BRYN GWYN

The Farmer

Bryn Gwyn will be farmed by Andy Walton.  Andy runs a successful custom home building business – Blue Gum Design + Build.  His main aim in life is to prove his winemaker daughter, Libby, that she is wrong about the folly of starting a vineyard on dilapidated land in his dotage. 

Andy has had quite a few changes of career in his lifetime, and he loves stepping into the unknown.  So, my money is on Andy succeeding (after a few painful and probably expensive mistakes!).  His aim is to add a bit of variety to the local foodie/wine community by providing some unusual wines and some rare breed meats.  If he can raise the standard of bacon with his Tamworths, he will be a very happy farmer.  He is also adamant that a piece of land that once supported a family and supplied food to the local community, should be able to do so again.

The Farm

Bryn Gwyn (which means white hill in Welsh) is a 55-acre farm located in Forcett in the Southeast of Tasmania. 

The farm was historically used to graze sheep and it hasn’t been actively managed for decades.  That is all about to change.  The plan is to regenerate the soil, build an awful lot of fences, a new dam and start a farm that will be as interesting as it is diverse. 

The one third of the land that is Northeast facing will be transformed into a vineyard but one that specialises in less common, cold climate grapes. The one third that is Wattle forest will be used to rear free range, Heritage breed pigs – Tamworths hopefully. 

The remaining third, which is rough pasture, will be given over to sheep – with a few goats thrown in for amusement.  Ultimately, we’d also like to have a small cellar door and start an agri-tourism business based around our wine and our heritage breeds.  We are at the beginning of our journey so all of this may change.  Wish us luck!