The desire to produce quality food using sustainable farming methods is proving attractive to a group of young people.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And they don’t come from traditional farming backgrounds or hold an agricultural degree.
What they do have in common is a desire to produce regional, clean and fair food in the philosophy promoted by the Slow Food Movement.
Hunter Slow Food hosted a dinner in Maitland where the winner and other finalists in the group’s scholarship to attend Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016, in Italy in September spoke about their individual experience in becoming farmers .
Scholarship winner Tom Christie described how he started with a backyard vegetable garden in Newcastle before establishing a thriving garlic farm ‘Four Acres’ near Dungog.
In addition to garlic Tom grows and markets cut flowers and vegetables and is working on developing a pre-order system to improve cash flow.
One of the finalists for the scholarship was Kelly Eaton, Little Hill Farm, Mt Vincent near Cessnock.
Like Tom she and her partner Simon had no formal agricultural training but had a desire to grow ‘beautiful’ food.
“What really motivated us to grow our own food was when our first child started to eat solids and you think I want them to have quality safe food,” she said.
From there the couple sold their home near Lake Macquarie and bought their 33 hectare farm – a complete blank canvas.
Building a home and establishing an on-farm business was a challenge especially with two young children.
But hard work and support from their customers has seen the couple survive and thrive.
Today they have a meat chicken business supplying 150/180 birds each fortnight, pasture range eggs, a market garden and Dorpers.
Their main customers are the nearby Pokolbin restaurants and Kelly said the chefs had been really supportive and encouraging.
Like Tom, Kelly said finding ways to improve cash flow remained a constant challenge but the lifestyle was fabulous.
Louise Nichols
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
