Our Beginnings

At The Bower Farm Collective, we bring together our love for farming,
our commitment to sustainability,
and our dream of raising a family rooted in nature and community.

The Bower Farm Collective began as a shared dream, shaped by our experiences, explorations, and a deep desire to connect with nature, family, and community. Matt’s roots run deep in Stroud, where he is a sixth-generation farmer, carrying forward his family’s tradition of working with the land. Rachel, on the other hand, grew up in Newcastle, with a passion for learning and community that led her to a career in teaching. We each pursued our studies – Matt in Environmental Science and Rachel in Teaching – and spent years travelling the world and volunteering for community aid and environmental organisations. Along the way, we gained invaluable insights from people around the world and learned that, no matter where we went, we felt most at home in nature.

After eight years of city life in Sydney, balancing professional careers, we realised it was time to bring our shared vision to life. We wanted to raise our family on the land, surrounded by trees, creeks, animals, and the steady rhythms of rural life. This vision brought us back to Stroud, and now, four years and two children later, we’re thrilled to be embarking on this journey with The Bower Farm Collective.

For us, this is just the beginning. We see The Bower Farm Collective as a place of growth – for our children, our community, and ourselves. We are committed to learning as we go, to growing alongside the plants we nurture, and to creating a space that reflects our love for the land. We honour and respect the Worimi people, the Traditional Owners of this land, and aim to carry their enduring connection to Country in everything we do.

Matt’s commitment to sustainable living deepened when he completed a permaculture design course in 2022, which continues to shape his approach to farming in harmony with natural systems. Our goal is to create a farm that supports biodiversity, honours the land, and fosters a sense of community – a place where people can come together to learn, grow, and reconnect with nature.

At The Bower Farm Collective, we are building a legacy of environmental stewardship, creativity, and connection. Together, with our children and community, we hope to create a farm that nurtures the land and inspires generations to come.