Regenerative Farming
Our pastures are subtropical Kikuyu based. We are learning how to manage this grass in combination with Rye grass oversowing for the winter months to achieve the best possible utilisation by the cattle in a highly active rotation system. We are also using other species such as clovers, plantain, chicoree to vary the pastures and increase biological activity in the soil. No more super fertiliser here, just some lime every other year.
We are in an area of very high gusty winds for a lot of the year, and the provision of shelter belt for the cattle to improve their wellbeing is important.
We have started working with Landcare Illawarra to commence planting of local species and are approaching our first 1000 tubestock planted out. We greatly appreciate the expert help and provision of plant material from local seed stock through Landcare Illawarra. We also thank Local Land Services for assistance with a grant to fence off some areas from stock for this purpose.
We have been shown how to collect local rainforest seed and propagate our own trees for farm planting, and will be able to contribute a large proportion of our plantings from our own production over the next few years. We are getting rather passionate about this activity, and it will be fantastic to see many local rainforest species finding a home again on our land.
Local Land Services provide a contribution towards fencing stock out of creeks or existing stands of native vegetation. We took them up on it last year. LLS have made a short film about this featuring our farm, will post link when it is released!
