about Rising Sun Farm
We’re Brad and Donna from Rising Sun Farm. We produce quality, ethically raised lamb, pork, eggs and beef - feeding the community while taking care of the land at Nundubbermere, not far from Stanthorpe and around 3 hours south-west of Brisbane.
We both come from rural backgrounds, but our passion for flavourful, ethical meat really came into full force thanks to a rude awakening in Brad’s culinary career. His efforts to better know the food he was serving led to visits to farms and abattoirs, and the treatment he saw made him swear off eating pork. After 20-odd bacon-less years, he knew there had to be a better way (and was missing a good fry-up), and purchased the patch that became Rising Sun.
10 years on, we raise healthy, happy animals that are free to forage, rest under giant iron bark trees and live out their true natures. This low-stress life is kinder on them, and means a great-tasting product (with no nasty chemicals) for you.
Learn more:
On the farm : our animals and process
Our signature product is flavourful, sustainable free-range lamb. We run dorper sheep, which were originally bred in South Africa to provide fantastic flavour while thriving in lower-rainfall climates. They’re 100% grassfed and free to roam. Mother nature designed grass and other greens to be a complete diet for them with water, carbohydrates, proteins, oils, minerals and vitamins, and we keep it that way - we’d never compromise on health by feeding them grain just for a bit more fat.
For our pastured pork, we raise a rare breed called English Large Black. They’re docile giants with gorgeous big ears, dark hair and skin which helps them withstand harsh sun, and a love for the outdoors and snuffling around - happier and more in touch with their piggy natures than the large whites popular in factory farms. We breed all of our pigs right here - saving them the stress of transport, and instead letting them live out their lives in our large woodland paddocks with plenty of shade and foraging potential. For extra flavour (and happiness), they also feast on tonnes of waste produce from local farms, diverting food from landfill and CO2 from the air.
In 2020 we welcomed our first flocks of free-range hens for plenty of pastured eggy goodness, and some Charolais cattle for grassfed beef - coming soon.
Rounding out the herd are our 90 alpacas, who are awesome protectors of the sheep while also providing fleece, and watching over the whole show are our faithful guardian dogs: Abi and Will the Anatolian shepherds, and Marley and Vega the maremmas
We want this place to see out the next hundred years and beyond, providing nourishment for the community and a haven for wildlife.
We’re continuously working on our regenerative efforts, pushing to help sustain the natural beauty of this country and reverse the generations of damage conventional farming has done to the region. We don’t take our role as custodians lightly - food is important, but we don’t want to sacrifice near-ancient trees or native animals for the sake of our sheep. The farm is home to over 150 documented species of birdlife, as well as the last local sightings of the Regent Honey Eater.
We currently have 350 acres under an Environmental Stewardship for the protection of Yellow Box Grassy Woodlands, and are in the process of fencing off another 280 as a corridor for koalas, quolls and other marsupials.
Environmental Stewardship
Agriculture and food touches on everything, and no (good) farm is an island. We work with other legends in our community to look after our animals, land, and you.
Our animals divert waste from (and are nourished by) produce from Cooks Apple Factory, Ashbern Strawberries, the Pratt, Finlay and Ferrier families, and Pooles Produce, as well as spent brewers grain from Granite Belt Brewery.
Our 98 year old, community-built shearing shed is shared with our neighbours.
We proudly collaborate with local hospo businesses, and work with other producers and makers to make local, ethical produce more accessible to everyone.