Lady Eve Balfour
Encyclopedia
Lady Evelyn Barbara "Eve" Balfour (1899-1990) was an English
farmer, educator, organic farming
pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement
. She was one of the first women to study agriculture at an English university, graduating from the University of Reading
.
The daughter of the second Earl of Balfour
, she began farming in 1920, in Haughley Green
, Suffolk
, England
. In 1939, with her friend and neighbor Ryan Nelson, she launched the Haughley Experiment
, the first long-term, side-by-side scientific comparison of organic and chemical-based farming.
In 1943, she published the organics classic, The Living Soil
, a book combining her research with the initial findings at Haughley. She then started a series of lectures and talks based around farmers markets and cattle sales, often joined in Wales
by Dinah Williams, who founded the first organic dairy farm that today is the feed farm for Rachel's Organic
dairy produce.
In 1946, she co-founded and became the first president of the Soil Association
, an international organization claiming to promote sustainable agriculture
(and the main organic farming
association in the UK
today). She continued to farm, write and lecture for the rest of her life.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
farmer, educator, organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement
Organic movement
The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic farming, which is a more sustainable mode of agriculture...
. She was one of the first women to study agriculture at an English university, graduating from the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
.
The daughter of the second Earl of Balfour
Gerald Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour
Gerald William Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour PC , known as Gerald Balfour until 1930, was a British nobleman and Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
, she began farming in 1920, in Haughley Green
Haughley Green
Haughley Green is a village in Suffolk, England, four miles from Stowmarket. It was the location of the Haughley Experiment, the first scientific study comparing organic farming and modern chemical-based farming....
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1939, with her friend and neighbor Ryan Nelson, she launched the Haughley Experiment
Haughley Experiment
The Haughley Experiment was the first scientific comparative study of organic farming and conventional chemical-based farming, started in 1939 by Lady Eve Balfour and Alice Debenham, on two adjoining farms in Haughley Green, Suffolk, England....
, the first long-term, side-by-side scientific comparison of organic and chemical-based farming.
In 1943, she published the organics classic, The Living Soil
The Living Soil
The Living Soil by Lady Eve Balfour is considered a seminal classic in organic agriculture and the organic movement. The book is based on Balfour's agricultural and medical research, and the initial findings of the first three years of the Haughley Experiment, the first scientific, side-by-side...
, a book combining her research with the initial findings at Haughley. She then started a series of lectures and talks based around farmers markets and cattle sales, often joined in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
by Dinah Williams, who founded the first organic dairy farm that today is the feed farm for Rachel's Organic
Rachel's Organic
Rachel's is an organic dairy products company based in Aberystwyth, Wales. Founded by local farmers but now a subsidiary of French company Lactalis, it was United Kingdom's first certified organic dairy.-Background:...
dairy produce.
In 1946, she co-founded and became the first president of the Soil Association
Soil Association
The Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...
, an international organization claiming to promote sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...
(and the main organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
association in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
today). She continued to farm, write and lecture for the rest of her life.