Video & Film

Meet Rohan and Fiona Morris. Exposed to the environmental implications of conventional farming on Rohan’s family farm, the benefits of organic farming on their health, and the challenges of accessing fresh food in rural areas, Fiona and Rohan decided to grow their own healthy food for their family and local community.

The first year on their new farm was ‘extremely lush and beautiful’. They started with holistic management planning using organic, intensive, multispecies rotational grazing principles that incorporated pigs, chickens, cattle, goats and then sheep. But in their second year, a devastating drought hit. Rohan and Fiona navigated the drought using holistic management planning (intensive rotational-grazing management techniques), as well as support of their customer community and their close group of regenerative farming families. Towards the end of the drought, Fiona and Rohan introduced Natural Sequence Farming works on their property to rehydrate the landscape, and multispecies pasture cropping to improve herd health; and they are impressed with the effect on their land in the last two years.

It was during the drought, having experienced the challenges of marketing and farmers markets, that they made a successful transition to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, which was bolstered by their on-farm sales and on-farm camping. They found that once visitors saw the farm, they often asked to join the CSA and were keen to remain connected to the farm.

Looking to the future, Rohan and Fiona are building an abattoir and butchery on their property, as well as seeking to grow their agro-ecological tourism enterprises.

Read more about the Morrises' story: www.soilsforlife.or.au/gleneden

#regenerativefarming, #regenerativeagriculture, #regenag #australianagriculture, #biodiversity, #biologicalfarming, #soil, #soilhealth, #soilscience

22 0

Meet Rohan and Fiona Morris. Exposed to the environmental implications of conventional farming on Rohan’s family farm, the benefits of organic farming on their health, and the challenges of accessing fresh food in rural areas, Fiona and Rohan decided to grow their own healthy food for their family and local community.

The first year on their new farm was ‘extremely lush and beautiful’. They started with holistic management planning using organic, intensive, multispecies rotational grazing principles that incorporated pigs, chickens, cattle, goats and then sheep. But in their second year, a devastating drought hit. Rohan and Fiona navigated the drought using holistic management planning (intensive rotational-grazing management techniques), as well as support of their customer community and their close group of regenerative farming families. Towards the end of the drought, Fiona and Rohan introduced Natural Sequence Farming works on their property to rehydrate the landscape, and multispecies pasture cropping to improve herd health; and they are impressed with the effect on their land in the last two years.

It was during the drought, having experienced the challenges of marketing and farmers markets, that they made a successful transition to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, which was bolstered by their on-farm sales and on-farm camping. They found that once visitors saw the farm, they often asked to join the CSA and were keen to remain connected to the farm.

Looking to the future, Rohan and Fiona are building an abattoir and butchery on their property, as well as seeking to grow their agro-ecological tourism enterprises.

Read more about the Morrises' story: www.soilsforlife.or.au/gleneden

#regenerativefarming, #regenerativeagriculture, #regenag #australianagriculture, #biodiversity, #biologicalfarming, #soil, #soilhealth, #soilscience

16 1

Hear from Luke Winder at Tathra Place Free Range in Taralga, NSW as he talks to Sarah Fea from Soils for Life about the landscape, soils and biology on his farm.

Luke, together with his family and team, have managed the farm using biological and regenerative methods.

From early on their goal has been to ‘feed as many human beings nutrient-dense, chemical-free, ethical, free-range, hormone- and antibiotic-free food as possible’ as a result of continually healing and strengthening the health of the soils and the landscape.

For agriculture to transition at-scale towards practices of regenerating the landscape, Luke believes it is essential to prove that this way of farming is financially viable, including being able to start with a small budget.

Read more about Luke's story: www.soilsforlife.or.au/tathra

00:00:00 - "What was this paddock like when you first started and how did you improve it?
00:00:44" - "What are some of the changes in soil and landscape that Luke and Sarah are observing?
00:01:43 - "What kind of soil testing is Soils for Life undertaking on Luke's property?"
00:02:22 - "Why is Luke excited about these soils tests?"

#regenerativefarming #regenerativeagriculture #regenag #australianagriculture #biodiversity #biologicalfarming #soil #soilhealth #soilscience

5 0

Meet Harriet Finlayson, a young Australian farmer. Harriet developed her enterprise on land owned by her parents, and is working through questions facing young farmers, such as access to capital, learning pathways and peer support.

Harriet lives and works on the NSW rangelands property Bokhara Plains with her parents, Graham and Cathy Finlayson. A couple of years ago, Harriet returned home to support her parents’ beef enterprise, as well as develop her own poultry enterprises. Beginning in the COVID-19 lockdown, Harriet is learning about various types of poultry – chickens, ducks, turkeys – by starting small and slow. Her ultimate goal is to focus on chicken and duck meat, but while she gets started, she is selling the eggs.

Harriet is practicing 'regeneratively pasture-raising chickens', as distinct from ‘pasture-raising chickens’. A regenerative mindset means viewing the chickens for what they can bring back to the land, which then changes how the chooks are managed. For example, pasture-raised chickens might stay in the same paddocks for long periods, which would lead to nutrient overload, bare patches and unproductive soil. However, regenerative chicken enterprises are moved strategically to enhance the landscape, soil, and regeneration of native species where possible. Simply stated by Adam, ‘chickens regenerate when managed, but otherwise they don't. A regenerative mindset allows you to get that benefit from the chickens.’

Read more about Harriet's story: www.soilsforlife.org.au/young-and-new-chicken-farmers/

#regenerativefarming, #regenerativeagriculture, #regenag, #australianagriculture, #biodiversity, #biologicalfarming, #soil, #soilhealth, #soilscience

8 0

Meet Harriet Finlayson, a young Australian farmer. Harriet developed her enterprise on land owned by her parents, and is working through questions facing young farmers, such as access to capital, learning pathways and peer support.

Harriet lives and works on the NSW rangelands property Bokhara Plains with her parents, Graham and Cathy Finlayson. A couple of years ago, Harriet returned home to support her parents’ beef enterprise, as well as develop her own poultry enterprises. Beginning in the COVID-19 lockdown, Harriet is learning about various types of poultry – chickens, ducks, turkeys – by starting small and slow. Her ultimate goal is to focus on chicken and duck meat, but while she gets started, she is selling the eggs.

Harriet is practicing 'regeneratively pasture-raising chickens', as distinct from ‘pasture-raising chickens’. A regenerative mindset means viewing the chickens for what they can bring back to the land, which then changes how the chooks are managed. For example, pasture-raised chickens might stay in the same paddocks for long periods, which would lead to nutrient overload, bare patches and unproductive soil. However, regenerative chicken enterprises are moved strategically to enhance the landscape, soil, and regeneration of native species where possible. Simply stated by Adam, ‘chickens regenerate when managed, but otherwise they don't. A regenerative mindset allows you to get that benefit from the chickens.’

Read more about Harriet's story: www.soilsforlife.org.au/young-and-new-chicken-farmers/

#regenerativefarming, #regenerativeagriculture, #regenag, #australianagriculture, #biodiversity, #biologicalfarming, #soil, #soilhealth, #soilscience

11 0

Meet John and Carol, the owners of Amberly Farm. The farm is a model for what can be achieved on small acreage. Through their journey, the Lilleymans have brought greater financial security to their farming business by aligning their farming enterprises with the changing climate and investing in the ecology of the natural environment, on which all our farming ventures depend.

The Lilleyman family moved into farming ten years ago when they took over Amberly Farm in the ACT. The previous owner’s beef cattle operation was based on set stocking and rainwater-fed dams for stock drinking water.

Continuing the beef business with very limited farming experience presented a steep learning curve for the Lilleymans, and their story shows how easy it could have been to get swept up in the typical starting journey of farming. However, a benefit of being new to farming is that they could see everything with fresh eyes and question all assumptions. Since that beginning, they have developed three core principles that drive their decision-making:

1. Our climate is unreliable, particularly in providing adequate rainfall, so we must adapt and be open to finding new enterprises that fit better and evolve with our changing climate into the future
2. Looking after the natural environment is, in fact, highly aligned with looking after our business interests, particularly viewed in the medium to long term
3. Connecting with our local community both through land-care projects and produce sales brings multiple benefits – including better business outcomes.

#regenerativefarming #regenerativeagriculture #regenag #australianagriculture #biodiversity #biologicalfarming #soil #soilhealth #soilscience

11 1

Hear from Rebecca Gorman about the practices they are using to repair the soils and landscapes at their farming property Yabtree West. And read the full case study at www.soilsforlife.org.au/yabtree-west/

37 2

Hear from Michael and Ellie Gooden about the practices they are using to repair the soils and landscapes at their farming property Willowlee. And read the full case study at www.soilsforlife.org.au/willowlee/

28 5

32 1