lead to opportunities for further funding.

Dont hesitate to get in touch to discuss the project

* Mobile: 07745 544872
* Email: matthew.trevelyan@northyorks.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,
Matt Trevelyan
Project Coordinator