How two Boorool farmers are using regenerative farming to launch a sustainable beef business

Boorool farmer Libby Jenkin - a foodie who wants a better quality of life - is regenerating the family farm with her husband Dave Jenkin. 

Libby and Dave took over the property, halfway between Leongatha and Mirboo North, after Dave’s mother died and the couple bought out his brothers in 2024. 

Although smaller than they would have liked, the couple is running Angus beef cows and calves on 48 acres, half of which is bushland. 

They aim to build a farming ecosystem that focuses on regenerative methods, good soil and quality products.

“As we got older, we were looking to buy a farm, and every other farm that we saw, we kept comparing it to this farm that we knew,” Libby said. “I grew up in the city, in the suburbs, and we both really love good food. We learned how to make food we like to eat, and we wanted to know where it came from.”

Since taking up the land, Libby has learned as much as possible about farming through Landcare and the different styles of agriculture of the neighbouring farmers. 

Landcare is networks and groups across the state that foster on-the-ground, community-led action to support productive farming, healthy ecosystems and thriving communities across Victoria. 

Falling under the umbrella of Landcare Victoria, there are over 600 member groups, 17,000 households and an estimated 60,000 individuals involved across the state, with each group focusing on environmental issues that are important to the region in which they are based. 

“Landcare is teaching us regenerative agriculture methods, caring for the soil, not so much about superphosphates and things like that,” Libby said. “Until now, all our money has been going into fixing the farm because when we took over it was very run down, none of the troughs were working and a lot of fencing had to be redone.” 

Libby completed a farm planning course, identifying which water courses needed stabilising, locations for planting windbreaks and carrying out water testing.

The property runs 30 Angus cows with calves or in calf, with fatten calves out on nearby agistment.  

Libby hopes to set up a farm-to-customer meat subscription business, with people able to buy a percentage of an animal and have it delivered to their smaller city fridges and freezers over several months. This will be done through an abattoir and then a butcher. 

Libby says she’ll keep detailed records of orders so everyone gets a mix of the front quarter, back quarter, prime cuts, non-prime cuts, sausages and mince. 

Part of Libby’s idea is to have open days so people can learn about where their food comes from. 

“You can bring the kids, and they can ask questions,” Libby said. “As a city kid myself, not knowing what you have to do to look after cows.

“Questions like, ‘How do they get pregnant, how long are they pregnant for?’, all these things you don’t necessarily know unless you grow up farming. As a foodie myself, wanting to know where good food comes from and how it is grown is essential.”