Ep 44 | Michael Taylor
In this episode Charlie chats to Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor is from a multigenerational farming family in the New England region of NSW and is continuing his parents legacy of innovation, agroforestry and ethically produced fine merino wool production. Diversity of enterprises and biodiversity of ecology and landscape is a focus of Michaels, as demonstrated by the resilience of his farm ‘Taylors Run’ and the businesses he operates.
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Episode Takeaways
Michael lives at Taylor’s run near Armidale, in the New England region of NSW | The Taylor family settled in the area in 1839, with 6-7 related Taylor families still living in the area | Michael had taken land for granted as a child and grew up planting trees, camping and having a very normal country childhood | He studied and worked in Melbourne for 10 years after school | His parents are very creative which is evident as the innovative enterprises and development of the farm | The Taylor family have long been involved in research programs and studies on property regarding biodiversity and natural capital accounting | Michael has been hesitant to step into the carbon market given the covenants that are generally required on the land involved and associated agreements | Michael has worked with Master Tree grower and agroforestry expert Rowan Reid | A wood shortage may result in Michaels timer plantations being even more valuable for commercial building timber than they currently are as habitat and ecologically | Benefit of timber stands and grazing management evident in droughts, with less wind erosion, sustained habitat, and ground cover | Taylor family are pioneers in on-farm forestry and ran ‘tree fest’ in 1992 to showcase their work, 6-8,000 people attended | Dabbled with Natural Sequence Farming theory and holding water in the landscape is now a priority | Pasture is a major part of agroforestry | Agroforestry isn’t readily recognised by search engines with the term being lumped into general forestry | The word silvopasture has been developed to help bring together all things associated with trees and farms | Master Tree Growers Course held at Taylor’s farm | Bill Funk oak collector | Michael and family went to live in France for a year – a time of much reflection | 2019 drought really hammered home how much soil had been lost in recent years | Michael’s parents gave him the tools and his grandparents the inspiration |
Episode Links
Michael Taylor – The Land article ( 2019)
Rowan Reid – Australian Master Tree Grower
Heartwood – author Rowan Reid
New England Agriwoodland network
Frog Dreaming Storytelling event – Armidale, NSW
Tarwyn Park Training – Natural Sequence Farming Facilitators
Silvopasture – author Steve Gabriel
Guardians of the Grasslands – central Canada
Silvopasture 2021 Webinar – Part 1 – hosted by SNEL
Silovopasture 2021 Webinar – Part 2 – as above
The Barefoot Investor – Scott Page
Bill Funk – Oak collector
