When Rachel Ward thinks about regenerative farming, it is about "taking your foot off the neck of nature", and allowing it to return to its "natural cycles".
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The actor-director has documented her mission to regenerate her beef cattle farm in Nambucca, which was initially a family retreat managed by her neighbour Mick.
A near-miss for the northern NSW property in the 2019 black summer bushfires - something she saw first-hand, as well as her first grandchild, were turning points to think about the future.
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"...it was really only until it just went on and on and on and consumed thousands of hectares of land and killed so many animals that I became as disturbed as most people were, recognising that this was a climate change event this wasn't just an ordinary bushfire, this was out of control," she said.
Titled Rachel's Farm, the documentary by Madman Entertainment is a "light-hearted" approach to show people it is not too late for people to make a difference when it comes to the climate.
It was also an opportunity for the actor to showcase farm life on screen, and take people behind the scenes.
"I also just wanted to get the beauty of our country on the film and the day-to-day life of managing a farm, and particularly a farm that's trying to just try to be a bit gentler on the land and get back to biology rather than chemicals," she said.
The actor-director teams up with neighbours and experts to bring new approaches into the farm by showing the "trials and tribulations that includes", and the importance of adapting with nature.
From putting nutrients back into dry, cracked soil by trapping carbon, to adjusting paddocks and grazing habits of her cattle, it showcases that small steps can have a long-lasting impact.
She said taking a regenerative approach also strengthened land resistance during fires.
People can watch the documentary for a one-time screening at the Empire Cinema on August 4, from at 6.30pm.
The actor-director will also be joined by a group of panelists for a question and answer session afterwards.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for concession, and can be bought through empirecinema.com.au.
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