Transforming our farm from the soil up

Since the very first day we viewed our farm, November 2017, we've been keen to improve it. At first we didn't know just how bad it was! Seeing it in November was deceptive because it seemed so green. Not knowing a thing about pasture we assumed that was good. Right? But it was basically weeds, thistles, a bit of native grasses, some rye and reeds. Eight weeks later, the day we arrived to move in, it was brown and desolate. In just eight weeks! I couldn't believe it. You know that sinking feeling in your stomach when you think you've made a big mistake? That's what I had as we crested the hill and saw what was spread out before us. See the photo below.

 And so we began doing what ordinary people do when faced with a huge disappointment - we made a plan to fix it. We ploughed, we sprayed the weeds with toxic chemicals, we raked, we seeded and then we waited. Sure, the rye grass came up and it was green again. But that very soon returned to... this.

There had to be a better way! As we've mentioned in other posts and pages on this blog, we have been on an intense journey of learning and discovery for the past five years. And its led us to the type of farming we do now - biodynamic, organic, regenerative - call it what you will, but its essentially a 'back to nature' philosophy, not a specific methodology. We no longer spray fungicides. At all. Why destroy the mycorrizal network under the ground which supports all life? We no longer use any fertiliser. And this has saved ENORMOUS amounts of money. We no longer spray vast areas with horrible toxic weed killers, we chip thistles individually as we're walking around and pop a handful of seed in the hole, to outcompete the weeds. More information on this can be found here: https://crumbletonfarm.blogspot.com/p/fertilise-your-pasture-for-30-hectare.html

Below is the same paddock, three years later.

And now in 2022: