STORIES WE LOVE
A couple farming beef without owning a single hectare
By Sam Marwood
Story from Meat and Livestock Australia, 29 June 2022
Every now and then I find a story that shows exactly what we're about at Cultivate Farms: real people finding a way to keep a farm working and bring someone new onto it. I share them here because seeing it done by others makes it real. Here's one I love.
From Meat and Livestock Australia, 29 June 2022: "Keys to farming without a farm". Read the full story at mla.com.au.
Why I love it
I love this story because a couple on the NSW Central Coast built a beef business without buying land. They lease seven properties, raise grass fed Angus, and sell direct to customers online and at farmers' markets in Sydney and Gosford. The idea came when the husband was managing 36 farms as a contractor and saw land going unused. Many people move out of the city to live on the land, but don't want to farm it.
They've agisted land since 2016, which means grazing their cattle on other people's properties. The keys are simple. They talk to landowners on a schedule so nothing comes as a shock. They set clear conditions and revisit them. They also agree what the end of the arrangement looks like, because every agreement ends. They still plan to buy a farm one day.
Why it matters for towns like ours
Every district has land that's sitting quiet while someone nearby is ready to farm. Owners who don't want to farm it themselves can still keep it working. A clear agreement, regular talks and an agreed way out make it easier on both sides.
One step you could take
If you own land you don't use fully, think about who nearby could graze it. Write down the conditions you'd want and a time to talk regularly. Read how to get onto a farm before you can buy it in our You Can Own a Farm guide.
I share these stories because each one shows it can be done, by ordinary farming families, in places like yours. If you know a story like this, or you're living one, I'd love to hear it.