Talks 2024

Helen Atthowe is the author of “The Ecological Farm: A Minimalist No-Till, No-Spray, Selective-Weeding, Grow-Your-Own-Fertilizer System for Organic Agriculture”. She has a master’s degree in horticulture from Rutgers University, and has worked for 35 years to develop ecological farming management strategies. She currently farms and does research on her new 5 acre farm in Western Montana. Previously, Helen and her late husband owned a 211 acre organic farm in Eastern Oregon experimenting with grow-your-own fertilizer and no-till orchard and vegetable production methods. Before this, Helen operated with her late husband their certified organic orchard in California where they pioneered no-till methods for raising apples, peaches, and other tree fruits without the use of any type of pesticides. Earlier, Helen also owned and operated a 30 acre certified organic vegetable and fruit farm in Montana.

In 2021, Armando Cruz moved from the USA to his childhood home in Portugal, and started a gardening and homesteading project called Horta Harmonia. The goal is to promote biodiversity, conserve and be immersed in nature, and achieve food and seed sovereignty. Armando has revitalized the soil by creating compost from local materials and is now growing the majority of his own food.

Cathy Graf originally learned about agriculture from her aunts and uncles in Cameroon, and then completed a Masters Degree in Quality, Safety, and the Environment. She is now based in Switzerland, where she is the head of processing at the Ferme du Château for products such as pasta and sorghum syrup. She has also been involved in vegan agriculture projects in Africa. Cathy seeks to show people the value of traditional African crops, such as manioc, peanuts, yams, and sweet potato leaves.

Bruno Graf has been active on his family farm in Switzerland since 1997 and he began operating the farm himself in 2014. The farm, Ferme du Château, is Certified Organic through Bio Suisse, and uses veganic methods. Bruno trained as an agronomist in organic agriculture and horticulture. He has also undertaken international projects in veganic agriculture in both Africa and Jamaica.

AC has been at The Vegan Society since 2007 and is Policy & Research Advisor (Policy@VeganSociety.com). AC helped launch ‘Grow Green‘ for the Plant-Based Transition in Biosphere Management over 10 years ago. AC is a veganic gardener in England, growing mostly hardy legumes, soft fruit, and greens. AC helped transition 5 acres of sheep paddock in Scotland to a semi-natural managed stock-free woodland for coppice & horticulture agroforestry. AC ensures The Vegan Society responds to relevant public consultations – from international UN FAO level, to nation-level NGOs – and gives technical advice, including on biosphere management and climate change, to colleagues.

Alistair is the Public Affairs and Policy Manager at The Vegan Society (Policy@VeganSociety.com), joining the team in July 2024. A vegan for more than 30 years, he progressed from local animal rights activism to professional campaigning for, among others, Cruelty-Free International, PETA UK and Viva!. His role at The Vegan Society involves campaigning and lobbying for policy changes which promote and enable people to adopt and maintain veganism. He is also responsible for the society’s Grown Green campaign, supporting the transition from livestock farming to plant-based diets and agriculture.

Ellen Mary is a veganic grower on her allotment in the UK and has authored two books: The Joy of Gardening and How to Grow a Garden. Ellen Mary has appeared on TV, speaks and hosts at horticultural shows, runs a nature therapy company People Plants Wellbeing, and co-hosts the award winning Plant Based Podcast. The goal is to run a veganic flower and food farm in North Carolina where she lives for part of the year.