Dunloe Park
Dunloe Park
Dunloe Park is a regenerative farm in Sleepy Hollow, just outside of Pottsville. This second generation family farm is now run by Sasha, a young farmer who is passionate about carrying on the legacy that her parents started on this land. Sasha’s best memories were on the farm growing up, and she jumped at the opportunity to take the reins 4 years ago.
Some of the cows on Dunloe Farms are orphans, and Sasha raised them from calves. They come running to greet her at the gate!
Dunloe Park stretches out on 1500 acres of rolling hills, and the property is divided up to take advantage of the dams and natural bodies of water on the property. The cows are rotated to new pastures about every two weeks, which Sasha explains depends slightly on the weather.
These big pastures and fortnightly rotations means that the cows truly get first choice at the type of grass they want to eat. Sasha then passes through the pastures behind them to slash what grass is left behind, a practice that promotes carbon sequestering and soil health. The process is a lot of work, but Sasha and her team can see the impact that these regenerative practices has on the thriving ecosystem.
The cows at Dunloe Park are grass fed their entire lives, which is something many cows in the region don’t get to experience. Being grass-finished is a true reflection of the regenerative practices being implemented on the farm, creating an ecosystem that provides an abundance of grass for these cows to feed on. The team and Dunloe take pride in their land and love their cows. These animals live peaceful lives on the farm, and Sasha treats and loves these animals like her own children.
“If I would do it to my own children, I would do it to my cattle.”
Dunloe Park is making strides to create a thriving ecosystem both below the grass and above it. Their regenerative farming methods have created a grass that withstood the recent (2019-2020) droughts, especially compared to the neighbouring Tweed farms. The rotational grazing methods used on the farm allow the grass to rest in between grazes, which means time for the roots to decompose and feed the biology of the soil, while the cow poop naturally fertilises the pasture and the biology below it. The resting period also allows for regrowth of strong, vibrant grass that sequesters carbon and stores it in the soil. Healthy soil full of life, organic matter, and humus means more water retention too, which is one of the key reasons why the Dunloe Park pastures survived the drought.
Above grass, Sasha and her team have recently welcomed bees onto the property. Although it took a few days for the cows to adapt to their new (stinging) friends, the bees and cows now cohabitate on the farm. Sasha explained what a beautiful addition the bees are to the farm because they help pollinate the fields, which are free of any chemicals or added fertilisers.
Sasha is a passionate young farmer that takes pride in feeding the community. We love supporting these local farmers, and bringing you grass-finished beef from local pastures to your table.
“A lot of time and effort goes into producing our beef, and it is so rewarding when you get to see it sold to local people, for sale in the grocer or on a menu. Seeing people enjoying the end product really makes me proud in what we do out here on our farm.”
