In this episode Kristen chats to Randall and Juanita Breen, first generation regenerative farmers from Echo Valley Farm in Goomburra (2 hours south west of Brisbane). The Breens produce top quality nutrient dense eggs and meat in a way that’s in accordance with their “4 Goods - Good for the Farmer, Good for the Land, Good for the Animal and Good for You”.
Over 10 years of farming, they have transformed their land from being devoid of organic matter to a diverse, multi-species landscape that is effectively capturing carbon in the soil and is far more resilient than ever.
TOPICS
🧑🌾 What is regenerative farming? How community and relationships are at the center of this model.
🧑🌾 What it’s really like being a first generation farmer.
🧑🌾 How the Breens have overcome some major challenges in their 10 years of farming, including flood, fire, a mouse plague, the worst drought on record, a pandemic and financial crisis - and are thriving despite it all.
🧑🌾 Randall’s thoughts on carbon trading - is it all it’s cracked up to be?
🧑🌾 How regenerative farming is not just regenerating the land but the farmers themselves + how mindfulness is becoming more recognised as a powerful tool for farmers.
🧑🌾 Mental health for farmers - did you know 1 farmer dies by suicide every 10 days in Australia? Farmers are 94% more likely to commit suicide than any other profession. Regenerative models of farming are helping to provide a better quality of life for farmers.
🧑🌾 How our current food system is making us sicker than ever before.
🧑🌾 100 years ago, farmers got 65% of the revenue from the food they produce. Now it’s less than 5% and they’re working harder than ever.
🧑🌾 The energetics of food - how the health of the farmer and the land makes a difference to the product that ends up on your plate.
🧑🌾 The nutrient density of regeneratively farmed eggs vs conventional farmed eggs and why eggs shouldn’t be washed (especially in chemicals!)
🧑🌾 What it’s been like creating an on-farm meat processing facility and why this has been so beneficial for the health of the farm.
🧑🌾 How Echo Valley Farm’s CSA program works and how their community has supported them throughout all the challenges they’ve faced.
🧑🌾 How you can support regenerative farmers and feel great about what’s on your plate!
RESOURCES + LINKS
For mental health support:
TIACS - free counselling for Farmers, Tradies and Truckies
Click here to listen on Spotify for free.
