Nov 27, 2022
Forces of Nature is a talkshow miniseries featuring dynamic leaders from across food & environmental movements. Tune-in for a dose of optimism.
w/ host: Aaron Niederhelman
Benedikt Bösel is founder and CEO of Gut & Bösel, a 3,000 hectare ecological farm and land use research center east of Berlin, Germany. The site is quickly becoming an epicenter for the future of food & fiber production. It’s the whole ball of wax from regenerative food production practice, forestry management, savvy land use, stewardship initiatives, animal centric integration, and even a royal bed & breakfast to welcome new guests to the movement. It’s a gem of a spot and a big win for the EU Regen.
In 2016, Benedikt took over management of the land that’s been in his family for 300 years. He changed the operating system to farm and forest by improving the ecology. In just a few short years, Gut & Bösel has grown from a concept to now tabulating positive outcomes of systemic land use management trials. Brought together in Brandenburg, this epicenter will expand everyone’s capabilities to understand and to work smarter with natural systems.
Buy-in has been good. Agtech is woven into the fabric of this innovation hot-bed, and influential players from around the Brandenburg region, across Germany and throughout Europe have responded to Gut & Bösel with resounding support. In the blink of an eye, Benedikt has laid the foundation for a Stone Barns, EURO.
--- LAND USE PIONEER ---
Mitigating
climate change & biodiversity loss, staving off hunger &
malnutrition and even offering equal opportunities for all, at Gut
& Bösel they believe that land use is the key to addressing many
pressing problems. Through holistic pasture management, composting,
syntropic agroforestry and forest conversion, and even the
development of new software and technology – they’re working on
methods of multifunctional agriculture to build healthy, resilient
and thriving ecosystems.
The Brandenburg region has little precipitation and very sandy
soils. It’s a challenging place to farm. Benedikt came to Alt
Madlitz with a grand idea. Then drought came, and everything
changed. This forced him to innovate years before originally
planned. Benedikt doubled down on closing the nutrient cycling loop
of ecology to keep healthy production from his land. He’s weathered
that storm and now built resiliency.
Benedikt was named 2022 Farmer of the Year in Germany by the Federal Minister of Agriculture. The Gut & Bösel team was recently the subject of a six-part Disney+ miniseries titled ‘The Farm Experiment‘, which is expected to drop in 2023. The release of a book sharing more of the good, the bad and the journey to date is on the docket.
In ep. #113 we chat about the soon to begin World Cup 2022. You get some insight into Benedikt’s POV on global affairs, and where he believes change is going to come from. We also learn that despite being a German football fan at heart, it’s the NBA that gets Benedikt to kick back and have a few beers. In fact, it’s my hometown Boston Celtics may be his team. Go GREEN (C’s & The Planet). I’m pulling for team USA in Qatar, but no matter what happens I’m just excited to see the beautiful game played on its grandest stage. Despite all the problems that brings.