Roots so Deep by the Carbon Cowboys

Wow what an amazing two weeks. It was truly a privilege to take the Byck family - including ouma and two teenagers - and the Carbon Cowboys' Roots So Deep science documentary on a South African Roadshow.

Danie Slabbert, James Brodie, DF Fyver & Peter Byck @ the 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in Cape Town.

This incredible documentary cleverly blends the environmental and social impacts of industrial, high input farming on rural communities with the science involved in seeing if regenerative grazing does result in the ecosystem benefits that practitioners claim. It's been a 12 year journey for Peter Byck and the Carbon Cowboys, from inception to fund raising, scientific design, on farm experiments, a long wait, published scientific papers and finally the film in the can.

At the John Rupert Theatre in Graaff Reinet.

At the gatherings Peter showed parts 1 and 4 of the movie and then engaged with the audiences in the KZN Midlands, Bloemfontein and Graaff Reinet. Local farmers joined Peter on the stage to help with local questions and talk of their own experiences with regenerative grazing. Aside from the results of the science a highlight of the movie is the incredibly simple way the science of the soil-plant ecosystem is explained. It should be compulsory viewing in all high schools.

Along the way Peter got to visit his first South African regenerative farms. Aside from wonderful hospitality and home cooked meals, he got to witness ultra high density grazing on the mealie rests of the Eastern Free State with Danie Slabbert and a herd of 650 cattle on daily moves in the Karoo with James Brodie. At the showings Peter got to interact with many of South Africa's regenerative farmers and meet some of our scientists in Bloemfontein where UFS kindly hosted us.

Jamie Paulse and Peter Byck outside the Agricultural Faculty at the University of the Free State.

At the Michaelhouse Theatre in the KZN Midlands

The Roadshow ended at the 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture where leading scientist around the world and leading farmers, predominantly from South Africa, presented and discuss their experiences of Conservation and Regenerative Agriculture. Maybe I am biased but one of the highlights of of the Congress was Peter's presentation of the results of the Carbon Cowboys research.

The movie is a must for anyone involved in agriculture and in making decisions around food and agriculture - so everyone. Microbes run the world and until we include the soil-plant ecosystem into our decision making we are going to continue making the wrong decisions. The movie is also a real insight into farm life and although it is from half way round the world the people story resonates strongly with South African farmers.

The audience in Bloemfontein negotiated a special South African price for the documentary - Peter is biased his wife Chrisna is South African.
You can stream the 4 parts for R100 for a month on the Roots So Deepwebsite

https://rootssodeep.uscreen.io/programs/rsd_collection_sa

Above: Peter & Danie in Reitz. James and Peter in Graaf Reinet.

Bottom: Paul Collett, Peter Byck, William Biggs and James Brodie in Graaff Reinet.