Creating Community — Digging In | UK Column Interviews
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In this compelling episode of UK Column News, host Charles Mallett interviews Susan Humphrey, a key figure in a grassroots community land project in Derbyshire, UK. The project, initiated during the pandemic by 48 like-minded individuals, centers on sustainable food production, shared ownership of two acres of land, and the creation of a resilient, self-reliant community. Susan recounts how the idea emerged from a shared sense of urgency during lockdown, fueled by distrust in centralized systems and a desire to reclaim autonomy over food, land, and daily life. She details the practical realities of the project—chickens, polytunnels, compost toilets, communal decision-making via Telegram, and regular working weekends—while emphasizing the emotional and spiritual rewards of collective action. The conversation also explores broader themes: the failure of government 'levelling up' promises, the radicalization of public discourse, and the importance of maintaining relationships despite ideological differences. Susan’s journey—from volunteering at a biodynamic farm to co-founding a community land project—illustrates a powerful model of decentralized resilience, rooted in trust, adaptability, and intergenerational wisdom.
Community resilience begins not with grand plans, but with small, committed groups of 8–10 people starting with just one acre of land.
Shared ownership of land fosters autonomy, reduces reliance on fragile supply chains, and creates a space for real community-building.
Decision-making works best when it’s inclusive, transparent, and anchored in regular, voluntary participation—not top-down mandates.
Learning happens through doing: practical skills like composting, no-dig gardening, and water management are acquired collectively, not from textbooks.
Maintaining relationships across ideological divides is essential—true community isn’t about agreement, but about mutual respect and shared purpose.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introducing the Community Land Project
“We have chickens, seven chickens. We have some ducklings that are just about to arrive. We have a compost toilet. We have two or three sheds. One is in the process of being reconstructed because it's been brought from somewhere else to the land.”
Origins in Lockdown: From Fear to Action
“I was terrified, really, because I think I said I just thought that this was it. You know, I thought we're living in an age now where they've got electronic systems so well organized that anybody that wants to take over the world can do it.”
The 70-Person Meeting and the £1,000 Commitment
The group’s pivotal moment came when 70 people met in a hotel in Ripley, Derbyshire, to formalize the project, with 48 committing £1,000 each to secure land and begin development.
Learning from the Land: Biodynamics and Practical Wisdom
“It's not really me—it's these six to eight that come every very often really. I mean, two of them in particular... a couple I don't think really he'd done very much gardening before at all.”
Beyond Food: Community, Spirituality, and Resistance
“I sort of thought, if we'd listened to our grandparents more than the history lessons at school, you know, and the politicians, we perhaps would have been in a better place.”
“I think people will grasp and because when we trace it back, you know, what's brought you to this point? If I don't want to put words in your mouth, but essentially 2020 for almost everybody represented a complete loss of control over their lives.”
“I was terrified, really, because I think I said I just thought that this was it. You know, I thought we're living in an age now where they've got electronic systems so well organized that anybody that wants to take over the world can do it.”
“Kimberley was given six and a half million pounds... for bonkers things really. One of it was to Victorianise the high street which is already Victorian.”
Host
Guest
Susan Humphrey
person
Charles Mallett
person
UK Column
organization
Derbyshire
place
UK Column News
media
biodynamic farm
organization
Boris Johnson
person
Levelling Up
other
Telegram
other
Benelley Viaduct
place
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