Move aside Tom and Barbara, The Good Life in Tauranga has stepped up its game,

Loren and Michaela Gibbs are living the good life with their four

children and are almost self-sufficient in seasonal food while also supplying locals with produce through their farm shop in Welcome Bay.

Loren and Michaela had been living in Melbourne, where Michaela worked in event management and Loren worked as a trained chef for 12 years.

“It got to a stage where we both really wanted to come home and be near family. Michaela’s parents Daryl and Larisa were retired dairy farmers, had owned TVMG in Matamata and were now living on a lifestyle block in Welcome Bay,” says Loren.

Daryl and Larisa were retired dairy farmers, had owned TVMG in Matamata and were now living on a

lifestyle block in Welcome Bay,” says Loren.

After moving in with Michaela’s parents, Loren did a stint as a stay-at-home dad while Michaela worked. worked.

“Then the veggie and raw milk set-up where Michaela’s parents got their raw milk from came on the market.”

Daryl and Larisa proposed that, if they bought the land, Loren and Michaela could run it.

Loren feeding the sheep and chickens. Photo / Catherine Fry

“It has a good symmetry to being a chef, but I had no experience in farming. We still said yes!”

While the contract and funding for the land were being sorted out, Loren worked alongside the old owners for six months, learning how to grow produce from seed, animal care and milking in the eight ASHB shed.

Going out on their own

“Because the farm was already set up, any capital could be put straight into the business.”

The first task was to get the raw milk supply consistent, achievable by having cows calving throughout the year.

“With 30 cows, we aim to have two calves a month to keep the milk supply constant. We run a Hereford bull so all our calves can be sold as beefies. There are no bobby calves in our set-up.”

Loren runs half the number of cows that could be run on the 7.5 hectares set aside for grazing.

“It means the pasture has time to recover and there’s plenty of grass available. We have healthy, well-fed cows.”

The soil and pasture are slowly being improved using natural fertilisers through Eco Farms.

Cleanliness and hygiene are essential around raw milk, and Loren says he spends more time cleaning, sanitising and stripping the teats than he does actually milking.

Enjoying the good life in Welcome Bay. Photo / Catherine Fry

“The milk goes through a paper filter and cooling system before entering the cooled vat for dispensing.

“The kids often sit at the cowshed with their bowl of dry cereal and choose a cow for me to hand milk until their cereal is covered with creamy, fresh milk.”

Producing around 150 to 180 litres a day, that’s 1000 litres a week, the raw milk is the backbone of the business.

The veggie garden

The team want to keep the 1000sq m market garden manageable and not too intense.

They don’t claim to be organic growers but avoid synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers.

“We use ‘no dig’ gardening principles. By not disturbing the soil, but layering the garden with the

nutrients it needs to feed the soil and thus the plants, you have a healthier nervous system within the soil.”

Trained chef Loren Gibbs is now eight years into his new role as a farmer and loves every minute. Photo / Catherine Fry

In winter, they slow the garden down, letting areas rest and restore. During summer, the garden is pumping, and it’s all hands on deck with harvesting produce for the farm shop. They only grow outdoors and in season.

“I’m also fascinated by edible weeds and flowers, and I add them to our salad mix. It’s probably the chef in me coming out; I want people to have healthy AND attractive food!”

A new way of life

As well as learning how to care for the animals, Loren has taught himself how to butcher the pigs, sheep and chickens they raise for homekill. He finds it fascinating to butcher the cuts of meat he used as a chef.

Each family has their own home on the property, and it works well for all of them.

Daryl works on the farm two days a week doing anything from relief milking to building all their ideas for developing the property.

Larisa does the accounts, fills in on the farm and helps look after her four grandchildren so Michaela can get out on the farm as well as doing the marketing and socials for the business.

Loren says he gets to spend so much time with his family, a far cry from his cheffing days, and eight years on, he wouldn’t change their good life for anything.