Bridgetown farmers showcase regenerative practices through gourmet food event featuring chef Matthew Evans

Bridgetown farmers have spent the last few years actively raising awareness of regenerative farming practices within the local community, with their latest endeavour involving acclaimed chef and food critic Matthew Evans. Galloway Springs owners Murray and Raquel Johnson and daughter Emily are hosting the Tasmanian chef at their small farm as part of a gourmet food experience focusing on home-grown produce. Ms Johnson said the now sold-out event was the second they have hosted to showcase regenerative farming and their successful stacked enterprise model of farming which includes market gardens, a farm machinery mechanic setup, meat chickens and short-stay accommodation. “I want to inspire people to become inquisitive about what they eat and how it is produced and hosting,” she said. “Part of that stacked enterprise model is bringing a diverse range of people onto your property working with you... we now have people to help us and we help them in return.” Situated 10km south of Bridgetown, Galloway Springs’ first-time farmers were inspired by the likes of Evans, who is a well-known gourmet grower and a prominent advocate for soil health, human health and food provenance. “Regenerative is improving your property... so it’s a soil-focused farming method where you improve the health of your soil to improve your plants to improve your animals to improve your human health and to improve the environment,” Ms Johnson said. “As we’ve gone along we’re learning more about how important it is from a human health perspective... and so with that in mind we wanted to share that with our community.” Ms Johnson said the community had embraced them, particularly through their farm shop. “The concept is getting people excited about food again,” she said. Community stories will feature at the event, which culminates in a five-course degustation lunch prepared by local growers held in the recently renovated woolshed. As part of the day’s activities, 21-year-old Emily Johnson will give an overview of her pasture-raised chicken enterprise established one year ago. The event is being held as part of the Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Margaret River from September 6 to 8, which this year will focus on farming’s future. The conference is expected to shine a spotlight on the region’s farming enterprises, while serving as an information exchange for those keen to hear about restorative farming systems.