Helping you build your profitable, nature restoring, enjoyable farm
Ever dreamed of owning a small farm, that pays it's own way, producing nutrient-rich food for your family and community, building soil health, restoring biodiversity, and having fun at the same time?
It’s not just a dream—it’s possible!
Henbant, a thriving regenerative farm in North Wales, has over the past twelve years been proving this is possible and now, with the help of Ecosystem Restoration Communities and some of the world's top regenerative farming experts - including Darren Doherty, Mark Shepard, and Ben Falk - we’re ready to help YOU succeed, too.
Starting in March 2025, our Becoming a Regenerative Farmer training is designed to create the next generation of ecological farmers committed to enjoying growing good, nutrient-dense food while restoring ecosystems, sequestering carbon, and boosting biodiversity.
Why Regenerative Farming?
UK farming is at a turning point. Industrial agriculture is wreaking havoc on our ecosystems - 60% of insects have vanished in the past 20 years. Artificial nitrogen fertilizers are creating dead zones in oceans and contributing 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating climate change.
But there’s a better way.Regenerative farming allows us to grow food in harmony with nature, enhancing biodiversity while ensuring food security - because one cannot exist without the other.
What Can You Expect?
This immersive, nine-month blended course combines online learning with practical, in-person training. Each week, you’ll engage in live online lessons from 6-8 pm GMT/BST - one hour of expert instruction followed by an hour of Q&A and peer discussions.
And it’s not just virtual!
You’ll spend three hands-on long weekends at Henbant, working the land, gaining practical skills and a much deeper understanding, and connecting with a like-minded community of future regenerative farmers.
Along the way, you’ll receive guidance from leading farm designers and learn how to create vibrant, thriving ecosystems of your own.
This is more than a course - it’s your chance to build a community, make new friends, and share ideas with others who are just as passionate about farming and the planet as you are.
Is this for you?
If you’re ready to ditch the desk, dig into the soil, and live a full life aligned with nature, this training is for you! Here’s what you’ll learn:
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True understanding of how ecosystems function
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How to observe and work with nature
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Holistic decision-making for your life and farm
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How to find and finance the perfect land
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Regenerative agriculture techniques that heal the earth
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Business planning for a successful, sustainable farm.
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How to build strong relationships with your local community
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Work/Life balance strategies that let your farm work for you - not the other way around.
Sign up for our Webinar to find out more
Want to learn more?Join one of our free, introductory webinars to meet the teachers and get a taste of what’s in store! Join us at 7pm on the 7th of November on Zoom.
Ready to sign up start your regenerative farming journey?
Sign up early (before 15th of November for a 5% Discount, enter discount code: earlybird). Payment plans are available upon request. Get in touch to arrange this with us.
Meet the Teachers
Richard Perkins Garnering more than 15 million views on his blog, having over 200,000 followers on Instagram and 175,000 subscribers on YouTube, and teaching thousands through his live trainings and online courses, Richard Perkins has inspired farmers all over the globe with his pragmatic no-nonsense approach to profitable system design. A recognised leader in the field of regenerative agriculture, he is the owner of Europe’s foremost example, Ridgedale Farm, and the author of the widely acclaimed manual Regenerative Agriculture. He has worked professionally in every major climate zone across several continents consulting to projects, farms and industry and is now focused on educating a new generation of farmers who want to restore soils and feed their local communities whilst making a good living from it.
Darren J. Doherty Darren Doherty has extensive experience across the world in project design, development, management & training. Starting out at the age of 25 in 1993, his 30+ year career focus has been on the practical, pragmatic, profitable & regenerative retrofit of broadacre landscapes, and Darren is internationally acclaimed as a pioneer in this important & often overlooked field. Darren is the creator of Regrarians Ltd, and is a 5th generation Bendigo-region land manager, developer, author & trainer and has been involved in the design & development of well over 3000, mostly broadacre projects across 6 continents in more than 50 countries, ranging from 1 million hectare cattle stations in Australia’s Kimberly region to 110,000 acre Estancias in Patagonia, EcoVillage developments in Tasmania to public:private R&D agroforestry, agro-commodity & education projects in Vietnam and India, novel AG Machinery development + family farms across the globe with a range of private, corporate, government & non-profit clients. A true ‘integrationist’, Darren is the originator of the Keyline® Design (2006), Carbon Farming (2006), Carbon Economy (2007), Regenerative Agriculture (along with RegenAG® {2009}) & Regrarians® (2012) and Regrarians’ REX®, ROC & RAP conventions and conferences across Europe, North & South America and Oceania. This wide experience has created an international reputation of achievement plus an enviable & expansive Regrarians Network that integrates many disciplines. Globally many of Darren’s alumni of more than 20,000 people are at the cutting edge of the movement towards regenerative agriculture & living systems.
Mark Shepard Mark Shepard heads Restoration Agriculture Development and Forest Agriculture Nursery, but is most widely known as the author of the award-winning book, Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers. Restoration Agriculture is based on his experiences at New Forest Farm, and represents his belief in the ability of sustainably grown perennial food crops to feed us into “our resource-compromised future”. New Forest Farm, located in Viola, Wisconsin, was once a worn-out row crop farm and has since become a 106-acre showcase commercial-scale perennial agricultural operation. It is considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the United States. The farming system layout was founded on his innovations in engineering the runoff distribution, retention and control of water throughout the property. Next he implemented his take on adaptive mass-selection breeding with use of select perennial crops based off plant families abundant amongst the oak savanna, successional brushland, and eastern woodlands ecotypes that constituted the region prior to commercial agriculture. With the water management infrastructure in place, trees, shrubs, vines, canes, grasses, and fungi were planted in likeness to their respective ecological niches, and organized to optimize efficiency in harvesting and management. Hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts, and apples are the primary woody crops. Various ongoing tree crops research sites are nested about the farm as well, and are an important feature in his adaptive, resilient restoration agriculture system.
Ben Falk Ben Falk (he/him) lives permaculture every day at his Vermont homestead, a testing-ground for ideas and projects that he shares with the wider world through teaching, consulting, and writing. He founded Whole Systems Design, LLC as a land-based response to biological and cultural extinction and the increasing separation between people and elemental things. He’s the author of the award-winning book “The Resilient Farm and Homestead.”
Lynn Cassells Lynn Cassells is a Croft Farmer at Lynbreck Croft in the Highlands of Scotland. Lynn and her wife, an archaeologist and librarian by background, had never done any farming before but decided to buy 150 acres and dive in. When it comes to creative thinking, this lack of knowledge has actually been a big bonus. Her farm has been featured on the television series This Farming Life, which followed with Lynn writing a book by the same title. What makes them different from traditional farmers is their emphasis on working with nature, rather than against it. Lynn is now a prolific teacher of her unique regenerative farming approach, running. her own trainings from her Scottish Farm and assisting Richard Perkins with his courses too.
Silas Hedley - Lawrence Silas Hedley – Lawrence is a regenerative farmer, coach & consultant with a decade of experience in regenerative agriculture. Formerly farm manager at FAI Farms and English Farm, Silas has experience in both commercial and direct selling models. With ties to New Zealand through his family dairy farm and kiwi fruit orchards, he maintains an emphasis on lean, profitable farming systems that also deliver on increasing biodiversity and soil health gains. Find out more at grassfedfarmer.com.
Nikki Yoxall Nikki is the Head of Research for Pasture for Life, a Community Interest Company that is made up of a membership that includes farmers, butchers, retailers and consumers – all with a passion to increase the supply and market for pastured meat. Nikki is also a small-holder in Aberdeenshire and studying for a Masters in Sustainable Food & Natural Resources. Before moving up to Scotland, Nikki was Head of Land Based Studies at a college in the South East of England overseeing delivery of a range of rural programmes. She now primarily works for the University of the Highlands and Islands. Nikki and her husband have a herd of native Shetland Cattle, which they are expanding to include other native breeds.
Fergal Smith Growing up on an organic farm with parents who are dreamers, passionate surfer Fergal found himself living an hour from good waves. His surfing had seen him travel all over the world, but he quickly withdrew from the global game when he began to feel the impact that his career was having on the environment. Pulling away from sponsors and settling down on his native Irish coastline, Fergal launched a small community farm where he and his friends and family grow organic vegetables. Starting on a small piece of land in 2013, Fergal, together with his wife Sally and partners Mitch Corbett and Matt Smith, slowly developed a Community Supported Agricultural farming system (CSA). This requires members of the community to pay for produce in advance for the season ahead, then the farmer provides the community with the season’s produce. A few years later, with the help of friends, families and community members, they were able to buy more land, while at the same time saving that land from monoculture – being used by forestry companies – which would tire the soil. If there’s one key thing at Moy Hill Farm, it’s the regeneration of the soil.
Jasmine Dale Jasmine has over 30 years experience of ecological regeneration, grounded in Permaculture. As part of the Lammas eco-village, she enjoyed many years working with denuded fields to become a wildlife haven and a productive, resilient source of food. These days, she is mainly a sustainability mentor for community projects and a researcher. She is particularly interested in co-designing with the More than Human world and exploring ways we can widen concepts of community, inclusion and diversity to the perspectives of other species and places.
Katherine Langton Katherine is a farmer and the director of Langtons Farm in Wales, run by first generation farmers that are growing food that's good for people, good for the environment and that supports the local economy. Katherine has a degree in Environment and Sustainability, she has been growing vegetables on her mother's allotment and veggie patch since she was a child. She has no formal horticultural training or experience, learning everything she knows from YouTube videos, books, podcasts and the good old fashioned 'having a go'. She is proof that anyone can do this if they are passionate enough.
Matt Swarbrick Matt Swarbrick is a permaculture inspired farmer at Henbant in North Wales. An ecologist and filmmaker by background he and his family and the Henbant team are on a mission to prove that with a small farm you can produce good food, financial profit, build soil and biodiversity, build a community and enjoy it all at the same time. Henbant has an 80 share CSA scheme and produces enough eggs, beef and veg for 80 local families from amongst a diversity of silvopasture systems. They are now working with the Wildlife trust to explore the space between ecologically intensive farming and maximum biodiversity enhancement; agri-wilding Henbant’s watershed. Henbant runs a range of courses in and is one of Europe’s leading models of small scale regenerative agroecology.
Niels Corfield On a mission to create regenerative farms and landscapes in the UK and Europe, Niels focuses on agroecological systems that are low maintenance yet productive. He advises and trains on: soil health, planned grazing, agroforestry and whole farm planning. He produces designs for agroforestry systems and whole farm plans. His clients include Southanan Estate, Fir Farm, Dora’s Dairy, Birch Farm Woolsery and Fosse Tillery Farm. In his work on soils monitoring, he has helped to develop the Soil Mentor app and website, helped coordinate the PFLA’s Monitoring the Pulse of Soils under Pasture project and carries-out farm assessments.
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Jenny Swarbrick Jenny is one half of Henbant Permaculture Farm in North Wales. Along with her husband Matt they moved to their dream farm in 2012 where they have set up a successful meat and egg business, established an 80 share no dig market garden, a farm shop, forest school, a thriving eco tourism business, renovated an old Welsh farm house and several out buildings whilst also having 3 beautiful children. Previously working 10 years for the Environment Agency Jenny is a hydrologist with experience in river and coastal engineering. She is now a key cog in the Henbant team ensuring that there is always cake for the many people that come through and that the farm and all its friends are working towards their holistic contexts.
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Nic Renison Nic Renison is a farmer from the Eden Valley in Cumbria. After ten years working within her family’s dairy farming business, she worked for NMR, Schering-Plough and lastly three years at AHDB working in the Knowledge Exchange Team. Along with her husband Paul (Reno), they moved to their farm in 2012 and over the last ten years have been on their own ‘regenerative journey’. Initially via rotational grazing which has been the catalyst to a major shift in both mindset and motivation, Nic and Paul’s ambition is that Cannerheugh Farm will become the go to place for pasture-based farming in the north of England. Nic was an OFC Emerging Leader in 2017 and is currently studying holistic management. She is passionate about farmer-to-farmer learning, bringing together people to learn, discuss and challenge the current paradigm. She enjoys working with the community, government and stakeholders to communicate the complexities and possibilities of regenerative farming.
Hannah Thorogood Hannah Thorogood has been a permaculture designer and teacher since 2004. She completed her diploma in applied permaculture design in 2005. Hannah is a senior tutor within the British diploma system and is also one of the diploma tutor trainers. Hannah teaches PDCs at her home farm, The Inkpot in Lincolnshire as well as a number of other courses such as the Permaculture Teacher Training Courses. She uses regenerative grazing techniques to manage 150 acres with a diversity of animals - cows, sheep, turkeys, hens, goats and ducks to build soil, sequester carbon, increase habitat and produce award winning food with very high welfare standards.
Oli Rodker Oli is a co-founder of Ecological Land Cooperative, which has been setting up small farms for new entrants for 15 years. He is also a co-founder of the Landworkers Alliance, where he continues to sit on the Co-ordinating Group. He has 30 year’s experience of working on environmental and land management issues and with co-operative and community models.
Ash Brown Ash Brown is the Co-Founder and Knowledge Exchange and Learning Coordinator for Ecosystem Restoration Communities (ERC). The ERC is a global network of grassroots ecosystem restoration and regenerative agriculture initiatives. Ash’s role is to support these initiatives to scale out their impact by helping them train others around them, multiplying the number of initiatives that are actively restoring ecosystems. She is the co-creator of The Rewilding Training, based at Embercombe, and the co-creator of the Becoming a Regenerative Farmer training. She is passionate about helping everyday people realise and remember their true nature as earth restorers, not office dwellers. She is also a Wilding consultant, with her consultancy Ash Brown Wilding, where she gives advice to landowners big and small on how to bring back native species and reinstate natural processes and restore ecosystem functions. Ash has also been involved in the creation of The Rewilding Collective, where she holds the role of Director and Rewilding Advisor. The Rewilding Collective sells shares which allows people to co-purchase farms for rewilding and regenerative agriculture.
Abel Pearson Abel is the founder and project lead of Glasbren. He is a resident and National Trust tenant at Lords Park farm, and grew up just a few miles from Glasbren HQ. He’s a food grower and passionate permaculture designer and educator, listening for the stories we need to reconnect to land, food and seed. He believes in food growing & foraging as a rich, exciting and accessible pathway to a deeper relationship with the living world, as a livelihood that’s in service to the Earth and for building a thriving culture, healthy communities and ecosystems. He’s a permaculture educator and nature-based facilitator, trained in the Work that Reconnects and the Naturewell approach to nature-based health and wellbeing, and has worked locally, nationally and internationally in delivering courses and workshops for organisations such as Coed Lleol, Earthed, Paramaethu Cymru, the Landworkers’ Alliance, the Global Diversity Foundation, the Ecodharma Centre and Cynefin Permaculture. He loves to tell stories, and communicate the vision and values of Glasbren. He works part-time as Communications Coordinator for the Landworkers’ Alliance, a grassroots union of agroecological farmers, foresters, food producers and landworkers, and sits on the advisory board of the Agroecology Comms Network. He loves to write, tell the old stories around a fire, explore rivers and coastline in his canoe & run wild trails in the mountains.
Nick Francis Nick Francis is a first generation farmer and set up Paddock Farm in 2009 with his brother Jon. Their initial aim was to produce the ultimate pork from native-breed free-range pigs but they’ve gone on to supply many of the country’s top chefs with a whole range of meat, eggs and vegetables. The farm uses agroecological systems to produce pasture-raised Tamworth pork, Hereford cattle and super-free-range eggs, along with a market garden and productive agroforestry. All produce is sold directly through the farm’s own retail or wholesale food business.
James Ramskir Gardiner James is the Forestry Commission’s Agroforestry Adviser, seeking to break down the silos between farming and forestry’. His main role is the support & upskilling of both the forestry & farming sectors in England to facilitate agroforestry understanding, creation and management. He is also working with Defra and wider partners in designing the ELMS Agroforestry grants and regulations as well as providing advice and support to FC staff, local and national organisations regarding agroforestry.
Andrew Donaldson Andrew is a fully-fledged optimist and the founding director of Comrie Croft, a 231 acre regenerative farm in Perthshire. Comrie Croft operates as a family of farm enterprises, passionate about collaborating to maximise community, environmental and economic benefits for all. Agritourism on the farm includes use of the land for mountain biking and wildlife viewing, food and flowers grown for the farm shop, cafe and wedding venue and on-farm eco-lodge, camping and glamping accommodation. Comrie Croft has been carbon net zero since 2020. Andrew is married to Malize with whom he has three children. He likes nothing better than spending time with them exploring the west coast and other rural businesses.
Chris Smaje Chris Smaje has coworked a small farm in Somerset for the last twenty years. Previously, he was a university-based social scientist, working in the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey and the Department of Anthropology at Goldsmiths College. Since switching focus to the practice and politics of agroecology, he’s written for publications such as The Land, Dark Mountain, Permaculture magazine and Statistics Views, as well as academic journals such as Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems and the Journal of Consumer Culture. Chris is the author of two books: Saying NO to a Farm-Free Future (Chelsea Green, 2023) and A Small Farm Future (Chelsea Green, 2020), and he writes the blog at www.smallfarmfuture.org.uk and is a featured author at resilience.org.
Helen Peart Helen is an experienced market gardener with nearly 20 years of dedication to growing vegetables using no-dig organic principles. Her passion for sustainable farming began on allotments, where she honed her skills in cultivating fresh, healthy produce. Helen's journey in organic food production led her to become an integral member of the renowned Unicorn Grocery, a worker's cooperative in Manchester, where she worked as a buyer. Through her commitment to ecological farming practices, she continues to contribute to the movement for ethical, local food systems, focusing on enriching the soil and providing nutritient dense produce.
Mick Dos Santos Mick is a passionate advocate for people-led change and ecosystem restoration. With an MSc in Nature Conservation from Wageningen University and an MA in Ecological Design Thinking from Schumacher College, his work combines scientific and design thinking principles. Since 2021, Mick has led the ERC Impact Monitoring Program to help track and improve the effectiveness of ERC initiatives. He also serves as a bridge between European initiatives and Restor.eco, connecting projects and people to amplify global restoration efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: I don’t have any experience with farming, does that matter? Can I still join the course? Answer: Yes you can. This course has been created for absolute beginners. It was designed to help ‘new entrants’, people who aren’t currently in the world of farming, to enter.
Question: I work full time. Is it possible for me to join the course? Will I have enough time? Answer: Yes, this course was designed to fit around people who are working full time. You will need 4 hours a week to watch the lesson lectures, attend Q+As that will require two hours of your time, from 7-9pm on Monday evenings. There are then some guiding questions for you to think about for each lesson that you can discuss with your fellow students in the online classroom, which are optional, but advised. And there will be additional reading that you can also do to enhance your understanding of the lesson subject matter, if you have the time.
Question: I really want to do the course, but I can’t attend one of the in person weekends due to a prior commitment. Is that a problem? Answer: This is a fairly common circumstance with these types of trainings. What we normally do is try our best to ensure that you can come to the same long weekend as part of the following year’s cohort. There is often someone who is happy to make notes about what we’ve learned together during the weekend that you aren’t present that they can share with you.
Question: I’m not able to attend the lessons every monday due to prior commitments. Can I still take the course? Answer: Yes you can! All of the lessons are recorded so you can catch up on your own time.
Question: I really want to take the course but I don’t have the full sum up front, can I pay with a payment plan? Answer: Yes you can, we will ask you to make monthly payments or a further payment, payment must be made in full 30 days before the course starts.
Question - For the in person sessions, I have my own campervan. Can I bring that rather than camping? Answer: Yes, we think this is a great idea.