Agri-Phoenix Feature: Edwina Halleen

Name: Edwina Halleen
Age: 23
Place: Ellangowan

We are custodians of the land with a responsibility, inherited and to be passed on, to care for the land for now and for future generations. That’s the belief system I grew up with on a sheep and cattle station in Western Australia.  

My family has a long commitment with Landcare projects. The practical farming philosophy that places soil at the centre of things has seen our soil and water management practice winning awards and being recognised as critical in the regeneration of the land. 

I am currently working for Bray Farms, an Agribusiness that is passionate and dedicated to working with nature. With properties in several locations across Queensland they specialise in Organic/Biodynamic grains and beef while also running award winning conventional farms through regenerative practices. Soil fertility is everything to Bray Farms, it's not out of one action that this is achieved, but a lifetime of learning and adjusting practices.

My love is a 4-letter word at the centre of the circle of life: SOIL. Soil is the soul of our planet and if it’s wrecked we need to protect and rebuild it with regenerative practices which help protect our river systems and prevent erosion and top-soil loss. That’s what Bray Farms is about. Anywhere I can plant my feet in the soil is my special place.

From what I have seen in my family’s approach to farming and that of my current employers, if you look after the soil everything else improves: vegetation cover, animal health, bio-diversity, water quality, production improves and erosion is reduced. 

They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating: I can vouch for this; improve the soil and  the meat tastes better and, with less chemicals in it, is also better for you. A win for the land, a win for the farmer, and a win for the consumer.