Imagine a way of farming that doesn’t just take from the land but actually gives back. That’s the idea behind regenerative agriculture, and it’s why so many people—from environmentalists to chefs to everyday shoppers, are paying attention.
Why Choose Regeneratively Grown Produce?
Unfortunately, modern, conventional farming methods often deplete soil, require a ton of chemical inputs, and contribute to climate change. Regenerative agriculture flips the script. Instead of exhausting the land, it focuses on healing it. Farmers use techniques like cover cropping, no-till planting, and rotational grazing to rebuild soil health, increase biodiversity, and perhaps most important of all, pull tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere back into our soil where it belongs.
Fresh Farm Produce at Galloway Springs
Regenerative Farming is More than Just Healthier Food
On a macro level, Regenerative Farming one of the big things we can do as humans to help fight climate change. Healthy soil actually absorbs and stores carbon, making regenerative farming a powerful tool against rising global temperatures. Plus, better soil, full of diverse microbial life, means more nutritious food—when the land is healthy, the crops grown on it are packed with more vitamins and minerals which in turn leads to healthier humans.
And it’s not just about plants. This approach also supports healthier ecosystems, meaning more bees, butterflies, and wildlife. Plus, many regenerative farms focus on ethical livestock practices, which is a huge step away from large scale industrial farming.
Polyculture in Practise Which Supports Biodiversity at Galloway Springs
Meet Some Regenerative Farmers!
As humans get more and more urbanised and disconnected from the people growing the very food we eat, it has never been more important to actively seek out and engage with Regenerative Farmers and use your purchasing power to support those farmers. We are lucky enough to have built a relationship with a farming couple who do just that! Raquel and Murray from Galloway Springs Farm, just outside of Bridgetown in the SW of WA, are the suppliers of our wonderful Elephant Seed Garlic. They are passionate advocates of regenerative farming and Raquel was gracious enough to answer some questions about their journey becoming Regenerative Farmers.
Bec:What led you to purchase and start a farm business at Galloway Springs? What condition was the land in when you acquired it?
Raquel: We were seeking a tree change from the fast pace of living in the city, owning and running a busy manufacturing electrical business. Murray, who had grown up on a farm till the age of 14, had a hankering to get back on the land. When we first purchased the farm, it was a run-down 1950’s property with no current enterprises running nor suitable fencing to run stock. Our 3 bedroom cottage needed renovating and it had no room to accommodate our own guests
Bec: How long have you been practicing regenerative agriculture and what inspired you to adopt regenerative practises?
Raquel: Not long after arriving at the farm in 2016, Murray attended a course with Australian Dr Christine Jones and (noted Regenerative Farmer) Joel Salatin, who was visiting from the US. After attending that course, Murray came away feeling confident farming could be done without chemicals. This started our journey into regenerative farming, starting with getting stock onto our property to start rotational grazing. I had grown up using alternative health measures, so farming organically sat well with me too.
Raquel with Quinn - One of the Farmers Leasing Land to Grow Garlic
Bec: Can you describe the size and scope of your farm? What do you grow or raise?
Raquel: We have 200 acres in beautiful Bridgetown. Currently, we grow garlic, along with 3 other local growers who lease our land to grow garlic. We are in the process of forming a garlic collective to be able to meet the demands of a larger market. We run a small farm shop selling our produce and that of other local growers. We have cows, sheep, pigs, donkeys, alpacas, and hens. We also run a broiler meat chicken business, raising approximately 270 chicks per month. Alongside that, we have agri-tourism in the form of a Guest Shed on AirBnB, and a Tiny House run by Into The Wild Escapes. We have a shearing shed that we converted into an event space for hire, to hold farming related workshops.
Solar Powered Farm Stall at Galloway Springs Farm, Bridgetown WA
Bec: Who are your mentors in the regenerative space?
Raquel: Mark Tupman, Dan Kittredge, Dr Christine Jones, Matthew Evans, Ellen Walker, Bernard Callus and Barb Howard.
Bec: What specific regenerative practices do you use on your farm and how do you manage soil health and biodiversity?
Raquel: Rotationally grazing our cows, sheep and our 12 chicken tractors over our land. We also usecomposts, liquid fertilisers and biochar to continually enrich our soil. We rotate our garlic crops each year and keep the ground covered 100% of the time, using cover crops, mulch, straw and cardboard for weed control.
Bec: What cover crops do you plant, and how do they benefit your soil?
Raquel:We use mixed summer crop seeds - generally, whatever seeds are the cheapest but what we aim for is as much diversity as possible to bring many types of nutrients to the soil.
Bec: How do you approach rotational grazing?
Raquel:We use a Holistic Management grazing chart to plan the rotations of the cows and sheep. We move the broiler chicken tractors once a day, every day.
Bec: What challenges have you faced transitioning to regenerative farming?
Raquel:Mostly it’s all been positive as we don’t consider doing it any other way.. but the blackberries (an agricultural weed), were nearly impossible to control just using goats.
Goats Help with Weed Management in a Regenerative Farm
Bec: What benefits have you seen since adopting regenerative methods?
Raquel: In the paddocks where the chickens have been, there’s been improvement in the grass, and the recovery is excellent after the chickens have passed over - even in a dry summer. We never leave our soil bare anymore and we de-stock our animals over the summer months so as not to put strain on our pasture. Regenerative farming has had noticeable and very positive impacts on our land.
Bec: How do you handle pests and weeds without relying on synthetic chemicals?
Raquel:We use cardboard weed matting to suppress weeds which breaks down organically into soil. We use animal impact where necessary to control pets. We hand weed and mow and keep the farm tidy. We grow plants that suit our climate and area and we continue to improve our soil to encourage more diverse beneficial weeds and grasses, as opposed to low, shallow rooted succession plants that only come when the soil is bare.
Bec: How has regenerative farming impacted your yields and profitability year on year?
Raquel:We haven’t been growing garlic or veg long enough to say just yet, but our animals are in excellent condition and yield good prices at market.
Bec: What changes have you observed in soil quality, water retention, and biodiversity using regenerative measures?
Raquel:There has been more diversity of plants, and our soil is much better at holding water. The paddocks stay greener for longer.
Bec: What are your tips for growing great garlic?
Raquel:Lots of compost and keep your weeds under control. Straw, cardboard, and deciduous leaves make great weed matting.
Harvested Elephant Garlic Curing in the Farm Shed
Bec: What are your future goals for your farm?
Raquel: Have more accommodation for our agri-tourism, have a thriving garlic co-operative and raise very healthy cows for meat.
How can you support Regenerative Farmers?
It’s actually pretty simple. Look for local farmers’ markets, Farm to Front Door Co-ops such as Dirty Clean Food, or grocery stores that prioritise regeneratively grown food. The more we choose to buy from farmers who care for the land, the more we help shift the food system in a sustainable direction.
Preserved Garlic at Galloway Springs
Go visit the farms as well! Maybe forgo a Bali trip this year and get on country to see where your food is coming from. A lot of farms, like Galloway Springs, provide farm stay accommodation, and the farmers are usually more than happy to engage and show you what they are doing. Raquel loves to take her guests on a farm tour to give them a real sense of what daily life is like on a working farm.
At the end of the day, regenerative agriculture isn’t just about farming—it’s about creating a future where food, people, and the planet all thrive together. Sounds like something worth supporting, right?
Keen to know more? Check out some of our blogs...
Organic, Biodynamic and Regenerative Agriculture
Leave a comment (all fields required)