From Soil to Self: Rethinking Health, Food and ResiliencE. A FIRESIDE CONVERSATION.
From Soil to Self brings together Blair Beattie from Farmer’s Footprint and Bunya Halasz from Growing Roots Permaculture for an intimate evening exploring the connections between healthy soil, farmer wellbeing, seasonal food, local economies and resilient communities.
Rather than a formal panel, the evening is designed as a conversation — creating space for questions, shared learning and a closer look at some of the challenges and opportunities facing our regional food system.
The afternoon will begin out in the growing area at The Farm, where Bunya will lead guests through the crops and share his approach to regenerative food production.
From there, the conversation moves to the table.
Blair will explore farmer health — mental, biological and spiritual — and why the wellbeing of the people producing our food is inseparable from the health of the land and communities around them.
Bunya will explore another important part of building a genuinely local food system: seasonality and flexibility.
If we want more food to be grown, sold and eaten locally, we also need to rethink our expectations around what should be available, when and in what quantity.
What might it look like if chefs, retailers and households became more responsive to seasonal abundance, natural shortages and the realities of growing food?
And can we build a truly local food system if we still expect local farmers to supply food like supermarkets?
The conversation will explore what greater flexibility could mean for menus, purchasing habits, grower viability, food waste and stronger relationships between producers and buyers.
The evening will finish around the table with a seasonal meal featuring produce grown by Bunya here at The Farm and prepared by Roots and Rivers Collective.
Together, Blair and Bunya will connect the dots between soil, farming, food, farmer wellbeing, consumer behaviour, local economies, food security and community health.
Because these aren’t separate issues. They are different parts of the same living system.
GUEST SPEAKERS
BLAIR BEATTIE | FARMER’S FOOTPRINT
Blair Beattie is a regenerative agriculture advocate and community builder with Farmer’s Footprint, working to strengthen the connection between farmer wellbeing, healthy landscapes and resilient food systems.
His work explores the mental, biological and spiritual health of farmers and the communities they sustain.
BUNYA HALASZ | GROWING ROOTS PERMACULTURE
Bunya Halasz is a regional designer, educator and agroecology consultant through Growing Roots Permaculture.
His work focuses on regenerative growing, localised food systems and creating practical connections between ecology, seasonality, food production and the way communities eat.
HOSTED BY LATICIA BRAVING | VITALITY FARMS NORTHERN RIVERS
Laticia Braving is the founder of Vitality Farms Northern Rivers, a regional food-systems initiative connecting producers, businesses and communities across the Northern Rivers.
With a background in journalism, strategy and regional development, she works to strengthen local food pathways, build collaboration and advocate for a more resilient regional food system.
EVENT DETAILS
Wednesday 26 August 2026
Arrival: 3:45pm
Farm Tour: 4pm
Fireside Chat + Dinner: Following the tour
Event concludes: 7pm
Location: The Farm Byron Bay
11 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale NSW
Vitality Farms Members: $35 + GST
Guests / Non-Members: $45 + GST
Tickets include the farm tour, Fireside Chat and a seasonal meal featuring locally and regeneratively grown produce.
Vitality Farms members can apply their member discount code at checkout.
Please note: Three Blue Ducks restaurant will be closed during the event. Catering includes the meal only, so guests are asked to bring their own water or other drinks.
ABOUT VITALITY FARMS NORTHERN RIVERS
Vitality Farms Northern Rivers is a regional food and farming network connecting producers, partners and community around healthier soils, stronger local food systems and a more vital Northern Rivers.
Through farm gatherings, workshops, education and community conversations, Vitality Farms creates opportunities for people working across farming, food, health, environment and regional development to share knowledge, build relationships and strengthen the region’s food and farming ecosystem.