New approach to farming taking root in Warner Glen

A local dairy, beef and sheep farming family is changing the way we think about the land.

At Blackwood Springs Farm in Warner Glen, the Haddon family is experimenting with new ways to improve the health of their paddocks-and it’s getting results.

By introducing greater plant diversity they’re creating more resilient pastures, reducing inputs, and supporting the long-term sustainability of their beef and sheep enterprise.

It’s part of a growing local movement that’s putting regenerative farming practices to the test-on real farms, in real conditions.

“We wanted a system that could adapt with us,” Neville Haddon said.

“We’re seeing the benefits of having a wider mix of plants in the paddocks – thriving stock, better ground cover through summer, healthier soil, and a shorter window between the end of one growing season and the start of another with the establishment of deep-rooted perennials.”

Working with the Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC), the Haddons have trialled multi-species pastures using a mix of buckwheat, flax, oats, vetch, peas, sunflowers, cereal rye, chicory, plantain, brassica, tritacali, serradella, tillage radish, Persian clover and crimson clover to test how diverse plantings affect productivity, ground cover, and soil biology.

Additional trials investigated mixed cover crops and grazing, organic and mineral fertilisers and the use of biostimulants.

The results have sparked interest across the district as farmers seek out new ways to future-proof their farms.

“What’s great is that other local farmers can come and see it in action,” Kate Tarrant, Communications and Engagement Manager at Lower Blackwood LCDC said.

“It’s not a textbook case-it’s a working family farm. The Haddons have been generous in opening their gates and sharing what they’ve learned.”

Through field walks and peer-to-peer learning, the site is helping build confidence in alternative pasture systems-particularly those that offer year-round ground cover and reduced reliance on synthetic inputs.

“It’s about finding what works in our environment,” Neville said.

“We’re still learning, but already we can see that more diversity is better – for the land, the livestock and for us.”

Kate Tarrant said the trials would help to understand how to build healthier soils and more resilient pastures. “It’s about finding practical ways to future-proof our farms.”

As conditions become tougher, local initiatives are offering practical, proven pathways forward.

And in true Lower Blackwood fashion, it’s being led by the people on the ground.