Hands in the Soil: A Day of Learning, Ladders & Living Systems Workshop Recap

Hands in the Soil: A Day of Learning, Ladders & Living Systems

Workshop Recap – Saturday 22 March at the Farm

This past Saturday, our farm came alive with the buzz of learning, laughter, and loppers! We hosted a hands-on workshop that dove deep into the principles of syntropic farming, with a strong focus on succession planting, strata layers, chop and drop, and the magic of biomass. It was a full day of action, connection, and plenty of practical skills you can take home and apply right away.

Succession & Strata: Farming with Nature’s Blueprint

We kicked off with a look at succession planting and the importance of understanding how plant communities evolve over time. We explored how different plants occupy different roles in the ecosystem - from short-lived pioneers to long-term climax species and how we can work with those natural patterns to build resilient, self-renewing systems.

We broke down the concept of strata layers, learning how to identify what plants belong in each layer - emergents, high, medium, low, and ground cover - and how to stack them effectively in our designs. Seeing it in action helped it click: it’s not just about what you plant, but where and when.

Chop & Drop + Biomass = Fertility on Tap

One of the most exciting parts of the day was getting hands-on with chop and drop techniques. Participants learned how to manage pioneer species - including when and how to prune using ladders safely - and how those prunings become a gift to the soil. We talked about the critical role of biomass in syntropic systems and identified the different types: green, woody, nitrogen-rich, carbon-dense and how to layer them to feed the soil biology and protect the ground.

Support Planting: Working Together to Thrive

Support species were a hot topic too. We discussed their role in fixing nitrogen, providing shade, breaking up compacted soils, and rapidly producing biomass. Watching these species not just survive but serve the system was a powerful takeaway for many.

Seed Bombs & Syntropic Guerilla Gardening

A fun and slightly cheeky part of the day was learning about seed bombs - how to make them, where to sow them, and what species work best. Whether it’s revegetation, cover cropping, or encouraging pollinators, seed bombs are a playful yet powerful way to spread abundance.

Lunch, Laughter & Shared Stories

At lunch time we gathered for a beautiful shared lunch. It was a chance to rest our hands and open our hearts - sharing stories from our own properties, what we’ve been experimenting with, what’s working (and what’s not), and what each of us hoped to carry home from the workshop. The sense of community was strong, and it was a joy to see ideas cross-pollinate across plates and projects.

Wrapping Up with Gratitude

By the end of the day, boots were dusty, hands were full of cuttings and notes, and minds were buzzing with inspiration. It was a full, vibrant, and deeply connected experience - the kind of day that reminds us why we do this work, and how much power there is in learning together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, brought their curiosity, their questions, and their stories. Let’s keep growing -  for the soil, for the future, and for each other.