Brewing for Biodiversity – LEAP Recipient Brews Drinks that Change the World

One of the most exciting parts of the Loans for Enlightened Agriculture Programme (LEAP) is being able to support businesses that are experimenting with new ways of linking ecological restoration, food culture, and viable livelihoods, whilst producing food and drinks that taste amazing.

One such business is Old Tree Brewery, a fermentation project exploring what it means to make drinks rooted in landscapes rather than industrial supply chains. Through LEAP we have previously supported the business with investment and a social impact grant, and we are pleased to see them launching a new public crowdfunder to support the next stage of their work.

Their campaign, Drink the Seasons, sets out a vision that will be familiar to anyone engaged with agroecological food systems. Rather than relying on standardised ingredients moving through long distribution chains, Old Tree Brewery works with plants gathered from hedgerows, orchards and forest-garden systems, turning them into seasonal fermented drinks that reflect the landscape they come from. As Tom and Tai describe in their campaign:

“We’re making drinks from hedgerows, orchards and forest gardens — reconnecting fermentation with living landscapes.”

This approach sits comfortably within the broader values of the Real Farming Trust and LEAP: supporting enterprises that work with ecological cycles, build relationships between producers and communities, and demonstrate that good livelihoods can grow from regenerative land use.

The crowdfunder also supports a shift in how the brewery connects with its customers. Rather than relying primarily on wholesale markets, the team are developing a community-supported fermentation model, offering seasonal subscription boxes that allow people to experience new drinks shaped by the rhythms of the year. As they put it:

“The idea is simple: drink the seasons. A community-supported brewery where people experience new seasonal ferments as they emerge.”

We believe experiments like this matter, testing new economic models for small, mission-led enterprises — and help demonstrate how businesses can align ecological restoration, cultural creativity and financial resilience. If you would like to support Old Tree Brewery’s vision, you can learn more and contribute to the campaign via their crowdfunder.

If you run a small scale food or drink business and would like to know more about LEAP and would be interested in applying, you can find out more information, or go straight to submitting an expression of interest.