Welcome To lifeontheland.com

Here I am, to heal the land and live on what it has to offer. Now that I'm finally about to start, it amazes me just how long it took to get here. When I left the family farm and moved into my own home, it didn't take long to realise that suburban life was not for me. I missed the open space, the clean air and the safe, easy going nature of a country town.

I began the search for a farm I could call my own and it was not until five years later that I found the right one. Three hundred acres, 50 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, in the township of Tallarook. 'She's rough,' the agent said to me as he took me through for the first time. That was an understatement. Over ten years of drought, along with overgrazing had seen the land degrade. Soil erosion was evident. Natural tree belts had died back and weeds covered much of the grazing land that was left. Yet I could still see so much potential. After all, wasn't this the perfect canvas to test farming models that could repair soils? Yes, this was a great opportunity and with the obvious issues, it also gave me room to bargain. So I made an offer, and after a short negotiation of terms, the farm was mine.

That was five years ago.

Financial commitments, time pressures, personal issues, bills, bills bills! It had me chained to a city cubicle, under stress, under appreciated and denying that part of myself for far too long.

Time was passing. I had delayed my happiness and the life I wanted to lead; in the blink of an eye ten years had passed since my decision to return to the land. If I did not take the plunge now, then when?

That journey begins now.

I've never been so anxious for my future, yet so excited at the same time. Here at lifeontheland.com, I look forward to sharing my experience with you.