Public holiday weekends on the farm are for working, not escaping. Right?
Last weekend was a big one at Willarah. We installed new cattle troughs, welded gates for the hay shed, and made key upgrades to our tracks before winter sets in.
The new troughs will let us further subdivide our existing paddocks. At Willarah Farm, we follow regenerative farming practices focused on improving soil biology and the surrounding environment. Our 40-acre block is currently divided into 12 paddocks, but with this new infrastructure, we’ll soon have 20. More paddocks mean longer rest periods for each area, giving pasture time to recover between grazes.
The longer a pasture rests, the deeper its roots grow. Deeper roots build soil carbon, improve moisture retention and water infiltration, and create the perfect conditions for beneficial fungi and bacteria. These microbes unlock nutrients in the soil, leading to healthier pastures and, in the end, more flavourful beef. We believe that time, plant diversity, and a strong soil ecosystem all contribute to better produce.
We’re already seeing encouraging results. In our first four years at Willarah, soil carbon levels have increased from 3.8 percent to 4.9 percent. We’re excited to see how much further we can go.
And those new gates? They might not help with soil health or flavour, but they should stop the cows from stretching over to sneak hay from the shed. A small but satisfying win.
