Caring for the Land: Our One Block Challenge
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Caring for our Land: The Walsingham Estate Vineyard’s One Block Challenge
You may well have heard the term regenerative farming. It means farming in a way that gives back to the soil rather than taking from it.
The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation runs a global initiative called the One Block Challenge. Participating vineyards pick a block of vines, measure the soil and biodiversity, apply a core set of regenerative practices for a season, and measure again at the end. Growers meet through the year to compare results. The scheme launched in California in January 2025 and now runs in vineyards across the UK.
The Challenge sets three required practices. Plant a diverse cover crop between the vine rows. Minimise or eliminate synthetic chemicals under the vines. Keep tillage to a minimum. We are doing all three.
There is also an encouraged list, including integrating animals. In January a flock of sheep grazed between our rows.
Before we changed anything, we took baseline measurements. Soil compaction. Water infiltration after rain. Earthworms in a spadeful of earth. A visual count of insects and other wildlife in the block. We will repeat these tests at the end of the season and compare.
You can find out more about regenerative viticulture at regenerativeviticulture.org and read about the One Block Challenge on WineGB.