Sustainable Farm Stays - March 2023

Sustainable farm stays at Greyleigh

Take a deep breath of Kiama's ocean-touched country air, and you’ll understand why sustainable farms like Greyleigh are committed to preserving the property's natural beauty. As populations surge and urban sprawl continues to spread out from Australia’s capitals, more importance is placed on people to lower their carbon footprint and work together to maintain our delicate ecosystem. Finding a place to unwind and rejuvenate is essential for maintaining physical and mental well-being. Greyleigh offers a sustainable farm stay that’ll help you escape the pressures of urban living in an environmentally conscious way.

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What is sustainable farming?

While the term 'sustainable farms' may be familiar to some, many people are unaware of the specific farming techniques that meet the criteria for sustainability or the immense damage caused when large-scale commercial farmers ignore these practices. By prioritising agricultural methods that mimic nature, sustainable farms maintain soil health and fertility, prevent water pollution and help maintain the area's biodiversity.

We have relied on industrial agriculture to produce the bulk of our food for decades. Originally intended to increase the production output for our rapidly expanding populations, modern farms tend to grow the same crops yearly, consume fossil fuel energy and use an enormous amount of chemical pesticides and fertilisers that damage our soil, water, air, and climate, to force higher yields and maximise profits. Unfortunately, relying solely on this system for our food production is not a viable long-term solution. Eventually, it degrades the resources it depends on and harms the environment. Here are four ways large-scale industrial farms can improve their sustainability:

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Crop Rotation

Growing different crops in the same field annually improves soil fertility, reduces soil erosion, and prevents the buildup of pests and diseases..

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Conservation tillage:

Leaving crop residues on the soil surface can improve soil quality, reduce erosion, enhance water infiltration, and limit nutrient and pesticide runoff into waterways.

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Cover cropping:

Growing specific crops during the off-seasons protects and improves soil health, increases organic matter, reduces erosion, suppresses weeds, and promotes nutrient cycling.

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Integrated pest management:

Using natural predators or parasites, planting pest-resistant varieties, setting up barriers and controlling the use of chemicals with targeted pesticides to manage pests while minimising the environmental impact.

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Sustainability at Greyleigh

Sustainable farms like Greyleigh play a critical role in setting the benchmark. How we work with the environment affects the balance between consumer demand and our planet's ability to support future generations. From organic, seasonally planted produce to biodegradable packaging and compost bins, Greyleigh offers a sustainable farm stay to indulge in all the luxuries provided for them while maintaining conscious efforts to reduce our impact on the land. It’s a practice we’ve employed since the farm's early beginnings in the 1800s when George Grey grew maize to feed his prized Illawarra Shorthorn Cows.

Our market garden is entirely organic and seasonally planted. We encourage guests to save food scraps to feed the chickens while collecting fresh eggs for breakfast.

Spend the afternoons picking fresh citrus fruits while strolling the orchard, initially planted by the Grey family.

Then settle into a spa treatment or self-care bathtub time, knowing all our products are Australian made with biodegradable packaging, and we only use refillable cleaning products.

There’s always more we can do to reduce our impact on the resources we rely on, and supporting sustainable farm stays is one way to encourage others to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable farms and how you can reduce your ecological impact, contact our team at Greyleigh to book an unforgettable getaway that’s good for you and the planet.

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