ABSTRACT
Intuition is an immediate and possibly inevitable part of decision-making, providing additional, often accurate information to complement analytical or logical processes. Research reveals that many farmers rely on intuition for practical decisions, often preferring it to technology-based decision support tools. There are many definitions of intuition and, partly because of this, the exact mechanisms involved remain unclear, or disputed. When it comes to working with nature, however, it seems to play a role in interspecies (or intuitive) communication with the other-than-human. Agricultural science has overlooked this phenomenon, despite growing evidence to support its practice and utility. This chapter explores the practical benefits of intuitive farming and presents two examples from ongoing research by the author that aims to provide evidence for this. This chapter also explores the methods available for developing intuition, which suggest that personal development is crucial, including an increased awareness of one’s emotional triggers and the willingness to self-critique. This transformation of the farmer through the development of intuition, and the search for inner knowing, may help transform mainstream agriculture to more regenerative practices.
