Borrowed Ground

We are Alex and Eliza of Borrowed Ground Farm. We have recently moved to Moruya on the South Coast of New South Wales and have rented a four acre block of land, with the intention of starting a small-scale market garden based on organic and regenerative principles. We are looking to raise funds for our initial startup costs to set our farm off on the front foot. 

With eight years combined of farming experience we now truly believe we have the determination and skills to create a viable and successful farm business. We just need a bit of extra help to get going.

So if you're into food security and sovereignty and wanna get behind a couple of young, determined farmers giving it all they got, any donation will go a long way.

Here's a little bit about ourselves and our project. We really appreciate you giving us the time!

Lize + Al xx

Got any questions? Email us at: [email protected] 

Eliza |
Primary school teacher + Borrowed Ground Co-Founder + Marketer + Food Nerd

I graduated as a primary school teacher in 2017 and have a strong passion for food education and sovereignty in Australia. After growing up smack bang in the middle of Sydney, I started to notice the disconnect myself, my friends and my family had with the food we were buying and cooking with. This led to a fierce curiosity and determination to understand more about the food system and build connections with people through food. After completing a market garden internship at Old Mill Rd Bio-Farm with Alex in 2016, I realised that living out of the city and building a vegetable farm was what I wanted to do with my life.

Since this realisation, I have worked as Pocket City Farm’s ‘Community Coordinator’, where I developed a curriculum based education program for  primary and secondary schools, ran food events and farm tours.  I’ve helped manage a small-scale market garden with Alex for two years, which supplied seasonal vegetables for a restaurant group in Sydney. I have also been a Co-Leader for the Youth Food Movement’s Sydney chapter.

I have big hopes for Borrowed Ground and aim to hold community events, workshops and education programs. Most of all, I want to have fun and feed people with our tasty, tasty eats.

Alex |
Horticulturalist + Borrowed Ground Co-Founder + Farm Manager + Soil Enthusiast 

I grew up surfing on the Central Coast of New South Wales so living by the ocean is pretty much a prerequisite of mine. After moving to Sydney after school and working in hospitality/ dropping out of uni simultaneously, I found I would continuously feel unfulfilled. I knew I wanted to work outside and get my hands dirty, so I started an Apprenticeship in Horticulture.

After starting at a landscaping company, I quickly realised that I was more interested in producing food over maintaining ornamental gardens. I then moved on to finish my apprenticeship at Glenmore House where Mickey’s kitchen garden sparked something within me and I started to grow my own herbs and veg at home. I then managed to convince Eliza to embark on an internship at Old Mill Rd Bio-Farm and we both fell in love with the work and the lifestyle. I’ve slept better ever since.

After that summer at Old Mill we approached friends at Eugalo and asked if we could start a vegetable enterprise on their flower farm. They supported us and we grew vegetables there for two years, supplying restaurants in Sydney.

Now, we find ourselves having performed a full circle, returning to Moruya where our landlords are Fraser and Kirsti from Old Mill. We are pinching ourselves.

The What |

A small-scale market garden employing organic and regenerative practices. The farm plot itself is four acres in total with the mixed vegetable and perennial crop production cultivated area being 1.5 acres under seasonal rotation. Our main focus will be on high quality, nutrient dense food. With the goal of incorporating an education component in the future. Practices we will employ to achieve this will be bio-intensive, based on practitioners; Elliot Coleman and Jean Martin Fortier, as well as a number of other innovative farmers. It should be noted that Charles Massey’s book 'Call of the Reed Warbler' forms a foundation to what we aspire to in our Australian context. We want to leave the land in a better condition than when we found it.

The Why |

The Name 

To state the obvious, the land we will operate from is leased land and with the current economic climate we don’t see ourselves owning land in the near future. Referring back to the regenerative agriculture concept, we intend on building biodiversity, ecology, soil health and improving the land so that when we do move on, it will be in a better condition holistically.

We also acknowledge that any land we inhabit as white Australians, will never truly be ours. As our first nations peoples will always hold right and responsibility over it. In our context, we wish to acknowledge the Yuin Nation and the many groups of salt water peoples that have inhabited and sustainably cared for the South Coast for thousands of years before us and continue to do so today. We acknowledge and wholeheartedly respect their strong connection to country and place which holds their sacred sites, provides them with food and an innate sense of identity. We intend on consulting with elders from the local area in order to manage the land effectively and accurately moving forward. 

Why have we chosen this path?

We both have a passion for growing food. There’s something addictive about nurturing a seed until it reaches the market, with all the processes in between. We’ve chosen this occupation to earn a living and build a successful and sustainable business. We also want to inspire future generations to see that small-scale farming isn’t just a business, yet a profitable, stimulating and dynamic career path and lifestyle. On top of this we strongly believe:

- all humans have the right to access nutrient dense, real food at an affordable yet fair price - both for the farmers and customers;

- this farming format is a political statement against industrial food system and its methods;

- it’s a practical reaction to the current climate crisis;

- small farms are essential in building thriving communities, food security and local economies.

We hope some of this resonates with you. Cheers guys!

Why are we crowdfunding? 

Like any small business, start up capital is large and difficult to acquire. Agriculture requires significant investment initially to ensure you have the sufficient tools and resources to get the job done efficiently and to a high standard. With the average vegetable crop taking three months from seed to harvest, income is acquired very differently to other industries. This makes applying for loans through conventional financial institutions problematic. 

We have been lucky enough to have private investors for the bulk start up costs, however after budgeting and looking at what is still required we need a little bit more help. This is why we have chosen to crowdfund before approaching big banks with high interest rates. 

For full transparency, below is an itemised list of tools and equipment we will purchase with any funds raised.

Any amount is warmly welcomed and appreciated!

Thanks!