Fieldnote: Da Byw 2025

At the start of June, we made our way to the idyllic setting of North Wales for the annual Da Byw conference. This was our second year supporting the event, which is growing with each iteration.

The first day of the conference had a stellar lineup of speakers, starting with a keynote from Allen Williams, who spoke about the many benefits of regenerative agriculture and the evidence for this from the ‘Roots so Deep’ research. We heard all about how increased soil fungi leads to increased species diversity, how regenerative farms can be powerful greenhouse gas sinks, and how soil and species diversity builds nutrient density in food.

Other talks included a political panel, a feature on time management from Michael Blanche, and a talk from Coed Coch’s very own farm manager, Rhys Williams.

The standout from the conference was a panel of farmers, both local and from further afield, discussing their journeys into regenerative agriculture. All those on the panel were at different stages in their journeys, giving raw and honest insights into their biggest challenges, learnings and joys from shifting their farming systems.

What sets Da Byw apart from many other conferences is the focus on practical examples. The conference itself featured a series of demonstrations on the farm, looking at soil structure and infiltration rates.