I predict a lot of our children are going to make their careers working in with nature, and with producing our food.
I believe they’ll have easy access to the information and skills necessary to meet the challenges ahead, and that they’ll make a good living doing it. Ie, they’ll be profitable.
And I believe it’s going to be brilliant for their health, well-being and our planet.
But just recently I was talking to a gentleman here whose wife was telling him she’d love if they could buy their own little farm. But he said “It’s just so much work”.
It stopped me in my tracks. And made me want to write this note to you!
This doesn’t feel like work. This feels like living :)
And I’ve noticed most of the children I meet feel the same way.
Making a living on a farm these days, isn’t the same as it has been for the last few generations.
After World War II the priority was “to Feed the World” - which meant “make cheap food”.
But it’s become evident that cheap food isn’t nutritious and is causing problems with our health and the environment.
And here in Braidwood, I feel like I have a front row seat seeing how the farming industry is changing. There are more families moving to the area with the desire to produce food, without having to leave their own careers (and established income streams), thanks to the internet.
And there are many established farmers who are interested in, and have the resources behind them, to try new things. Diversifing.
I’m seeing many people using holistic grazing to manage their pastures - and now virtual fencing is making that easier every day.
I see the government departments supporting farmers, with business coaching, freely given information, and grants for projects that will prepare us for disasters ahead. And they’re working on de-centralising our food system.
And they’re lifting red-tape/passing new legislation to make it easier for the next generations to stay on the family farm.
I also see Robot Harvesters and Robot Weeders being experimented with, and different farming systems that include trees, grazing animals and crops all included together. Polycultures instead of Monocultures
And I’m also seeing how easy it is to sell on-line.
If farming is something you or your children are interested in, and you’d like a little taste of it to find out more, please come and visit :)
Walk the paddocks, meet the farm animals, watch the wild animals, pick some food and snack on it, breathe the fresh air, and ask any questions you can think of.
We’d love to help you enjoy this lifestyle/career too!
We’re here 7 days a week, and our Cafe’s open from 7.30 am to 7 pm.
There’s no entry fee, and you’re welcome to head out on a self-guided tour and join in our Wildlife Photo Competition (7 photos of wild animals at Saddle Camp for a prize).
Or you might choose to:
If you’d like more resources to give you a better picture of what I’m seeing unfolding - try these:
You Can Farm, written by Joel Salatin
Down To Earth, Netflix Series by Zac Effron
Call of the Reed Warbler, written by Charles Massey
Dirt to Soil, One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture, written by Gabe Brown
RegenNarration - podcast by Anthony James
Biggest Little Farm - a Documentary by John & Molly Chester
Service NSW - Business Support by NSW Government
