Tristan Leslie
Regenerative Farm Technician FAI Farms, Trainer - Soilmentor, Contractor - R&T Fencing
Location
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Why I joined EmGen
I went to the first Emergent Generation event in 2022 when I had started out in my interest in regenerative agriculture. I knew I wanted to pursue this, but felt like an imposter and didn’t know what my next steps would be because all of my peers in this field were at least 10 years older than me. I wanted to meet people my age, at the same point in their career development and thought process, and see how they were navigating the scene.
Interests
Regenerative farming
Soil health and ecosystem services
Landscape management.
Landscape history and social history
Livestock fencing
Knowledge signposts
🙋♀️ Clare Hill and Caroline Grindrod - two hugely knowledgeable and passionate people
📌 FAI Farms Oxfordshire - very interesting and effective regen transition case study
🙋♂️Guy Martin - work ethic and enthusiasm for life
📚 Dirt to Soil - Gabe Brown - a great first insight into regen ag.
Educational/training highlights
Geography BSc (2018) - University of Nottingham
Roots of Nature (2022)- Grazing School (Caroline Grindrod)
Soil Health Key Principles (2023) - Niels Corfield
Roots to Regeneration (2024) - Clare Hill and Caroline Grindrod
The best learning for me has been through hands-on experience and meeting people. I have always gained a lot from trying new things, especially if I’m not sure how to do them! And always ask questions.
How I can support other members
I have a lot of connections across the country that I can signpost people to. I believe that exploring connections and gaining experience are a huge help in career development and I can help to facilitate this. I am also very good at proofreading and refining job applications and interview prep.
My next steps
I need to get better at planning and managing a small business. I want to improve my knowledge around arable farming.