How Rustic Harvest Began

Our journey to living with space, freedom, and purpose

We didn’t start out aiming to build a small farm with goats, flowers, and bees. That came later.

When we bought this property on the Fleurieu Peninsula, we were mostly after space. Space to think, to breathe, to move without neighbours a few metres away. As a farmer, I could see the potential in the land—120 acres, with 100 workable for cropping. That part was a practical decision.

The rest of Rustic Harvest started with a problem—and a suggestion from my dad.

We were standing in the dam paddock, looking at the steep, overgrown banks. Too awkward to mow and too wild to leave. He said, “Why don’t you get a couple of goats? They’ll eat it down—and then you can move them on.” Simple. Made sense. So we did.

Only, we didn’t move them on.

At first, they weren’t too sure about us. They kept their distance, only coming close when they realised the white bucket meant grain. Eventually, they got more comfortable—and so did we. Something about having them around just felt right.

Then Betty started looking bigger. Slowly at first, and then not so slowly. We didn’t know exactly when she’d been bred, so every day was a bit of a guessing game. One afternoon we came home and couldn’t find her. After a bit of searching, there she was—standing among the reeds, watching over a tiny, damp bundle in the dirt.

Our first goat kid. We named him Bruno.

That was the turning point. We weren’t “trying goats” anymore. We were in.

After that, it all built up naturally. We added a few beehives—more on that story later—and Chloe started growing flowers, which slowly turned into bunches we now sell to two local cafés. And at some point, the name Rustic Harvest stuck. It felt right. Honest. Like the way we want to live.

Now, we raise goats not just for land care but as friendly, social animals for other small farms. We grow flowers with intention, sell small local bunches, and work toward being more self-sufficient with each season.

This blog is where we’ll share that—what worked, what didn’t, and how we’re figuring it out as we go. We’re glad you’re here.

— Josh & Chloe
Rustic Harvest Homestead

Our first goats—brought in for land care, but they stuck around for much more than that.

Getting to know them, one grain bucket at a time.