The Farm
On Gillinghall we are aiming to balance profitable levels of production and the long term sustainability of the farm. We believe healthy soils are derived from deep groundcover which comes from a diverse community of plants co-existing with a diverse community of soil biology.
The enterprises on Gillinghall range from Farmer Brown’s Pastured Eggs, to grains (spelt, wheat, lupins and oats), oilseed, lamb, wool and beef. Our production methods are diverse but at the heart of all of them is the desire to produce high quality food and fibre, whilst maintaining soil health.
Balancing land stewardship, production and animal welfare shape the practices on Gillinghall and makes us proud to be not only delivering great eggs, but a healthy environment supporting well cared for animals. To us it “just feels right”!
The Family
The property has been farmed by the Maurice family since 1930. Rick and Bren Maurice have four children who along with their partners are all involved in running the place in some way. Gillinghall is a home a business and a place to gather as a family. For some a lifetime of work, for others the future.
RICK & BREN are in their 70s and still very involved, with Bren doing much of the business admin and working in the ‘egg room’. Rick calls himself ‘chief checker and fixer’ but he’s the go-to for anything engineering or maintenance. They’re passionate early adopters of regenerative farming practices, going back decades.
ANGUS & LUCY live on the farm with their two young children, with Lucy managing the family’s needs, the processing and delivery of eggs, as well as working on recipes to showcase the eggs. Angus loves the business of farming – balancing the needs of the business, the landscape, and the people. He helps out with egg deliveries too.
KATE is the creative, juggling responsibilities for branding, design, packaging and digital marketing, around her other job in the city. She also works with Lucy on styling and photographing the food shoots shared on Farmer Brown’s website and socials.
HUGH lives on the farm and is known as the ‘chookspert’. With a soft spot for animals going back to his childhood, he’s the one making sure every hen is happy, as well as doing day-to-day work on the farm, and deliveries to suppliers and cafes.
JAMES lives not too far away in Orange with his family and is involved in the business at a strategic level, providing business and financial advice.
