‘Secrets Of The Soil’ Talk On November 20
The public is invited to hear Greg Wilson, founder of Food Forest Bermuda, during an Eco Lunch & Learn event by BEST and Bermuda College on Thursday, November 20.
A spokesperson said, “The community is invited to attend a free lecture on Thursday, November 20th, to learn more about the link between what we eat, how our food is grown, and our health. The lecture is a presentation of Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce and Bermuda College and marks the final lecture in their fall series for 2025.
“Greg Wilson is the founder of Food Forest Bermuda. He has been a cornerstone of Bermuda’s food and beverage industry for over 50 years. A trained chef and former owner of the renowned Greg’s Steakhouse, Greg has spent decades delighting the island with exceptional cuisine. Over the past four years, he has channeled his passion for food into sustainable agriculture, founding Food Forest Bermuda, a market garden dedicated to organic, regenerative farming.
“At Food Forest, Greg focuses on eliminating chemical inputs and producing nutrient-dense food that he calls ‘food as medicine.’ His work emphasizes the vital connection between soil health, plant vitality, and human well-being. Greg is a leading advocate for sustainable food systems, exploring how healthy soils can enhance food security, mitigate global warming, and restore balance to our environment.
“Through his presentations and workshops, including the acclaimed talk ‘Secrets of the Soil,’ Greg inspires communities to understand and respect the life beneath our feet and to embrace agriculture practices that benefit both people and planet.”
Amy Harvey, the Earth and Environmental Science Senior Lecturer at the Bermuda College, said, “Food security can be defined as having fair access to nutritious and affordable food. Living in Bermuda makes this very difficult when most of our food is imported, increasing the costs as well as impacting on the quality of the food due to the food miles that they must travel. As a small island nation, it is imperative that we can grow local, healthy foods.
“Food Forest is an amazing approach to farming as it focuses on the health of the soil. In order to be able to have high productivity you need good quality soils, the quality of which is under threat due to the imbalance of overpopulation and overconsumption. Ninety-five percent of world population growth is going to happen in less economically developed countries putting pressure on the land to feed these people.
“Typically, this represents the Global South. The majority of consumption happens in the Global North, putting pressure not just on their land, but on all countries that supply them with goods. Their ecological footprint is much larger than reported because of this. Bermuda is no different. We need to grow our food locally in a sustainable way to help reduce this expansive ecological footprint. We look forward to hearing more about this fantastic farming system and much needed approach to sustainable food sources by Greg Wilson, founder of Food Forest.”
Jennifer Flood, BEST Executive Officer, said, “WWF recently stated, ‘Soil is the earth’s fragile skin that anchors all life on Earth. It is comprised of countless species that create a dynamic and complex ecosystem and is among the most precious resources to humans.’
“Soil is foundational to life. Scientists warn that 24 billion tons of fertile soil is being lost per year, largely due to unsustainable agriculture practices. Many of these practices are also destroying the very necessary microbial life in the soil. A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of microbes and as many as 10,000 individual species; these enable plants to obtain the nutrients they need.
“As the plants become nutritionally deficient, humans eating them are also missing out on those all-important benefits. It is estimated that two billion of the global population are micronutrient deficient. Whilst the fruit and vegetables may look and taste fine, US studies have shown that since the 1950s, on average across 43 vegetables analysed, calcium content declined 16%, iron by 15%, phosphorus by 9%. Decreases in some vitamins and protein levels were also noted.
“More research is needed to fully understand the complex links between farming, nutrition, and human health, but any farming method that puts the health of soil at its heart – such as that used at Greg Wilson’s Food Forest – is to be greatly encouraged.”
The spokesperson said, “Join us for this informative presentation on Thursday, November 20th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, either in person at The Bermuda College, Athene Room H100, or streaming live online on Facebook and YouTube.
“A lively Q&A follows the presentation. Light refreshments will be served on a first come, first served basis. Please bring your own beverage.
“This lecture is kindly sponsored by Chubb.”
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