Coastal farming with David Eagle

Farm Walks

The Soil Association's brand new podcast, Farm Walks, gives a personal glimpse into farming in the UK. In episode two Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture at Soil Association, joins David Eagle from Devereux Farm to talk about coastal farming. David is a fourth-generation farmer from Kirby-le-Soken in Essex. His family have been farming here since the 1880s. Devereux Farm has a long-term threat from the rise in sea level due to its low-lying position next to the Walton Backwaters. To get around this challenge of coastal farming, in 2009, David decided to put himself right at the forefront of innovation by growing and processing sea buckthorn. This hardy, berry producing plant has the ability to survive extreme conditions, high or low temperatures and salty coastlines – it has also been known to fight soil erosion.