REGEN FARMING AT THE PINES
The Pines:
A Sustainable Community
The Pines is a family-owned and operated dairy farm located on the scenic hills of Kiama, NSW. Although we are small, we place a huge emphasis on sustainability and enhancing our ecosystem. We put the wellbeing of our animals and the land at the forefront of everything we do, whilst our regenerative farming practices ensures we create functional landscapes as well as nutrient dense food.
Established in 1854 ‘ The Pines’ is a family run micro-dairy on the South Coast of NSW. We manage all factors of farming ourselves using organic, biodynamic, holistic and regenerative farming methods.
Everything we make, including our famous gelato, delicious artisan cheeses and creamy non-homogenised milk is a pasture to plate experience that will nurture your wellbeing and taste great to boot.
- Reduce Soil Disturbance
- Maintaining Ground Cover
- Increase Biodiversity
- Holistic Management
- Increased Soil Microbial Activity
Solar Farming
In 2020 we installed 60kw Solar with a 60kw Battery system allowing us to power our farm and trade excess energy as part of a carbon track initiative. The savings are immense, as we have no more power interruptions on our farm due to adverse weather events.
Bio-dynamic Composting
The ability to draw down carbon and store it in the soil allows us to remove synthetic fertilisers and chemical inputs and replace them with biodynamic composts and organic fertiliser; we have provided bio-available nutrients that can be sprayed back over the pasture. This allows for a healthier plant, increased photosynthesis, deeper root systems and high carbon sequestration.
Planned Grazing
By Cross-breeding a dual-purpose breed – dairy and beef traits – we have established an important value-added stream to our offering. Our Steers play an important role in our holistic grazing system and form part of a larger mob of dry cows and young stock that cell grazes the hilly pastures that our dairy herd can’t access. This high-rotation holistic grazing pattern and our work to improve soil health provide the cows with a rich and varied diet.
Slow... Food
Slow Food is a global, grassroots organisation, founded to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from and how our food choices affect the world around us.
The Pines has been awarded the ‘Snail of Appreciation’ for the last 5 years in recognition of the work we do to align with Slow Food Principals. We were also the recipients of Slow Food grant funding in 2019 and 2021 to further endeavours and learning.
https://www.slowfood.com/about-us/
