September Reflections at The Story Farms

As summer draws to a close, September feels like a time of both reflection and renewal. This year is especially meaningful for me as I approach my 50th birthday - a milestone that feels both exciting and daunting. It’s a moment to pause, to take stock of where we are, and to imagine the future we’re all shaping together.

This season, we’ve been blessed with long days of sunshine - a summer unlike any we’ve experienced for years. We’ve walked to Denny Island, swum in the clear waters, and embraced the invigorating contrast of sauna and cold dips. These simple, grounding experiences remind us of our connection to nature and the importance of wellbeing.

That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our next stage of the wellbeing journey here at the Valley - a community sauna by the lake. This space will be a sanctuary where visitors can slow down, recharge, and begin their own journeys of reconnection with themselves, with nature, and with the community around them.

Sign up here for more information - https://www.awebythelake.co.uk/.

We’re also proud to introduce the 1000 Year Forever Farm Foundation, an ambitious initiative to steward millions of acres of farmland regeneratively under the Foundation’s guidance. Our goal is to tell better stories about food — how it’s grown, who grows it, and how close it really is to your doorstep.

What if we don’t actually “own” the land, but steward it - leaving it in a better shape for the next generations? What if we could take land out of speculation and regenerate it for the next 1000 years?

Together with visionary, regenerative earth steward, Peter Michael Heilmann, Belgian (Elodie Vanden Avenne and Lana Hemelaere of RE:THRIVE) and Italian (Federico San Bonifacio and Massimiliano Miatton of Land Stewards Italy) farmers, land stewards and investors, we have been developing a promising, abundant and perpetual land stewardship and investment model, which can be implemented in other countries:

The 1000 Year Vision and Forever Farm Foundation.

I believe we can heal the soil and, in turn, the soil heals us.  I envisions turning not just the chew valley but the wider area into a thriving Bioregion. The Forever Farm Foundation, will protect the values, purpose and vision for the land and for current and future generations. It will also be able to raise catalytic, philanthropic and blended capital and to receive land donations.

In Belgium, RE:THRIVE is building a next-generation model—a Forever Fund rooted in regeneration, long-term stewardship and multi-generational value creation. Where others see land as an asset to trade, co-founders Elodie and Lana see it as a living ecosystem to restore, protect and pass on. “Land is not an object, but a responsibility. We manage it with care and pass it on more fertile than we received it. We don’t ask, ‘what’s the return in five years?’ but rather, ‘how do we leave this place better in 100 or 1000 years?’” Elodie and Lana aim at scaling RE:THRIVE to 1000+ hectares of land in Belgium and serving as a blueprint. Their structure ensures that land is never exploited for short-term gain, preferring to manage farmland as a living legacy, not a commodity.

With a long-term mind and heart set, Elodie and Lana are planning to establish a non-profit, forever farm foundation, safeguarding the RE:THRIVE mission beyond individuals or generations.

Meanwhile at the community farm this September the apples are abundant, the vegetables are bountiful, and our boxes are ready for delivery. We’d love you to become part of this movement by supporting local produce.

Join us every Saturday 9am– 2pm., at the Veg Shed to collect your boxes and explore the best of local food.

If you want meat deliveries - some of the finest 100% Partnership for Life beef and pork from Harris Green Farm, lovingly prepared by Butcher Jon Worsley and the Meatbox team order for home delivery - www.meatboxshop.com

Looking Ahead

Turning 50 reminds me that while life may feel halfway through, the journey of regeneration, connection, and community is only just beginning here in the Chew Valley. Thank you for walking this journey with us. To the next 50!

Regenerative Regards and gratitude.

Luke Hasell

Podcast of the month :- 

Zach Bush, MD Wants You To Let Go Of Your Story

Quote of the month :-

Lao Tzu: 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.'