#19 - In off the deep end with Michael Reilly

From Sydney suburbia to Hawkes Bay farm owner, Michael Reilly shares a journey into regenerative agriculture driven by a desire to live on the land and to produce great food. Initially learning traditional production systems, his disappointment with both the physical and financial results soon had him seeking alternatives, and with great success.

Michael openly talks about his early experiences, and the impact of finally finding and connecting with other like-minded farmers, both in his area and beyond. It’s a great conversation with someone whose non-farming perspectives helped him see the need for a different approach, and whose gut instinct finally won out over the pressure to conform.

Enjoy the episode!

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“Is putting these things on our land really the best thing to do? Have a think about where your food ends up.

“You don’t just load it onto the truck and it goes to the works. It gets processed and it goes to a family. There’s a little kid there eating it and… what are they eating? Can you honestly say they’re eating the best you’ve got?

“And that’s something that really hits home for me because we’re feeding other people’s kids, and I think we’ve got a responsibility to put some heart into it.”