Geoff Holder

I live in Craswall, in the Black Mountains above Hay-on-Wye, where the weather often arrives sideways and the sheep outnumber the people. I grew up in Herefordshire and have spent much of my life on the edges of farming – close enough to feel at home in muddy boots but also in that space where local life meets global change. My day job in the charity sector has taken me to places like Uganda and Mozambique, where I’ve worked with smallholder farmers doing their best to adapt to a changing climate, unpredictable markets and new technologies. A lot of what I do is simply listening, to farmers who are innovating every day and to communities holding tightly to land that has shaped their lives for generations. Back at home, I serve as a part-time volunteer curate in the Church of England across the scattered parishes of the Black Mountains. During my ordination training, I was keen to do a placement with Borderlands Rural Chaplaincy. What began as something I needed to do quickly became something I genuinely love. I’m now working with the team to start a Butty Van for the Black Mountains and Golden Valley area. I love that something as simple as a kettle on, a bacon butty and a friendly chat can create space for farmers, neighbours and whoever else passes by, to find a bit of welcoming company. I love that there are no expectations; that we can all turn up to a familiar setting in our muddy boots and simply catch our breath... And somewhere in all this I also rear a small herd of pasture-fed pigs. They keep me grounded and give me plenty of excuses to get outdoors. In my experience, there’s not much better than an escaped piglet to keep you humble.