Inspiration from Lannock Farm’s Groundswell Festival 2025  

At this year’s Groundswell, nestled in the heart of North Hertfordshire, we saw firsthand what innovative farm diversification can look like, and we left inspired. Hosted at Lannock Farm, a working farm that has transformed into the UK’s leading regenerative agriculture festival venue, Groundswell is an example of how farmers can creatively and sustainably reimagine their land for new revenue streams. 

Held over two days, Groundswell 2025 (2nd – 3rd July) was much more than a farming event, it was a festival full of ideas, food, learning, and community. The site offered everything from glamping pods, live music, and a wood-fired sauna, to early morning yoga, food trucks, and the ever-popular Earthworm Arms bar. It’s a full sensory experience that goes far beyond your typical agricultural conference and crucially, it all takes place on a working farm, proving that commercial farming and events can coexist beautifully. 

 

Farming, Food and a Festival Feel 

Lannock Farm hasn’t just diversified, it’s built a whole ecosystem around the Groundswell brand. The farm offers a range of accommodation options, from self-camping to luxury glamping, complete with hot showers, loos, massages in the Zen Den, and even yoga sessions each morning. Attendees can dine on diverse offerings from dozens of food vendors, or spend the evening with live music and a DJ set from Groove Armada’s Andy Cato, encouraging networking in a vibrant, festival-style atmosphere. 

By opening up their farm to thousands of attendees, Lannock has successfully created a new identity: not just as food producers, but as educators, hosts and curators of one of the UK’s most progressive agricultural movements. Their ability to accommodate, entertain, and inspire is a reminder of how untapped the rural event market still is, especially when delivered with authenticity. 

 

Powerful Messages from the Main Stage 

Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and soil. Groundswell’s programming tackled the most urgent issues facing farming today. HRH Prince William made a surprise appearance, lending his voice to the ongoing fight to secure the future of British farming. Gabe Brown, one of the world’s most recognised regenerative farmers, spoke about the mindset shift needed to embrace soil health and biodiversity. Sessions on food security, education, and land use reform challenged the audience to reimagine what British farming should look like in the coming decades. 

There was also a strong educational component. Panels chaired by industry voices such as Henry Dimbleby and Tim Lang highlighted the urgency of embedding food and farming into school curriculums. A dedicated education stage spotlighted how outdoor learning and farm experiences can shape young minds and reinvigorate local communities. 

 

Lessons in Diversification 

For any farmer thinking about how to secure the future of their business, Lannock Farm’s example is full of useful lessons: 

• Value-added services: Whether it’s glamping, food concessions, or wellness experiences, the added value is where revenue can really grow. 

• Strong partnerships: Working with thought leaders, educators and even royalty has helped elevate the Groundswell brand, and by extension, the farm itself. 

With a thoughtful approach and a deep respect for both land and people, Lannock Farm has created a blueprint for rural diversification that other farmers can learn from. 

As farm businesses continue to adapt to changing agricultural policy, climate pressures, and consumer demand, this kind of reinvention offers not only financial sustainability but cultural relevance. And it all starts with a bold idea, a bit of infrastructure, and a willingness to say yes to something new. 

 

Inspired? Visit Groundswell to learn more about the festival. You can also join us at the Farm Business Innovation Show 2025, 5-6 November, where we’ll explore how farms across the UK are diversifying for profit and purpose. 

Claim your free Farm Business Innovation ticket