IMAGINE A MORE BEAUTIFUL FOOD FUTURE FOR AUSTRALIA
Friendly Farms is working towards a paradigm shift from Destructive to Regenerative Agriculture, and creating a truly regenerative food future for everyone.
By renewing our connection with land, food and each other, we are inspiring more people to live happier, healthier lifestyles.
There’s never been a better time to get involved!
Subscribe to the Friendly Farms network today, and find out how you can be a part of creating Healthy Land, Healthy Food and Healthy People.
HEALTHY LAND
We are restoring productive landscapes by replenishing soils and increasing biodiversity.
HEALTHY FOOD
We are growing nutrient-dense produce while improving food security and seed sovereignty.
HEALTHY PEOPLE
We are increasing wellbeing and boosting natural immunity through a more regenerative lifestyle.
The Story So far…
THE CHALLENGE
Our world is suffering from the result of hundreds of years of destructive agriculture, which has adversely impacted entire ecosystems and is now disrupting the climate.
In Australia alone, 97% of rainforests have been cut down and over 95% of wetlands have been drained.
The widespread use of poisonous chemicals and synthetic fertilizers on large-scale mono-cultures, coupled with massive over-grazing by livestock has resulted in severe soil erosion, salinity problems and the devastating loss of biodiversity.
Now, increasingly severe cycles of droughts, fires and floods are driving a widespread ecosystem collapse right around the planet.
Meanwhile, global supply chains have become highly vulnerable to geopolitical volatility, threatening food security in even the most affluent of nations.
Complicated tech-based solutions have distorted land use and management policies and created perverse outcomes like the promotion of bug-meals and the felling of forests for carbon sequestration.
We need to change direction fast, and head towards ‘the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible’ – a regenerative nature-based civilisation.
ACTIONS (what we do)
Friendly Farms exists to…
CONNECT
Connecting with country and community, through events, field days, workshops and webinars, linking up with the pioneers and practitioners of Regenerative Agriculture.
COLLABORATE
Learning how to work regeneratively with nature and each other, through projects that are restoring landscapes, buying farms, growing food and celebrating abundance together.
COMMUNICATE
Informing and inspiring others, through storytelling that showcases what good examples already exist and the positive results of transitioning to a more regenerative lifestyle.
PARTNER PROJECTS (HOW WE MAKE IT HAPPEN)
GROWING THE GROWERS WITH JOYCE WILKIE AT STEPPING STONE FARM
‘Growing the Growers’ is an internship program at Stepping Stone Farm (Moruya NSW) that builds the capacity of people to learn valuable skills in organic market gardening and regenerative land stewardship while gaining competency in climate resilience. Friendly Farms is proud to support this initiative with storytelling and campaign action.
FOLLOWING THE BLUEPRINT OF THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE WITH PETER ANDREWS & TALS INSTITUTE
LEARNING NATURAL SEQUENCE FARMING WITH TARWYN PARK TRAINING
Learn about the five pillars of Natural Sequence Farming (NSF):
- Slow the flow
- Let all plants grow
- Careful where the animals go
- Filtration is a must know
- Return to the top to recycle the lot
Find out more and start your NSF learning journey with Tarwyn Park Training:
https://www.tarwynparktraining.com.au/courses
READING YOUR LANDSCAPE With Peter Andrews at Bungonia Farm
Join Peter Andrews OAM in following the blueprint of the Australian landscape and how it can be applied at any scale to restore Australia to be more resilient to droughts, fires and flooding rains. Featuring the voices of field day participants at Bungonia home farm.
REGEN SYDNEY FOOD CHATS at POCKET CITY FARMS
Join Regen Sydney Food Chats to grow a more regenerative local food system for our city. Start by getting your hands in the rich soil of Pocket City Farms. Then get inspired by our panel speakers, while enjoying a delicious dinner made with locally sourced ingredients. Come and discover local food initiatives, build connections, and help expand our collective resources to grow the regenerative food alliance through the Regen Sydney Food and Farming Project.
BUILDING A REGENERATIVE FUTURE WITH ORGANIC HEMP PANELS
Australia is facing the triple global threat of supply chain disruptions, degrading landscapes and increasingly severe climate change impacts. Fortunately, an immediate opportunity exists today that addresses our biggest challenges, by upcycling industrial hemp hurd from waste-stream to mainstream.
Kindly supported by a City of Sydney Environmental Performance Grant for Innovation.
COMMUNITY FARM CO-OWNERSHIP WITH REGEN READY
Are you ready to become a regenerative co-farmer?
Australia is ripe for a regenerative farming revolution.
Regenerative farms are good for land, good for animals, good for people and great for the climate too.
That’s because farming regeneratively builds natural capital, by slowing water, storing carbon, increasing biodiversity and boosting productivity – all at the same time!
Regen Ready is a program to help communities purchase and restore farmland, right across Australia.
Imagine how much impact could be created by shifting superannuation into community-owned regenerative farms.
Together, we can help make massive change happen.
Regen Ready – growing community, farm by farm.
Friendly Farms’ Regenerative Land Stewardship Fund will be activated to help launch Regen Ready in 2026
How can you help?
DONATE TO THE CAUSE
WATCH AND SHARE OUR STORIES
JOIN THE NETWORK
WATCH OUR STORIES
For over a decade, Friendly Farms have been promoting the pioneers of Regenerative Agriculture and supporting our Farmers in Transition – both in Australia and on the world stage – from boots-on-farms to participating in the Global Landscapes Forums (GLF), UNEP Finance Roundtable and UNFCCC COP Conferences (UN Climate Change conference). Relax and enjoy some of the stories we have covered over the years…
Or head over to our Youtube Channel for dozens of inspiring short films, webinars and more!
Small is Beautiful - Growing the Local Food Movement in Dartington / Totnes UK
“Welcome to Dartington / Totnes! Here we can experience ‘Small is Beautiful’. Here things are at a more human scale than in many parts of the world. So many of our needs can be met through walking distance. And now we have quite an impressive local food movement here. And we have the elements that are perfect for a model for the entire world.”
~ Helena Norberg-Hodge, Founder, Local Futures
Groundswell + GO Falkland, celebrating the movement for regenerative agriculture in the UK
REGENERATION IS LIFE WITH DR VANDANA SHIVA
On the occasion of the 28th Climate COP in Dubai, Navdanya International presents “Regeneration is Life – An Agroecological Paradigm to Overtake the Climate Crisis“
There are two main paradigms of thinking of ourselves in the world and of our relationship with the Earth. We either think of ourselves as being separate from Nature or as being one and part of it.
Growing the Growers with Joyce Wilkie at Stepping Stone Farm
‘Growing the Growers’ is an internship program at Stepping Stone Farm (Moruya NSW) that builds the capacity of people to learn valuable skills in organic market gardening and regenerative land stewardship while gaining competency in climate resilience.
3 Veg Farm story with Cathie Hale
Where are all the small organic vegetable gardens catering for the local market? So began 3 Veg Farm at Bathurst NSW with Cathie Hale.
The New Pioneers story with artist Mark Henson
The epic drama of life, death, war, peace and the inalienable right to choose is depicted in a huge panorama. Refugees climb out of a war zone, a pioneer comes to a graffiti wall where the choices are scratched out. The pioneers and refugees make it to a new world of awakened consciousness.
Black Duck Foods - An Indigenous Food Story That Connects Us All
Black Duck Foods is an Indigenous social enterprise committed to traditional food growing processes that care for Country and return economic benefits directly to Indigenous people.
Exponential Economics of Nature, with Martin Royds at Jillamatong
Martin Royds from Jillamatong shares his journey from chemical farmer to regenerative farmer.
A Tale of Two Paddocks - Restoring Bungonia with Peter Andrews OAM
Peter Andrews OAM has come from Bylong Valley to Bungonia, to demonstrate the blueprint of the Australian landscape, at a scale that everyone can understand and replicate.
Yambulla - An Immersive Landscape Experience
Restoring former grazing land such as Yambulla — returning the land to a ‘natural’ state — is not a passive process. It’s a constant collaboration between humans and nature. The purpose of Yambulla is to invite people into this process.
Restoring the Central West - Bathurst Rehydration Program with John Fry
Restoring the Central West brings together the people of Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange to build regional jobs and prosperity. Future extensions can restore landscapes further out into the Murray Darling-Baaka Basin.
A New Future for Beautiful Bylong
The community of Bylong is calling for a new future for beautiful Bylong. Right now, there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to rebuild community and showcase regenerative farming to the world.
Forage Farms at Mary Valley
Forage Farms is owned by the Andrews family, third generation regenerative farmers. Following Natural Sequence Farming philosophies, Forage Farms food is produced without artificial fertilisers, chemicals and no nasties whatsoever. Enjoy quality, healthy and local food, the regenerative way.
Tarwyn Park Training: A Regenerative Experience with Natural Sequence Farming
Learn the principles of Natural Sequence Farming and how to implement them into any operation. We aim to share our knowledge of landscape rehabilitation with the wider community empowering them to create change within a degrading landscape.
Sunlight Packaged by Plants - Restoring Widden Brook at Baramul
Peter Andrews OAM has been restoring Widden Brook at scenic Baramul Stud for over 15 years. Find out how Peter’s approach is rebuilding healthy landscapes, despite the most extreme cycles of droughts, fires and floods.
NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE RECOVERY
“Nature Based Solutions (NBS) can provide at least a third of the solution to climate change but receive less than 3% of the funding from current available climate finance.”
THINK LANDSCAPE: FROM GLOBAL LANDSCAPES FORUM TO GLFx
GLFx is a global community of independently organised local landscape chapters, where passionate people meet in their town or city, and meet online in dedicated communities of practice.
A GIFT OF NATURE WITH DR JAN POKORNY
Which is better… the shade of an umbrella or the shade of a tree? A random leaf falling into Dr Jan Pokorný’s beer in Bohemia, sparks this intriguing question and leads a stunning discovery…
GARDEN OF ADON AT HAZELCOMBE FARM
A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE WITH NSF
“If the Australian landscape was better understood, we could save the world from environmental disaster.” ~ Peter Andrews OAM
A DROP OF INSPIRATION WITH MICHAL KRAVCIK
MEET THE FRIENDLY FARMS TEAM
Friendly Farms is dedicated to promoting Regenerative Agriculture for healthy land, healthy food and healthy people.
MATT ROBINSON
Matt joined the Friendly Farms team wanting to help make a positive change and be actively involved in spreading the good word of Nature Based Solutions and Regenerative Agriculture. Starting in Permaculture and moving through to Natural Sequence Farming, Matt, like many others, was on a quest to find where and how to make the change, which lead him to landscape restoration.
An artist and graphic designer at heart and from an impressive international marketing & events background, he is instrumental in all Friendly Farms communications.
His 3 biggest strengths are relationship building, communication and getting the job done.
NICKI POWER
Nicki is growing a regenerative community at Hazelcombe Farm, with Dan and a cast of a thousand critters and characters! She was one of the first female Honours Physicists at ANU and gained an Engineering Master’s Degree in fluid dynamics.
Nicki enjoyed a successful career at the ABC as a Senior Business Systems Analyst and co-founded a TV Production business. In her spare time, Nicki helped guide strategic planning for a number of orgs, including the Stock Exchange, AREC and the State Department.
Now, Nicki is devoted to making the world a more beautiful place every day, starting with the lovely patch at Hazelcombe Farm.
PETE DOWSON
Pete is a Sydney-born media producer who makes positive stories for change. Pete has a Commerce degree but focusses on media and communications to share knowledge and make a difference. He loves to show others how to find and make their own stories, using simple tools and everyday tech. Growing up in a place of natural abundance, Pete is always ready to step up and support environmental causes as well.
Pete’s 3 biggest strengths are ideation, interconnectedness and inspiration.
BEATRICE LUDWIG
Beatrice is a lawyer who advocates for organic small-scale agriculture. Beatrice is trained in Natural Sequence Farming, Agroecology, Food Forest Design, Holistic Management, Permaculture and Earthworks. Most recently, Beatrice achieved competency in Landscape Finance, Landscape Governance and Landscape Leadership. For five years, Beatrice produced weekly sustainability events and special events focussing on regenerative organic agriculture.
Beatrice’s 3 biggest strengths are strategy, empathy and individualisation.
DROP US A LINE!
Friendly Farms Limited
Suite 3377, 248 Beach Road, Batehaven NSW 2536
ABN 36 164 124 994
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
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DONATE TO FRIENDLY FARMS
Friendly Farms has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
You can make a tax deductible donation via bank transfer to:
Friendly Farms Limited
Australian Mutual Bank
BSB: 611001
Acc No: 157442