Roots to Resilience: Putting ambition into action

When George Goring took on sole responsibility for managing his family farm, Roots to Resilience gave him extra skills to make the most of his opportunity.

George Goring is a fifth-generation farmer, but three years ago he found himself making a fresh start of sorts. Changes on his Herefordshire farm saw George stepping into a more prominent leadership role.

"It was the first time for me taking on the sole management of the farming business – and all the challenges that go with that."

Now, with 250 acres of arable land, along with 200 acres for grass leys and permanent pasture, and not forgetting 300 ewes and 30 pedigree Hereford suckler cows, George had greater responsibilities, but also greater opportunities.

New business skills

As George set about exploring the new potential of his business, he discovered the support of Roots to Resilience.

After hearing about the programme online, and knowing someone else who was attending, he saw it as a chance to refocus in the face of fresh challenges and opportunities.

"I think farmers have got to look at new ways of making an income, but at the same time producing quality food, while reducing our reliance on fertilisers and chemicals."

A new outlook

George found himself "questioning every financial decision" at the four-day workshop with Dallas Mount – the US expert who’s helped thousands of farmers build profitable, environmentally friendly businesses.

Inspired by the programme’s commitment to clarity, George was able to step outside the bubble of day-to-day working and see exactly where he could reduce costs and grow the business.

He was asking himself, "Why are we doing it? Is the money better invested somewhere else? What's the return on investment looking like?"

A shared experience

"Everybody on the course was progressive," says George. At Roots to Resilience, he shared his experience with other farmers as they workshopped challenges.

 For a few days, the course made a welcome change from the relative isolation of the farm.

“It was interesting finding out what people did and how they were doing it.”

People who 'get it'

Community is another key value of Roots to Resilience, and these connections gave George the chance to talk openly and honestly about the challenges of farming with people who just 'get it'.

"It was a safe space, and you felt you could offload to people and discuss issues without it being your neighbour or immediate farming community."

A confident future

George is adamant that Roots to Resilience "made things a lot clearer in my head on the direction we were going".

Working alongside his mother, he’s now forging ahead with his plans for a more efficient, sustainable operation. That includes rotational grazing and herbal leys to enhance the soil structure, as well as bale grazing to cut winter housing costs for his cattle.

Diversification is on the cards too, with plans to convert former potato stores into industrial units and other property into holiday lets.

George always had a clear vision of his farm’s future.

“I like looking into new things,” he says. And while he admits that “things are only going to get tougher within the industry”, Roots to Resilience has given him more confidence to realise his ambitions.