{"id":273,"date":"2011-12-15T00:49:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-15T00:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merribee.swcomputerlab.org\/index.php\/2011\/12\/15\/welcome-to-merri-bee-organic-farm\/"},"modified":"2011-12-15T00:49:00","modified_gmt":"2011-12-15T00:49:00","slug":"welcome-to-merri-bee-organic-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merribeeorganicfarm.net.au\/index.php\/2011\/12\/15\/welcome-to-merri-bee-organic-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to Merri Bee Organic Farm!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
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The hillsides were all cleared when we came. We have put trees back on all steep hills<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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29 years ago I was 25 and came with my then husband to a bare block in Nannup Western Australia. It was \u00a0very bare, covered in kikuyu grass but only \u00a05 trees around the old house: \u00a04 pencil pines and a cameliia. But a \u00a0book called “Permaculture One” by \u00a0 Bill Mollison and \u00a0Dave Holmgren had sparked our imagination. \u00a0I started planting a food forest and envisioned \u00a0a “garden of Eden” where my kids could grow up in a very different world to where I was raised in the burbs. The concrete, brick and tile \u00a0suburb of Mt Waverley Melbourne was my home town but it never felt right or proper to me. Today I love the countryside and our beautiful farm of 27 acres land feeds us, our animals, and many friends and their families, and we have come to appreciate \u00a0Bill’s wisdom more and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 1920’s book by Weston A Price \u201cHuman\u00a0 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration \u201c \u00a0 was a pivotal read for me. There is a Foundation actively promoting his research \u00a0today\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>www.westonaprice.org<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
According to Dr Price’s \u00a0studies, \u00a0pasture fed meats,\u00a0eggs and dairy products are really essential for optimal health. Our free range animals enjoy life to the full in the natural setting of a thriving permaculture and when the day comes , die without fear or pain.<\/span><\/span>
\u00a0Jerry Brunetti \u00a0cured himself of aggressive cancer and the distillation of his research is that pasture fed animal products contain the most powerful anti cancer agents known.\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/results?search_query=jerry+brunetti+food+as+medici<\/a>ne<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Climate change has affected us deeply . For about 15 years the climate and the soil have been relentlessly drying out. \u00a0The sun is much fiercer and humidity oppressive. We make a big effort every \u00a0winter to get a lot of \u00a0trees planted. We also\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
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\u00a0follow the teachings of Allan Savoury , father of Holistic Management, and feel he has the answer to climate change which is actually to manage grazing animals intensively to sequester carbon and\u00a0re-vegetate\u00a0the deserts our farms have become. See his speech<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>http:\/\/vimeo.com\/8239427<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0We have come to understand that cell- grazed animals hold the key to not only our health, happiness , mental agility and \u00a0energy levels but the very survival of our species and all higher life forms on this planet. As Allan Savoury says, if we do not start managing livestock to reverse desertification , biodiversity loss and climate change….. we are gone.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span>On the strength of his speech,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0we have purchased an additional \u00a050 acre grazing block which has been tested free of chemicals and are developing it as the ultimate cell grazing farm to feed cows and thereby mitigate climate change ( as well as producing excellent cheese and beef). Our cows sheep, pigs and alpacas currently browse on many tree species as well as grass, so have a rich diet<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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We were certified with NASAA for 10 years but after an inspiring \u00a0conversation with the great man \u00a0Joel Salatin \u00a0(<\/span>www.polyface<\/b>farms.com<\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>we have recently dropped certification .<\/span>\u00a0We are still very much compliant with the Australian Standard for organic produce and in many ways exceed it. We welcome anyone to the farm to satisfy themselves on that<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>We have<\/span>\u00a0an open farm policy<\/span>, so\u00a0<\/span>feel free to\u00a0<\/span>drop in<\/span>\u00a0any time<\/span>. No Round Up here!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Muscovey duck family fertilizing fig tree.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0We think you will taste the difference in food grown in high carbon soils \u00a0 immediately, and feel better from it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>U<\/span>ndeterred <\/span>by the new Food Act ( instigated by the few multinationals who want to control the global \u201cfood \u201csupply and sell you pharmaceuticals ) <\/span>we can help you be healthy, happy and smart \u00a0with grass fed animal products plus fruit ( 50 or so species including many berries) , veges, \u00a0garlic, nuts,\u00a0avocados, herbs, \u00a0and dried fruit. Then there is our <\/span>\u00a0Pet <\/span><\/i>products like sourdough freshly ground wheat bread, \u00a0yogurt and cheese , chicken, salami, bacon, \u00a0and lamb.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0My dog Alby loves sourdough bread particularly.Your pet will really thank you for \u00a0this good quality food.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

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Macadamias and oaks<\/p>\n

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We sell only our very own<\/span> produce except for the wheat which we buy from a trusted source:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Bio Dynamic Eden Valley .<\/span><\/span><\/span>Recently Bee has done a soil microbiology course with Dr Elaine Ingham which has been fascinating and enlightening, and the quality compost we now make is increasing our productivity and the nutrient density of our produce significantly in spite of climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Stewart and the Jersey girls<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\u00a0We are \u00a0 busy growing soil, plants and animals\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0as well as \u00a0campaigning strongly against GM foods, \u00a0aquifer depletion and native tree logging. We helped found \u00a0Food Watch WA.\u00a0<\/span>http:\/\/www.foodwatch.net.au<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0MADGE are our counterparts in Victoria \u00a0(see\u00a0<\/span>www.madge.org.au<\/span>\u00a0).<\/span>

<\/span>It is really fun to be part of the fair food movement and teaching people the skills we have learnt in \u00a0 seed & food production, renewable energy, shelter and water harvesting.<\/span>

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\u00a0Hope you can make it to a course or \u00a0guided farm tour one day. Please ask to be on our email list for updates on market days, courses and events \u00a0: beewinfield@westnet.com.au<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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The hillsides were all cleared when we came. We have put trees back on all steep hills . 29 years ago I was 25 and came with my then husband to a bare block in Nannup Western Australia. It was \u00a0very bare, covered in kikuyu grass but only \u00a05 trees around the old house: \u00a04… <\/p>\n

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