Commitment to regeneration and respect drives share farm arrangement with young farmers

Farming Together

On this episode Amanda chats to sharefarmers Cheryl Smith from medicinal herb farm Solum Farm and young hemp farmer Hannah Navara. Together they have forged a unique sharefarm model in which labour exchange, accommodation and equipment are all factored in to a unique mutually beneficial arrangement . The farmers connected through Young Famers Connect, a not-for-profit organisation that supports pathways for young farmers. She also speaks to its co-founder and Principal co-ordinator Joel Orchard about the need for greater resources and support to achieve fairer outcomes for emerging farmers.

In this episode we explore:

Introducing Cheryl of Solum Farm: Growing Medicinal herbs and why Cheryl and Mike were looking to share the farm

Introducing Hannah and her regenerative hemp farming practices.

Introducing Joel Orchard from Young Farmers Connect who brought the two together and has organised a field day at Solum

Supporting a thriving human and non-human ecology: Both parties need to be passionate, open-hearted communicators and, and hard workers

Lessons learnt: Communicate clearly and find people who share the same ethos

Meeting through Young Farmers Network

How the local increase in housing prices has meant the young couple couldn’t afford renting farmland in addition to somewhere to live

The arrangements: One is a crop sharing arrangement: Labour is also factored in to a rental living agreement. The share-farm agreement is a separate agreement

The challenge of arriving at a fair deal and importance of appreciating hard work

The share farm arrangement with the young farmers has meant that Cheryl has been able to expand her medicinal herb business. They have a day per week where it is all hands on deck which has enabled Cheryl’s deep dreaming for the farm to become a reality.

7 hours per week labour is part of the arrangement: For Hannah the work is upskilling and pleasurable . It’s pleasure to give those labour hours as a young person.

Young Farmer Connect addressing challenges: New landholders that don’t come with a farm background. Other countries support the process for younger farmers.

Getting the structure right

Fundamental barrier to farming is land prices.

The need for clarity of collaboration before “we begin the dance”.

Resilience: Working together during bushfires

Young people want purpose: There are so many young people looking for somewhere to live and something to do. We want to encourage the lifestyle among young people. Get on the land and grow!

Young Farmers Connect: A substantial national network that assists pathways to market and growing local food economy with collaboration.

On-farm events provide inspiration and enthusiasm and make connections and peer-support

Further resources

• Visit the Solum Farm website
• Download the Solum Farm Case Study
• Young Farmers Connect website
• Young Farmers Connect Farm FarmLinks – a Landmatching program and dedicated service of YFC to support land sharing and share farming.