FAQ
WHAT IS WILDFARMED?
WILDFARMED IS AN END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN THAT OFFERS A ROUTE TO MARKET FOR CROPS GROWN IN SYSTEMS THAT PRIORITISE SOIL HEALTH.
WE WORK WITH FARMERS EMBRACING REGENERATIVE APPROACHES TO IMPROVE FARM BIODIVERSITY AND SOIL CONDITION.
WE GROW ALL OUR CROPS WITHOUT THE USE OF PESTICIDES DURING THE GROWING PROCESS, AUDITED BY A THIRD PARTY, TO A SET OF WILDFARMED REGENERATIVE STANDARDS THAT ALL OF OUR GROWERS FOLLOW.
WE ARE CREATING A TRACEABLE FIELD-TO-PLATE NETWORK WHICH ALLOWS CONSUMERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RESTORATION OF SOIL AND BIODIVERSITY.
WHICH WHEAT VARIETIES DO YOU USE? ARE THEY HERITAGE OR MODERN?
WE SELECT VARIETIES THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR LOW INPUT SYSTEMS.
SOME OF THEM ARE OLD, SOME OF THEM ARE NEW; WE FAVOUR TALLER VARIETIES TO ENABLE THEM TO GROW HIGHER THAN THEIR COMPANION PLANTS.
HERITAGE GRAINS ARE NOT IN THEMSELVES THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE. WE’RE TRYING TO HELP FARMERS ADOPT LOW INPUT, BIODIVERSE FARMING SYSTEMS AT SCALE.
THIS REQUIRES COMPETITIVE VARIETIES THAT CAN THRIVE IN THESE LOW INPUT SYSTEMS. WHETHER THESE VARIETIES ARE FROM 1320 OR 2020 IS IRRELEVANT TO US.
SOME OLDER VARIETIES CAN BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND ARE SUITED TO THESE FARMING SYSTEMS, BUT EQUALLY THERE ARE MANY EXPERIENCED PLANT BREEDERS WORKING ON NEW VARIETIES FOR NATURAL FARMING SYSTEMS. WE USE WHICHEVER IS BEST SUITED FOR OUR GROWERS ON A FARM BY FARM BASIS.
WHERE ARE YOUR GROWERS?
FOR HARVEST 2023, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OVER 50 FARMS ACROSS THE UK AND FRANCE. FOR HARVEST 2024, WE ARE CURRENTLY ONBOARDING AND EXPANDING OUR COHORT. OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDES A BROAD SPECTRUM OF FARMERS FROM CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC BACKGROUNDS. SOME ALREADY HAVE HIGHLY DIVERSE FARMS THAT PROMOTE SOIL AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH. MANY ARE JUST STARTING THE TRANSITION THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF WILDFARMED AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
READ MORE ABOUT OUR GROWERS HERE.
WHY DO YOU HAVE GROWERS IN FRANCE?
OUR FOUNDER ANDY’S FARMING JOURNEY STARTED IN FRANCE AND HE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP OF FARMERS THERE FOR THE BEST PART OF A DECADE SO THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HISTORY. DESPITE THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY WITH TRANSPORTATION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM BY INCLUDING THEIR GRAIN IN OUR FLOUR.
ARE ALL WILDFARMED CROPS GROWN IN PASTURE USING A STRIP TILL SYSTEM?
NO. THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF ACHIEVING THE BIODIVERSITY AND SOIL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILDFARMED CUSTOMERS EXPECT. HOWEVER, OUR WILDFARMED STANDARDS STIPULATE THAT ALL OF OUR GROWERS MUST ENGAGE IN THE FOLLOWING:
- INCLUDE SPECIES RICH COVER CROPS OR DIVERSE PASTURE MIXES TO KEEP THEIR SOIL COVERED AT ALL TIMES
- CEREALS TO BE GROWN ALONGSIDE COMPANION CROPS - THIS COULD BE BI OR POLY-CROPPING
- INTEGRATING ANIMALS WHEREVER POSSIBLE
- NO -CIDES ON GROWING CROP
- NUTRITION TO BE APPLIED BASED ON PLANT NEED THROUGH SAP TESTING
YOU CAN READ THE FULL WILDFARMED REGENERATIVE STANDARDS BY DOWNLOADING THEM FOR FREE HERE.
WILDFARMED WAS BORN OUT OF A DESIRE TO HELP FARMERS MOVE FROM A SYSTEM THAT ONLY VALUES YIELD TO A SYSTEM THAT VALUES BIODIVERSE AND BALANCED FARMING SYSTEMS. THERE WILL BE AS MANY DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS AS THERE ARE FARMS BUT THE FOCUS OF ALL OF THESE SOLUTIONS IS TO MOVE TOWARDS DIVERSITY.
DOES FARMING THIS WAY DECREASE YIELD?
WE BELIEVE THAT CURRENT YIELDS ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE. DECLINE IN WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, SOIL LOSS, POLLUTION OF WATER COURSES, INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE POST WAR AGRICULTURAL MODEL. THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN MAINTAINING THESE YIELDS FOR A LITTLE LONGER OR FARMING WITHIN NATURE’S LIMITS INDEFINITELY.
WHERE CAN I BUY WILDFARMED FLOUR?
YOU CAN BUY 1.5KG AND 16KG BAGS DIRECT FROM RATTON PANTRY OR BAKERY BITS, OR FOR A LIST OF BAKERIES, RESTAURANTS AND DELIS USING WILDFARMED FLOUR PLEASE SEE HERE.
FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT US.