Short biography

Short biography

Born 3/3/47 Hardwick House, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

  • 1969 Royal Acadamy of Dramatic Art
  • 1975 Co-founder The Institute of Creative Development, Antwerp, Belgium.
  • 1975 Coverted 375 acre home farm (Hardwick Estate) to organic methods.
  • 1984-1998 Member of Soil Association Board
  • 1986 Winner of first Soil Association Food Award.
  • 1989/1997 Successfully fought-off two government attempts to ban of unpasteurised milk
  • 1989/90 Board member: United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards
  • 1994/5 BBC Agriculture and Rural Economy Advisory Committee
  • 1998-2001 Agriculture and Rural Economy Advisory Committe for the SE England Development Agency.
  • 2000 No 10 Policy Unit: Rural Economy advice sought.
  • 2000 – Co-director: International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside.
  • 2004 – Initiated ‘Camapign for a GMO Free Poland’
  • 2000 – Hardwick Estate’s forestry eneterprise accepted for Forest Stewardship Scheme.
  • 2007 “Letter from Poland” monthy series of 6 letters broadcast BBC Radio 4.
  • 2008 Completion of book “Changing Course – for Life” (UK publication Feb.2009)

Julian is one of the pioneers of UK organic farming, commencing the conversion of his farm in 1975. He joined the Soil Association board in 1984 and campaigned vigorously for the widespread introduction of organic farming methods at a time when this system was not known. Julian achieved notoriety when he brought a cow up to London (Hyde Park Festival of Farming) and demonstrated vociferously against a government attempt to ban unpasteurised milk.

Julian went on to develop his farm as a mixed organic enterprise selling all its main produce locally, while refusing to sell to supermarkets. He developed a theory of local production and consumption which he named “The Proximity Principle.” His advice has been sought by local authorites, development agencies and government.
Julian has written and broadcast extensively and has just completed a book “Changing Course – For Life”, about the radical changes needed to bring new hope to society. He started his career in drama, but took-on the Hardwick Estate (and Baronetcy) on the premature death of his brother and father in the late 1960s. He is an environmental activist and a defender of peasant and family farming traditions throughout the world.