Slow farming promotes small scale agricultural production. Looking to the North, farmers in the Arctic countries have been practising subsistence farming in harmony with indigenous landscapes for centuries. It is fundamental that we reduce food waste and focus on the quality and welfare of our food if we want to look after our planet and ourselves. The four key principles of slow farming are: the preservation of indigenous landscapes, the protection of biodiversity, the use of hand/traditional harvesting and the improvement of human knowledge.
Tillage methods can be carried out with minimal intervention to indigenous landscapes. The sowing of native and non invasive species can help to protect, maintain and enhance biodiversity. The studies of traditional methods can aid the sustainable reaping of grown and foraged produce. Then it is time to bring the harvest home.
Modern Slow Farming is not about the replication of historic farming practices but a contemporary interpretation of sustainable subsistence farming.
Sloe Town Farm is part of the School of Rural Studies proposed for Duddingston, Edinburgh, comprising of Duddingston Toun and Duddingston School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
The Farm offers a space for students to learn academic theory and practical farming techniques to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their farming practices. Modular individual rooms and communal spaces are provided for boarding students. The school connects the community and students through the production and sharing of slow produce.
