The start of 2026 has marked an exciting milestone for Natural Habitat. We have now completed the second year of our Weaving Farms, Land, People & Planet project, alongside the first year of our collaborative project with Barleybird CIC, Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops.
Thanks to generous funding from the Suffolk & Essex Coasts & Heaths branch of Farming in Protected Landscapes, both organisations have had a busy few months delivering farmer workshops as part of these projects.
Our Director, Carrie Phoenix, recently supported Gaina Dunsire at Barleybird CIC with their Diverse Cropping workshop at Maple Farm. The event brought together inspiring voices from across the food and farming sector. Visitors from the South West Grain Alliance shared ideas about strengthening links between farms, millers and bakers, alongside discussions around school food procurement and the Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops project learning. The day also included a farm tour exploring the stacked, organic system showcased at Maple Farm – a truly inspiring experience for everyone who attended.
The following week, Natural Habitat hosted our own workshop as part of the Weaving Farms, Land, People & Planet project – with a focus on: Sharing Farms with Diverse Audiences.
It was a brilliant day, with farmers and growers travelling from near and far to take part. While most attendees came from the Waveney Cluster, others joined from across Essex and West Suffolk, as well as further afield, including Dorset and Buckinghamshire.
“I am just really happy to be here because this is a really good example of what many of us are trying to do… just by being here and seeing what I am seeing, and hearing what I am hearing, it is really doing good, fuelling my creativity, imagination and optimism for this work.”
The event opened with Carrie, sharing insights from two years of project work with farms and diverse communities. She introduced the project’s unique story framework, offering practical guidance on how farmers can share their land and work with visitors in ways that are safe, inclusive and impactful. Attendees were also provided with a comprehensive resource document to support their own farm visits.
This was followed by David Wolfe from Wakelyns, who offered a snapshot of how Wakelyns Farm connects with a wide range of communities, enriching both the farm itself and those who visit it.
“Brilliant to hear other people’s ideas and resources for connecting audiences to their farms and landscape.”
Following the presentations, participants explored how storytelling can help deepen connections “over the farm gate.” Attendees were invited to reflect on their own unique stories and how these could be used to build meaningful engagement with visitors.
“Really well thought out and beautifully facilitated by people whose experience is obvious.”
The group then enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by the on-site Silva Kitchen & Bakery, offering time for informal conversations, networking and the sharing of experiences.
In the afternoon, attendees rotated through three practical workshops led by WFLPP farmers alongside experienced multi-disciplinary practitioners. These sessions explored working with a wide range of groups, including children and young people, people with special educational needs, adults, and culturally diverse communities.
“Hearing the experiences and perspectives of such a range of fascinating and knowledgeable people – inspiring and empowering.”
The day created valuable opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, networking and resource sharing, empowering farmers and growers at every stage of their journey to open their farms and engage wider audiences.
Soon after both workshops, Carrie had the privilege of sharing our work at the National Landscape Forum 2026, held at The Hold in Ipswich. Our project was presented alongside insightful talks from Alex Moore Da Luz, Beverly McClean and Eamonn O’Nolan, who explored themes of Nature, Climate and Place. Carrie spoke within the forum’s People theme, highlighting the importance of engaging with farming and natural landscapes as a way of connecting people more deeply with environmental initiatives.
Alongside these recent workshops and presentations, we have also been developing resources that will continue to support this work. To accompany the projects, we have created a free educational resource for primary school children, centred around the theme:
“Celebrating the importance of diversity in food systems, nature and communities.”
The resource can be downloaded for free on our website here.
We have also produced our second Landscape Record film, following on from the first film created in 2024. The film offers a snapshot of the wonderful land venues, diverse practitioners and brilliant participants who have been part of the project.
We hope you enjoy watching it.