Transition Farm

Transition Farm, Gunamatta

In October last year I visited Transition Farm in Gunamatta on the Peninsula with Mr B. The farm is a community-supported agriculture enterprise that supplies boxes of veggies and fruit to Penininsula locals. It is rather awesome. Its designed along permaculture lines with native plantings throughout for shade, soil health and biodiversity, and the produce is grown using biodynamic practices. Sheet mulching was used to establish the initial plots, and composts, green manures, chooks and sheep are all part of the system.

The achievements of Transition Farm's owners are remarkable in many ways. The farm a working demonstration that food production and biodiversity need not be natural enemies. Its a rare demonstration of integrating natives into food production system. And it gives us a picture of what "sustainable intensification"- a hotly debated concept in agroecological circles - might look like in the context of South Eastern Australia.

Native plantings at line the access paths at Transition Farm. Natives are also used to create microclimates, protecting the produce from the strong winds in this coastal region and providing shade and mulch material.

Plants propagated in soil blocks in the greenhouse. The greenhouse is made of framed glass doors that were cast-offs from a construction site.

Demonstration of soil block construction, Transition Farm.

Soil blocker, Transition Farm

House garden at Transition Farm, based on Linda Woodrow's design - check out the geodesic chook dome in the background. The circles are weeded and fertilised by the 'chook tractor'.

All power to the Transition Farm folks. May their land and produce prosper.