About Us
In The Beginning
Once upon a time Amanda and Adrian Currie lived a city life with their three sons. They did not think much about country life. They, like many city folk, took for granted the hard work that farmers do for our country. They never imagined they might own a farm, let alone be concerned with the ins and outs of livestock farming, nurturing grapevines, soil health or microbes. But a series of unexpected events led the couple to take on exactly that challenge.
Our People
Key to all things at Tinwald Farm are Jason Sutherland, who runs the farm’s livestock operations and Robert Andre, who looks after the vineyards and wine operations. Together with their families they live at the farm.
Jason Sutherland
Jason is a regenerative farmer dedicated to restoring soil health and producing sustainable, high-quality beef and lamb. Alongside his work on the land, he shares his knowledge with students, helping inspire the next generation of farmers to care for the soil and the environment.
Robert Andre
Regenerative Farming
In 2019 the team at Tinwald Farm embarked on a journey of transformation away from conventional farming practices to something else. Pursuing a style of farming that focusses on the importance of the microbial life in soils. We are constantly learning about the important role that soil has in human and planetary health. And are interested in exploring whether solutions to some of our environmental challenges lie in the way we treat our soil and the life within it.
“One day I started looking at soil under a microscope. I saw there really were billions of microbes in a teaspoon of soil. From that moment I was lost to the study of soil microbes. Our farm is a living study, where we’re learning how to support and encourage the billions of soil microbes that live right under our feet.”
Soil Life
Soil is the primary medium for all plant growth. Plants require healthy soil to properly establish, flourish and reproduce. A healthy soil has an incredible diversity of microorganisms within it. Conventional farming techniques can strip the soil of this microbial community. Ultimately, healthy soil is better for all of us, providing: water retention, water purification, reduced erosion, increased nutrient availability, improved carbon sequestration and a fully functioning soil ecosystem. Promoting the health of the soil reduces the need for the synthetic fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides used in conventional systems.
“We take a biological approach to soil analysis, using microscopy to observe and examine the microorganisms found in our soil. Our regenerative journey is heavily influenced by the study of microbes. We believe that restoring the microbial health of the soil will have profound benefits for agriculture and the environment.”
Our aim is to increase the diversity and population of microbes in our soil and we do this by breeding microbes and then using them to inoculate the soil. We are a work in progress and monitor our successes (and many failures) carefully with a view to being able to share our experiences and knowledge.
“The horses provide a sense of calm and remind us of a time when the pace of life was much slower than it is today.”
Clydesdales
Historically, draft horses were ubiquitous on farms. Their strength and gentle nature made them exceptional workers. The invention of the tractor resulted in the draft horse being made redundant and today precious few of them remain in any working capacity.
Tinwald Farm is home to several pure-bred Clydesdales, a particular breed of draft horse that originated from Scotland. Our horses are trained to harness and are used to pull wagons along the scenic trails that run throughout the farm.
We love sharing our Clydesdales with visitors whether it’s a pat and a carrot or a full day immersive experience learning about caring and working with Clydesdales.
