Canberra Region Field Day – Gollion Farm & Tender Ground Garden

Come and join Young Farmers Connect network for a field day on Friday 29 May. This field day will be at Gollion Farm just north of Canberra and includes a tour and explanation of regenerative cattle farming practice by farmer and writer Sam Vincent, and a hands-on fruit tree pruning workshop with Sophie Mico of Tender Ground Garden, who co-farms on the site.

This will also be a great opportunity to meet and network with other farmers and allies in the Canberra region! Hope to see you there.

Date: Friday 29 May, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

Cost: $20

Food: This farm tour will be catered by local food legend Ruth Gaha Morris of Scrumper’s Kitchen

RSVP: Booking for this event is essential and ticket sales will close on Tuesday 26th May.

Country: Ngunnawal/Ngambri Country

Getting there: If driving from North Canberra take Mulligans Flat Road and turn left onto Tallagandra Lane. After 4 km turn left onto Westmead Lane. The entrance to Gollion Farm is on your left after around 850 m. Note that some roads are unsealed, but suitable for 2wd.

Social Media Handles: @tenderground.garden @bysamvincent

@southernharvest.association

This event is funded through a Small Grant by the Australian Governments National Heritage Trusts Climate Smart Agriculture Program.

Who’s welcome: All are welcome! This includes new, young, aspiring farmers, seasoned farmers, to agricurious allies! This event is family friendly – children are welcome but must be strictly supervised for safety.

Please wear good shoes and sun protection and remember we will be visiting a working farm – consider your own safety at all times.

Kitchen: This is a PLASTIC FREE event, so please bring along your own water bottle/cup, plate, cutlery and mug. Please tell us when booking if you have any dietary requirements/allergies.

Event Overview:

8:30am – 9:30am Acknowledgement of Country and Introductions with morning tea
9:30am – 11:30 am Gollion Farm tour by Sam including paddocks, orchards and conversation about farm sharing arrangements
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lunch provided by Scrumper’s Kitchen
12:30 pm - 2:30pm Workshop part 1- Fruit tree pruning (make sure to bring your secateurs, loppers and hand saw if you have them!!)
2:30pm - 3pm afternoon tea
3pm - 4.30pm Workshop part 2
5pm Finish.

Meet our hosts:

Sam Vincent is a writer, farmer and the author of My Father and Other Animals: How I took on the Family Farm. He lives and farms on Gollion Farm. Gollion is a 650-acre farm in the Yass Valley that has been owned by the Vincent family since 1983. Run according to the principles of regenerative agriculture, its Angus cattle are moved as one mob through a series of paddocks at a pace commensurate with the rate of pasture growth; its two orchards, containing around 200 fruit trees, of which half are figs, are managed organically. Other features of the farm include an example of a rehydrated creekscape, achieved through 'natural sequence farming', and Derrawa Dhaura, a pre-colonisation ochre quarry, whose cultural significance to the Ngambri and Ngunnawal communities saw it protected as an 'Aboriginal Place' in 2019 under NSW heritage legislation.

Since 2021 the farm has been managed by Sam Vincent, who lives there with his partner Lauren, daughter Orlando, and their friend Sophie.

Sophie Mico became interested in horticulture and food production after years working in restaurants in Canberra and Melbourne. She has worked in various market gardens in Melbourne, including the beloved Collingwood Children’s Farm, and has a Master of Urban Horticulture from the University of Melbourne. She moved back to Canberra in late 2024 to live at Gollion Farm where she established Tender Ground Garden. Sophie will be running the fruit tree pruning workshop in the afternoon.

Partnering with Southern Harvest NSW Cooperative:

Southern NSW Harvest is a farmer led, member co-operative focused on growing local and regional food communities in the ACT and South East NSW. The Purpose of the Co-operative is "to foster the sustainable growth and availability of local produce within the Southern NSW Harvest region" through market opportunities, education, networking and advocacy.

https://southernharvest.org.au/

Contact the host of Small Farms Count Field Day: Gollion Farm / Tender Ground Garden - Canberra Region