Philosophy 7 – Respect our forebears and local knowledge

Be mindful to ask for help and advice. Consider both new and old information that supports, assesses, and assists us to account for our life/farming style (e.g. eMergy accounting, The Dreaming). Previous farm management decisions were made with the best intentions. Learn from these and plan for the future. We need to enjoy and immerse ourselves in the cyclical paradigm shift from historic hunter/gatherers to high input, commodity producers and then back towards the more sustainable hunter/gatherer, ecosystem manager.

With the inclusion of Europeans into the ecosystem, 200 years ago, the farm became dominated by merino sheep and the industrial, commodity agricultural paradigm that accompanied them. European plant communities, seasonal extremes in soil cover and soil biology, water soluble artificial fertilisers, soil degradation from the rabbit plague, etc, all play a part in the state of the farm I purchased in 2000. Fortunately, this paradigm has recently shifted nationally, towards a more regenerative agriculture model.

With all this variation, comes a wealth of knowledge to tap into. There could be a perceived conflict between this philosophy and the Eaglerise Farm response of not believing anything you hear, read or see. But, when all things are considered, they are compatible. Seek advice and council, educate yourself, and then consider it all against your vision and the overall farm system that you are developing.

We are on Wiradjuri country. Our traditional land managers practiced ecologically sensitive food production for thousands of years.