Stewardship: careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.
we’re working with nature
observe
Everything we do at Walden Park begins with observation. We watch weather, measure rainfall, dig our hands in soil and notice plants, fungi, insects and wildlife and spend endless hours observing our livestock, their grazing behaviour and herd and flock dynamics. We do this by walking the farm thoroughly every day.
grow and nurture
We’re working hard to improve soil biology and biodiversity of pastures. We don’t use herbicides, insecticides, synthetic fertilisers or livestock drenches that kill dung beetles. We are reseeding mixed-species pastures using Soilkee minimal-tillage technology to capture more soil carbon and feed mycorrhizal fungi and our cattle and sheep. We move livestock through paddocks using rotational or strip grazing, managing for the plants we want rather than removing those we’d rather not have. We leave 100 per cent ground cover all year and are working towards pastures that are growing and nutritious through every season. Each year we plant hundreds of indigenous trees and shrubs for livestock shelter and habitat for wildlife including birds and insects.
share
In 2022 we began selling our beautiful belted galloway beef direct to friends and neighbours rather than through commodity markets. In late 2023 we launched a design-your-own subscription program to foster closer relationships with families we feed. Each month dozens of families across Victoria eat our beef through our mixed-cut hamper program as well as through our regular contribution to Kyneton’s The Kindness Collective food bank.