Case Study: The Natural Circle

Building a farming future with Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health

In February 2023, Dr. Christine Jones toured Perth and the south west of WA hosting workshops and masterclasses to share her insights and knowledge on building soil health.

The workshops and masterclasses were supported by the Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development in a collaboration between the Lower Blackwood LCDC, Torbay Catchment Group, Perth NRM/RegenWA, Earthwhile Australia, Wilson Inlet Catchment, The Serpentine Jarrahdale Food and Farm Alliance (SJFFA), Oyster Harbour Catchment Group Inc, South Coast NRM, Galloway Springs and the Department of Primary Industries and Development Perth Hills and Swan Valley Project.

Roadshow Case Studies

As part of the roadshow activities, a series of case studies have been developed to share the journeys of local farmers following regenerative agriculture principles. These farmers have candidly shared their experiences - highs and lows - hoping that they can help other farmers along the way.

Alyssa Miller McWha and Michael McWha are the proud owners of The Natural Circle, 55 acres of farmland in Jarrahdale, WA, about 45 minutes' drive south from Perth city centre.

The Natural Circle is one of three adjoining family farms. Michael and Alyssa run The Natural Circle independently of the other two farms.

Previous Italian owners had planted the original olive groves, some table grapevines and a citrus orchard. The farm became overgrazed by horses and not maintained or looked after. Alyssa took over the property in 2011 and the regenerative journey began for Alyssa and Michael.

The couple are dedicated to following the 5 principles of Soil Health by Gabe Brown:

Limit disturbance
Armour the soil surface - year round ground cover
Build diversity
Keep living roots in the soil
Integrate animals

FARM FACT FILE:

55 acres in Jarrahdale, WA
Mix of sandy, loam and clay soils
Initially neglected and run down
One dam and one bore on the property
Grove of 485 Minerva olive trees and 100 Frantoio olives trees
Increased from 200 to 1200 litre olive oil harvest using regen farming principles
Orchard - citrus and nut trees
500 Merino Sheep
6 alpacas (pets)
5 horses (pets and agistors)
1 pig (pet)
500 Hylines chickens (laying)
Rear of property is a nature corridor with grass trees up to 400 years old
Home to protected and endangered wildlife including black cockatoos, wedge tailed eagles
Goal: to become a self sustainable enterprise, a successful regenerative farm that offers diversified spray free farm produce, annual feed for livestock, on-farm workshops to showcase and share regenerative agriculture success, farm stays and farm shop.

When the couple first moved to The Natural Circle the place was not maintained. It was neglected and run down. Alyssa immediately had an emotional attachment:

"..you could feel that the energy of the land was just going 'help me, help me!'. That's when we really started to look into natural farming and following regenerative practices on the farm. We brought the love that the land was craving." - Alyssa

Both Alyssa and Michael work off farm, but their goal is for The Natural Circle to be a commercial success so they can dedicate themselves to it full time within three years.

Spray Free

Alyssa and Michael haven't used chemical sprays on their farm for over a decade.

Sadly, Alyssa's mum was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at an early age and the family was determined to make sure the farms were free of all pesticides and chemicals that may be detrimental to her. They wanted to grow healthy, nutritious food to protect her mum and the rest of the family.

Chickens

The Natural Circle diversified into a pasture raised egg business in July 2021 and part of their holding is home to free roaming Hyline chickens.

The ladies roam freely and have 24/7 access to feeding stations, fresh water and a safe mobile chicken caravan complete with nesting boxes so they can settle and lay naturally.

the hens are free to roam in paddocks and forage on fresh pasture. The roost in the chicken caravan that is moved weekly and the eggs are hand collected daily to guarantee freshness.

But there's often danger lurking for our feathered friends. Between local foxes, eagles, dogs and feral cats these ladies need protection.

After researching traditional chicken farming methods, Thor and Athena, the Maremmas were introduced to the flock.

The Maremma is an Italian breed of livestock guardian dog from Abruzzo. It's frequently described as a “gentle giant” due to its large size and passive and gentle nature, but the courageous Maremma can ward off even the most fearsome predators.

Thor and Athena aren't house dogs or pets - they have a very important role on the farm; they are guardians of the precious chickens.

More than just eggs...

As well as creating a commercial product, the chickens are vital to Alyssa and Michael's strategy for improving their soil, rotating livestock and following their 5 farming principles.

The chickens are a key part of the rotational farming system that improves the soil health of the olive grove and the orchard. They move to new pasture every week and just do their natural thing - fertilise and turn over the soil - while living and roaming free in chicken paradise.

Challenges

Pasture raised egg farming is new to the Serpentine Jarrahdale area, so Alyssa and Michael are working with the Shire and local associations to explain the benefits of regenerative farming practices.

Wild birds are also a challenge. Although the Maremmas keen them at bay, there's a constant risk of them swooping in for food and eggs.

Sheep

The sheep are also a source of farm income. Wool (Michael is a shearer) and lambs are sold, and the more mature sheep often help neighbouring farms with keeping vegetation down in high fire danger seasons.

But one of the major roles of the mob is their contribution to soil health and weed control. The sheep are a vital part of the rotational farming system, and spend each week moving from one location to another across the farm, naturally fertilising the soil and keeping vegetation low.

Olives

When the couple arrived, the olive grove was neglected and fruit harvest was poor. With a maximum of around 200 litres of oil each year, the grove was struggling to survive and there were questions over its future.

But the rotational grazing from the sheep and chickens wasn't an instant success. Alyssa admits that initially they left the livestock in the grove for too long, and sheep 'over-pruned' the trees. But after a bit of calibration, she feels that the livestock and annual cover crops are the key to the much-improved harvest.

"We went from 200 litres to 1200 litres, and I strongly believe that much of that is due to integrating livestock, cover crops and rotational grazing into the grove." - Alyssa

The olives are hand picked and pressed within 8 to 12 hours at a local press in Jarrahdale by fellow olive producer Taralea Grove.

Currently the sheep are grazing on a multispecies cover crops in the grove to improve biodiversity, nutrition and soil health under the trees and surrounding paddocks.

No chemicals or fertilisers are used in the olive groves.

Olive Grove Challenges

Easterly breezes are a major issue to the olive groves. As the wind whips across the paddocks soil erosion is a significant risk. The cover crops have been a major factor in mitigating that risk and also improving water holding capacity.

The Orchard

Another playground for the chickens and sheep, the orchard hosts a thriving array of citrus fruits and nut trees. This produce is sold at the local Serpentine Jarrahdale Farmers Market.

From the heart...

To Michael and Alyssa The Natural Circle is much more than a farm, or a job. It is a lifestyle and a legacy for the next generations. They acknowledge that the farm isn't their main source of income, but have committed to a timeline and a future which has The Natural Circle at its heart.

So, what's their philosophy?

"If you love your land, work with it. This is what that regenerative journey is all about." - Alyssa

They want to tread lightly, and work in partnership with the land. They are on a restorative, regenerative journey, preparing themselves for upcoming changes in the climate and the land - preparing for a sustainable future.

Alyssa and Michael admit that it's hard work and it's often heart-wrenching. There are many tears shed. But they strongly believe that it's worth it. They believe the local community is behind the regenerative agriculture movement, and support produce that's grown locally.

If you need it, make it happen...

Alyssa has a gift for marketing, and realised quickly that although the local community craved local produce, there wasn't an easy way for them to buy it. But she knew it had to be more than just a market. It needed to promote local farmers and producers.

She realised that she needed to create a local market with a twist, and the Serpentine Jarrahdale Farmers Market was born through the Serpentine Jarrahdale Food and Farm Alliance. Since November 2021 the SJ Farmers Market crew have encouraged farmers get together every Saturday morning to sell their produce direct to the local community but also showcase how the goods are grown and where they come from. It's an opportunity to educate the community on food security, share stories, explain the providence of the fruits and vegetables as well as celebrate and support local farmers.

This was a turning point for The Natural Circle - as well as many other local farms. Instead of churning up food miles and potentially being stored for days or weeks, it goes direct to local customers in increasing volumes and the reputation of the fresh, wholesome, nutritious produce has spread throughout the local community and beyond.

Biggest Challenges

Red tape

Dealing with the restrictions from the local government when trying to grow a business has been a significant challenge for The Natural Circle. Pasture raised egg farming is new to the area, and the burden of working through red tape and dealing with additional administration has been hard on Alyssa and Michael.

Hard work and long hours

Working off the farm in a traditional job as well as on the farmland means long hours and hard work. Setting up a traditional farm was bound to be hard, but setting up with the commitment to regenerative farming practices means less reliance on farm machinery and quick fix pesticides - and more hours on the land; digging, planting, feeding and looking after livestock.

Trial and error

The journey has certainly thrown some curveballs for Michael and Alyssa. When the sheep were in the olive grove for too long they pruned too much from the trees which was a blow to the farm. Sometimes the cover crops didn't take, so the cost of the seed had to be written off. Cover crops fail. Water systems break down. But ultimately, the couple see it as part of the journey and they are continuously learning and trialling what works and what doesn't...

Advice

Vegetation protecting the soil in mid summer

Cover crops are vital (so are some weeds...)

Yes, it's a constant learning curve, but it's at the heart of the farm.

Annual cover crops are essential - especially in the WA climate - and we're still learning how to make them work on our farm. Michael and Alyssa are trialling different multi-species crops to see what works best for their soil conditions.

"Although you're armed with the principles, every farm is different, so don't expect it all to work first time. For us, the legumes and clovers work well, but we know we need to have more than 4 plant families to really get those microbiomes firing enough to help with growing robust plants. " - Alyssa

Michael also advises that it's wise to constantly re-think what you have growing in your soil and what could be good for it.

"We are often brainwashed about certain plants, but any ground cover could be useful. Bare earth means rising soil temperatures, which is seriously detrimental to germination and seed survival. Look at your weeds in a different way as they can reduce your workload and improve your soil." - Michael

Michael and Alyssa are supporters of 'Enterprise Stacking' (adding profitable new ventures such as accommodation, tourism opportunities, on-farm sales etc to existing farm operations) and would advise farmers and landholders keen on regenerative agriculture business development to explore those options.

Consider your soils

Soils expert Dr. Christine Jones,

Plan ahead

Working with Darren Doherty from Regrarians was transformative for Alyssa and Michael. He guided the couple through the different layers of the farm - soil, water, land, paddock design and layout but also profitability and management.

The couple also went through the (sponsored) 'Plan Prepare Prosper' program, and would recommend it as a starting point. It's a five-day program designed to help farm enterprises with their strategic plans and although it turned their initial upside down, they believe it was a vital step in avoiding some major mistakes.

Ask the experts

Don't try to do it all on your own! There are plenty of experts out there who can help. Dr Christine Jones has been an ongoing inspiration and source of wisdom for The Natural Circle. But the couple has also relied on business advice from Maree Gooch (Value Creators) as well as the farm planning support from Darren Doherty from Regrarians.

Local farmers are experts too...

Don't underestimate the importance of local knowledge. Share with your neighbours, ask their advice, network with other farmers. Some families have worked on the land for generations and their knowledge of the soils can be more valuable than many online gurus.

Diversify to survive!

The Natural Circle is smaller than most commercial farms, so their survival has relied on diversification.

Extra Virgin olive oil
Honey
Pasture raised eggs
Shearing
Wool and lambs to market
Farm direct produce including seasonal fruit and vegetables to the farmers market
Farm stays
Farm shop
Off-farm work

Alyssa and Michael are aware that the regenerative journey is about diversification so their plans are flexible and based on maximising success on the farm.

Regener-ACTION!

Alyssa and Michael are committed to a regenerative farming future. They believe that they have a responsibility to leave their land in better condition than they found it, to treat it well and respect it. It is all about Regener-ACTION! And to quote Dr Christine Jones, "Go forth and diversify!"

"This isn't a quick fix. This is a lifelong fix. This is a lifelong regenerative journey and a quest towards better land management." - Alyssa