In his book, Tir, the author Carwyn Graves makes the case for the Welsh having a special relationship with our land. He argues (convincingly) for his “deeply held conviction that the land and its people are inextricably intertwined.”
In Montgomeryshire and the Borders, we see this all around us. And it‘s not only on our own turf that the land – what it means; how we grow our food; how we look after it; how we can enjoy it and pass it on to future generations – is a hot topic of debate.
Not surprising, then, that Monty Lit Fest’s sessions that dive right into these debates are perennially popular in a place where they have very real and immediate resonance. And we’re delighted to continue the tradition this year with a host of top authors sharing their expertise and thinking.
Carwyn Graves is back, this time to talk about his new book, Cynefin, which builds on his argument in Tir by exploring how humans have built and expressed that relationship with the land through centuries of poetry. In conversation with another Festival favourite, Sioned Wiliam, he’ll be asking: what are the lessons for how we live with our land in the future?
As a tenant farmer, ex-President of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), a member of the House of Lords and leader of the Government’s Farming Profitability Review, Minette Batters has a ringside seat when it comes to agricultural practice and policy. She’ll be talking about her new book, Harvest, sure to be a fascinating insight into her unique perspective on the future of farming in the UK.
Tom Heap will be familiar to many of you, especially for his work on BBC’s Countryfile. So, this is great opportunity to meet him in person as he tells us about his book, Landsmart, his own take on how we can make the most of our land at a time when humanity’s needs – for fuel and housing as well as food – keep growing.
It’s also important to acknowledge that debates about our landscape are not all about the big picture. There are so many ways that we can protect and nurture our land that may seem small-scale – but can collectively have a huge impact. That’s why we’re delighted that hedgelayer and conservationist Richard Negus will be with us to talk about his very special art and its impact. Words from the Hedge is a fine book and this promises to be a fine session too.
Minette, Tom and Richard will be in conversation with another Monty Lit Fest regular, Adam Bedford.
If fiction is your thing, look no further than Elizabeth O’Connor’s Whale Fall or Myfanwy Alexander’s Cath Fenthyg, both deeply rooted in a sense of place, with the landscape acting almost as one of the books’ characters.
With other sessions about our local river, the Hafren (Severn) and the chance to play seed detective with Adam Alexander, our land and landscape, food and farming with all their challenges and glories are certainly up front and centre at this year’s Festival.
It looks like Carwyn Graves might be right about our fates being inextricably linked.
Tickets for all sessions are available online or in person from The Montgomery Bookshop or Ivy House Café in Montgomery.