Small Farms Network
The Small Farms Network is a multi-award winning sustainable agricultural support network. It provides a free service for people who live on or manage rural and peri-urban land on the south coast and southern highlands region. The Network provides support to all landholders ranging from half a hectare to several hundred hectares. Members in our Network range from full time farmers/producers, to residents who visit their property on the weekend and live in Sydney. A range of services are provided to assist landholders with their activities including: * producing beef, sheep, goats, poultry, alpacas or worms * weed control, pasture productivity and soil health advice * project planning for bushland, creek restoration or shelterbelts design * training workshops and field days on a wide range of sustainable land management topics. A regular e-newsletter is distributed to over 730 members which provides information on upcoming events, funding, training and activities from Sydney to Bega and across the Southern Tablelands region. For more information or to join our e-newsletter mailing list, contact the Small Farms Coordinator on (02) 4464 6008 or email: [email protected] Small Farms Network Awards * Australian Government Excellence in Sustainable Farm Practices Award 2017 (NSW Landcare Awards) * Environmental Achievement Award (Highly Commended) - Julie Holstegge 2017 * Australian Government Landcare Facilitator/Coordinator Award (NSW) 2015 * Community Environmental Achievement Award - Blue Star Sustainability Awards 2015 * Environs Australia - Silver Environs Award 2007 (Outstanding sustainability partnership winner) * LGSA NSW Excellence in the Environment Award 2006 Small Farms Coordinator - Andrew Britton Andrew has been the Small Farms Coordinator since 2004 and has built the Network to be leader in sustainable land management training, project delivery and support on the south coast of NSW. Raised on a small farm in north-east Victoria (mixed cattle and merino enterprise), Andrew bring to this role a variety of practical skills, knowledge and a solid understanding of natural resource management, having completed a degree in Parks, Recreation and Heritage and Honours in Landcare at Charles Stuart University. Andrew was recently awarded the NSW Australian Government Landcare Facilitator/Coordonator Awards in 2015. Project Officer - Julie Holstegge Julie has been an active member of the Small Farms Network since 2004 and is a local sustainable land management champion within the Croobyar catchment and Milton region. Having volunteered for many years at the Landcare Nursery and Milton Rainforest site, Julie continues to work with local landholders to improve biodiversity and weed management of farms outside of her role with the Small Farms Network. Julie works with a committed team of NRM volunteers on her own riparian revegetation project which has been going for over 5 years. This project has included the staged removal of Black Wattle and the planting of local species grown in her small productive farm nursery. Julie has been instrumental in helping the Small Farms Network connect with local landholders, hosting many workshops and meetings on her farm, providing superb catering and a relaxed informal atmosphere to encourage traditional farmers to join in with our various projects. |
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