Lady Eve Balfour's ideas inspired the formation of the Soil Association in England with other farmers, scientists and nutritionists.

Eve Balfour was one of the first women to graduate at the University of Reading to with a degree in agriculture. She was later to be inspired by the work of Sir Albert Howard.

At 20 years of age she purchased the Young Bells farm in Haughley Green, Suffolk England and later farmed the neighbouring Wall Nut Tree Farm.

In 1939 she started the Haughley Experiment - the first study comparing conventional and natural farming methods. Eve funded the study with the proceeds of her magazine Mother Earth.

In 1943, she published The Living Soil, which drew together a large meeting of like minded people in the summer of 1945. This formed the roots of the Soil Association, in England, that was founded in 1946 with Lady Eve as the first president.