9 ways to honour your land and community

As stewards of a smallholding farm, we’ve come to understand that caring for the land and nurturing our community are deeply connected. When we honour the land, we create a foundation for a healthier, more vibrant world and when we honour our community, we build relationships that sustain us all. Here are 10 ways we’ve found to honour both the land and the people around us—practices that anyone can embrace, no matter where you live. 

1. Practice Regenerative Farming (in your Garden!) 

Even if you’re not operating a farm or smallholding, there are ways to apply regenerative farming techniques to gardens of all sizes. At My Little Farm, we believe in farming that works in harmony with the land. Our approach to regenerative agriculture ensures that the soil remains healthy, the ecosystem thrives, and the land’s natural beauty is preserved for generations to come. To apply these practices to your bit of land (no matter the size) we’d recommend starting with these 3 practices: 

• Composting - of course, composting helps with reducing waste but it can also be a fantastic way to get that regenerative organic matter back into your soil, leading to healthier plants and building a more resilient ecosystem. 
• Planting cover crops - in a similar way to composting, planting cover crops helps get organic matter back into the soil which in turn can support water quality, reduce erosion, and promote beneficial microbial activity in the soil. There’s a variety of cover crops to choose from and they all have slightly different benefits so do a bit of research and choose your cover crops depending on what you hope to get out of your soil. 
• No-dig gardening - This covers many elements but one tip we have learnt is always to leave the roots in the soil. When harvesting your vegetables, make sure you cut the plant at the base, just below the surface of the soil and leave the roots in the ground. The roots will naturally decompose, adding organic matter to the soil, increasing beneficial soil life and avoiding soil disturbance. 

2. Support Sustainable & Seasonal Suppliers 

Buying sustainably grown produce strengthens our community. In our last journal post “Retreating from the demands of modern life: Lessons to take away from the farm” we spoke about how we found deeper connections in buying from small independent shops wherever possible. Seasonal eating also helps us connect with the natural rhythms of the land. Here’s some of our best tips on finding those hidden gems: 

• Local Raw Milk Finder 
• Become a member of My Little Farm to access our farm shop (we deliver nationwide), or find your local farm shop
• Discover what’s in season 

3. Create Thriving Ecosystems 

We work in harmony with nature on the farm, fostering a thriving ecosystem that supports pollinators and promotes plant diversity to create a resilient food system. Applying this idea to life outside of the farm could look like: 

• Planting native flowers - not only do they help preserve the genetic diversity of local ora, but they also support wildlife by providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds.
• Leaving wild patches - similar to planting native owers, leaving patches of wild grasses and flowers can provide essential habitats for insects and wildlife. Wildflowers provide food for pollinators such as bees and butterflies which are essential for plant reproduction. 
• Building a bird (or bug!) house - often seen as a bit of a novelty pastime, we’re here to tell you that building a birdhouse isn’t just so you can participate in bird spotting from your kitchen window! With more woodlands being destroyed for redevelopment, these safe spaces provide additional nesting habitats and can increase the numbers of threatened species. 

These are small acts that make a big difference for local wildlife. Honouring the creatures that share the land with us is a really beautiful way to give back (and as an added bonus, offer you the perfect nature-watching opportunity just outside your door!) 

4. Share Your Surplus 

Whether it’s borrowing some extra sourdough starter from your neighbour, or giving away the abundance of eggs your chickens have produced one week, sharing resources is a powerful way to honour both the earth and the community. Apps like Olio connect people giving away food with those who are looking to receive, making it simple to share your surplus within the local area. Another idea is to set up regular swaps with neighbours, perhaps someone has more carrots than they can get through that could be swapped with an extra jar of sauerkraut you made earlier this month, get creative! Although it might feel intimidating to ask around if anyone has any leftovers, one organic way to create more abundance is to give rest. Often, when we give to others they will naturally want to repay the favour resulting in more giving (and less waste). 

5. Share your knowledge 

Building on the last tip, perhaps the biggest impact we can make is not always in the things we do ourselves, but in what we share with others. In many ways, that encapsulates our mission at My Little Farm. We started with the idea of being self-sucient and soon realised that there are so many people out there who feel the same way: families who want to live differently but don’t want to or can’t start their own smallholding for one reason or another. We’ve met people torn between pursuing their meaningful careers and starting a homestead, people who don’t want to move out of

the city, people who hate the idea of having to be outdoors in the rain to milk the goats at 6 am, and people who can’t afford to buy land and all the infrastructure needed to start a farm. All these people wanted the same thing, a brighter future for themselves and for their families. And so we thought ‘What if we created a smallholding members club for those families? So that they could get all the benefits of having a smallholding without actually having to run one.’ Sharing this gift with other like-minded people has meant everything to us and there’s nothing we’d rather be doing. So whether you can share all that you’ve learned about sustainable practices around farming or gardening or share your list of local suppliers with others, all of these things can have a huge impact that creates a ripple effect of positive change. 

6. Find Comfort in the Seasons 

From spring greens to autumn root vegetables, our gardens at My Little Farm reflect the seasonal rhythms, providing a diverse array of fresh produce year-round. You can also follow along with the seasonal rhythms with rituals or traditions that honour the cycles of nature. Whether it’s planting in Spring, harvesting in Autumn, or leaning into the act of wintering in those coldest months, these considered moments connect us to the land’s rhythm. 

7. Host Community Gatherings 

Bring people together—whether for a workshop, a meal or simply to connect. Gatherings of this kind strengthen relationships and remind us of the importance of community. 

• Find your people - there are so many communities around these days, try the Next door app, searching online or even just asking around locally to connect with others who share your passions. 
• Host a community meal - find a way to reach out to your neighbours and explain the concept of everyone chipping in and sharing something they like to make. It’s not only an opportunity to share good food with your community but it’s a time to learn more about different food cultures and to get to know one another on a deeper level.
• Support a cause - whether it’s litter picking in your local area, volunteering with environmental projects (more on this just below!) or setting up a community garden, gather your friends up to take action and spread positivity. 

8. Advocate for Local Conservation 

Honouring the land also means standing up for its preservation. Support efforts to protect green spaces, waterways, and wildlife in your area. If you don’t know where to start, begin by researching local environmental organisations and join neighbourhood groups. Once you’re in the door, you will begin to learn more about the local issues that you can get involved in, as well as having the opportunity to share any local problems that you’ve come across.

9. Listen to the Land 

In 2020, we acquired our farmland in the South Downs. Without knowing a single thing about growing or self-sufficiency, we learnt how to grow our own food from seed, about composting, the ecosystem, soil biology, and life cycles but most of all, this first year taught us to reconnect with nature and to slow down. Returning to the land each day was an invitation to be present and grounded. We have spent whole days barefoot, immersed in the utter tranquillity and peacefulness of the farm, living at the pace of nature.

Can you also find ways to spend time in stillness, observing and listening to the land around you? What does it need? How is it changing?

This stillness practice can deepen our connection and help guide our actions.