Brae expert signs up to Farm My School project

The head farmer at acclaimed restaurant Brae is digging in as part of efforts to transform unused school land on the Bellarine into a regenerative market garden.

Earlier this week, Nina Breidhal, who has been with Brae in Birregurra for the past five years, was appointed as the head farmer for the Farm My School pilot project, which will be located on a disused soccer fe Bellarine Secondary College.

Farm My School is a not-for-profit association, working to transform unused land within schools, into regenerative market gardens providing food to the local community.

Breidahl said she was excited to apply her knowledge to a community-focused project that was on a much bigger scale.

“This is such an exciting project that so many people are emotionally invested in. We’ve got so many volunteers coming in and the school is so behind it,.

“It’s such a different context and purpose to a restaurant like Brae, but I want to remain true to who I am as a farmer and that is someone who respects the environment and grows beautiful organic food at hopefully an accessible price point for the local community.”

The Farm My School concept was developed by founders James McLennan and Ben Shaw and brought to life through a partnership with Bellarine Community Health and Bellarine Secondary College.

The model enables partnerships to be forged between schools and regenerative farmers, creating access to land and a gateway to careers in regenerative agriculture.

On the Bellarine Secondary College land, the soccer field is being turned into a commercially viable market garden, providing produce to school families through the provision of weekly veggie boxes and supplying food to the school canteen.

“Communities are the key to localising food in an equitable way and schools provide a unique opportunity to engage children, families and communities in promoting healthy food systems,” McLennan said.

“We’re thrilled to have Nina join our team to help us continue to develop urban farming that connects farmers with schools and brings local food production back into the heart of our communities.”

The transition from farming for a top-class restaurant to a community-based project is a challenge Breidahl was excited to accept.

“I really want to build a well-functioning farm that has well run systems, where people can come in and volunteer and know what’s expected of them, and where have a great relationship with the students and that they’re getting something out of it, we’re getting something out of it, people get great food and get to put their hands in the ground – which I think is achievable,” she said.

Half the farm has been planted out, with the first crops already being harvested, but Breidhal thinks there is something missing.

“I’m obsessed with radicchio, it’s my favourite vegetable and it’s so under-rated, so I can’t wait to plant some of that,” she said.

The recruitment process to find the new regenerative farmer for Farm My School was an in-kind service provided by Envisage HR Solutions, overseen by senior HR consultant Jacqui Edge.