Dr Michelle Phillipov, Media and Cultural researcher, Senior Lecturer at University of Adelaide

‘Food is not just about food, it’s about other things as well’. We had a chat to media and cultural scholar, Dr Michelle Phillipov about the popularity of programs such as MasterChef, increasing activism in food, and what it means to have ‘choice’ in a food system that is heavily influenced by the media.

THE KEY STATS

• Name: Dr Michelle Phillipov
• Job: Media and Cultural researcher, Senior Lecturer at University of Adelaide
• Research area: Cultural politics, how media interest in food is shaping public debate, media and food industry practices, and consumer politics.
• Fun fact: Michelle’s PhD was on Death Metal music; she sees a lot of overlap between that and the rise in popularity of food TV shows
• Current focus: Looking at the turn to the local during Covid and what it means for Australian small-scale food industries.
• Recent publications: ‘Alternative food politics: from the margins to the mainstream’ – Phillipov, M and Kirkwood, K.

From the margins to the mainstream

Walking into the supermarket in 2021 can be a confronting experience. Face masks and QR codes aside, to walk down any and every aisle is to be bombarded with messages about the range of products that you should be spending your hard-earned cash on.

“Free Range! Grass Fed! Organic! Locally Grown! Plant-based!” – these labels will be familiar to many of us, and for those particularly savvy consumers, you may have noticed an increase in the prevalence of this kind of labelling. You may have made the switch to these products or even started shopping at the Farmers Market and growing your own produce as a result.

It wasn’t always this way. In fact, interest in the provenance of food, animal welfare, environmental impact has really only become a mainstream idea in the last decade or so.

So, what is this about?

The rise of Alternative Food Politics

As many vegetarian and vegan eaters can attest, it wasn’t so long ago that finding something that wasn’t tomato pasta on the menu at most inner-city Adelaide pubs was a rarity. We all have a horror story. It is increasingly common now to find a range of deliciously ethical options available on most menus and in the supermarket, as well as the option to purchase goods and services from businesses who subscribe to an ethical framework that mimics our own.

This is because a lot of what used to be considered ‘alternative’ food politics, has now become more mainstream.

‘Food has become a key issue of cultural and political concern. Ethical eating, local eating etc. are things that were once very much on the fringes of how we thought about food, but consumers are now much more aware of these things. These ideas have now been incorporated into mainstream marketing techniques and in the purchasing choices of the major supermarkets.’

The primary cultural force behind this shift, explains Michelle, is the media. The popularity of programs such as MasterChef and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver for example, have generated an increase in the interest in not just cooking but food ethics and quality, and has resulted in a shift in the paradigm of choice as a result.

‘This means that food producers now need to be increasingly aware of media trends and potential issues of concern. Consumers are much more conscious about the ethics of food – even if they do not necessarily always follow through in their own purchasing decisions, consumers are very interested in the idea of choice’ says Michelle.

But what does all this choice really mean?

Choice

‘When we are looking at labels, we are not talking about an absolute standard.’

For many consumers, the ‘free range’ label on a carton of eggs in the supermarket implies that the hens who laid these eggs lived a happy life and were not living in the kinds of horrible conditions they have seen depicted in films such as Morgan Spurlock’s ‘Super Size Me’.

‘When we think of free range, we think of this bucolic image of hens roaming freely. The reality is most chickens don’t like live that and there is an enormous amount of responsibility on the consumer to navigate that, which is beyond most people, both in terms of effort and the level of knowledge required.’

Part of the problem, she says, is that these are often marketing labels that place the responsibility on the consumer to make the choice and assume responsibility for this choice, rather than on the regulatory environment.

The increasing interest in ethics and food activism has also been a learning curve for producers – in some cases it is punitive, and others an opportunity.

‘Gone are the days when you can just roll up and do your thing and nobody is going to bother you. Most successful producers are much savvier and have a greater understanding of how media works – how to communicate with consumers and how to get your product or business out to the media.’

Is the mainstreaming of food politics a good thing?

A lot of the criticism of this recent paradigm shift relates to a lack of diversity, and the focus on the interests of what some might call the ‘urban middle class’.

It would be nice to think that this shift in focus has resulted in a greater level of diversity in the market, with more opportunities for smaller, local companies, more diversified producers, and consumers, but as Michelle points out, much of the mainstreaming of food politics has benefited big business – such as the major supermarkets, and that lack of diversity is still very much apparent.

‘There’s a layer of privilege there. Media is a huge part of food production now. Some people pick it up really well, others need media training to get it right.’

Understanding how the media works, how to get your product or business out to the media, how to build a following on social media, requires levels of skill and time that many producers are not able to access.

This has a flow on effect for the consumer as well. Michelle explores the idea of the ‘Good Citizen’ in her book ‘Alternative food politics: from the margins to the mainstream’ and describes it as a phenomenon that places an ethical and moral value on food that is reflected in the choices individuals make. Someone who follows these ethics is ‘good’ and someone who doesn’t is not.

‘One of the problems with moral judgements about food is they overlook the structural inequalities that underpin food choice. Not everyone has the means to access so-called ‘good food’.

The choice to eat in a certain way, the ways of eating and purchasing food that are seen as most desirable, argues Michelle, tend to reflect white middle-class forms of taste.

‘There are some communities in Adelaide who feel that (the Farmers Market) is not a space for them, but who are not necessarily disinterested in healthy, homegrown fresh food’.

One of the reasons for this is because the culture of alternative food politics, through its mainstreaming in the media, has become a kind of middle-class politics. Ethical eating has become a measure of cultural capital that locks entire communities of people out of the conversation.

‘We don’t tend to see a great many culturally diverse eating practices being privileged. Moral judgements about food can be both racist and classist and we have to be careful about that’.

Equally tricky is the focus on growing your own food.

‘When we’re talking about access to locally grown food what we’re talking about is something being more accessible to more people.’

One of the biggest issues is access to land and how to make it more accessible to people so that they can grow their own food. With growing numbers of people locked out of the housing market, increasing urban density and the loss of the suburban garden, access to land becomes even more difficult.

‘Food is not just about food, it’s about other things as well – those other things have to come into consideration when you talk about interventions.’

Michelle’s findings are a good reminder to everyone who is interested in the future of food in South Australia about the importance of diversity and access, and how this has the potential to influence the changing nature of food politics.

Written by Erin Brooks

Wagtail Urban Farm – Mitchell Park, Adelaide

On the Sturt river flood plain, we visited Mitchell Park to find Adelaide’s first urban farm. Steven Hoepfner has managed the farm alongside a small, dynamic team since 2013. We pinned Steven down for a hot minute to have a chat and learn more about the place affectionally known as, Waggie.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2013
• 📍 Location: 2C Thirza Ave, Mitchell Park
• 🏡 Land size: 230sqm with 180sqm under bio-intensive cultivation
• 💧 Water: Mostly mains with rainwater for seeding and usually water comes in around $300 a quarter
• Energy: Sun power and people power
• 🌱 Soil type: Alluvial soil and beneath that – clay
• Capital: Approximately $7000 to start, which got the compost, fertiliser and water. Rent is free
• 👩‍🌾 Labour: Steven spends around 6-8 hours a week and so does Ash, his cousin and any other volunteers that come through the gate on Thursdays
• 🥕 Main production: Market veggies
• 🤝 Suppliers/Inputs: Primarily, Marion Sand and Metal – then Steven makes his fertiliser himself
• 💰 Markets: Mostly locals, advertised via social media

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Put simply, Wagtail is a micro-urban farm where great food is grown and supplied to equally great locals.

At peak production, Wagtail can grow enough fresh produce to feed eight families a week!

Steven, the farm coordinator, first started working at the block in 2012.

“In June 2013, I was joined by Brett Young and Nat Wiseman and a couple years after, Nat moved on to form the excellent Village Greens of Willunga Creek, which is a one-acre market garden.

Since then, Steven’s had many people weave in and out of the fabric that makes up Wagtail.  

His partner, Carla is a mastermind behind the scenes and helps especially with videos, editing, promotional material. Ash, Steven’s cousin, can almost always be found at the farm with Steven and sets the scene with the omnipresent radio – classical tunes only.

Of course, we can’t forget the landlords who have provided the land, free of charge. They bought the land to support their son, who will be able to build a home when he needs – but he’s only 8 or so at the moment.

“The owners give us use of the land in return for us looking after the space.”

The purpose of the garden has taken different forms over the years, but the core purpose has stayed the same: to grow healthy, local, nutritious food and provide a working model for others to do the same.

The dream was to see every urban block with an urban farm so that food could be produced hyper-locally.

Wagtail is an enduring example that the dream is possible – we just need more farms now!

In the meantime, Wagtail serves as an inspiration to aspiring urban foodies and growers.

“People can walk by, drive past, community or council groups can visit and everyone can be inspired to grow.

“I always imagine that it’ll be busloads of people coming by, but it’s usually just one or two people – then I realise that those one or two get deeply impacted and that impact spreads out.

“My expectations and my reality are not the same but at the end of the day even just one more person growing food is a win,” says Steven.

Steven offers a point of contact for the community to drop in if they want to learn how to grow their own food or take their food growing to the next level.

Over the years, with baby Wynn being born along the way, Steven has gradually shifted more of his attention to education and now spends much of his time speaking at workshops, on radio and having conversations with volunteers who are eager to learn.

Prior to Wynn, the crew didn’t make a living wage form the farm. In fact, at peak production they were making $9 an hour.

“I don’t try to make a living out of it anymore, it all just goes back into the farm.”

“When you’re working all day for a handful of veggies it doesn’t really make economic sense but you’re getting way more than a handful of veggies.”

People always drop in to lend a hand, sit down for a chat and work together, there’s a definite sense of connection over growing food.  

Plus, lunchtime chats at the farm often take numerous tangents, leading to conversations anywhere between bike mechanics and home-made veggie fertiliser to how the pyramids were built.

“I don’t make much money but I feel like I’m rich,” Steven says.

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

It’s a good story and it’s all organic.

Steven says he started growing stuff years ago when birdseed was accidentally spilt onto the lawn at his rental unit in the Gold Coast – “corn seeds sprouted from the mishap.”

The garden-bug took hold and Steven dove down the rabbit hole to find out how the corn grew, why and how to grow more.

“Two decades on, I still get a kick out of every seed that germinates.

“There’s a pure joy in witnessing that transformation and then knowing the food is nourishing people’s bodies and lives.”

Thinking back to this time, Steven says his eyes were opened to the way the world operates in terms of our food production.

“Every issue I see around the world comes back to food security so it’s the best use of my time,” says Steven.

This understanding found Steven working towards increasing his own food production and eventually helping others to do the same.

Steven started out working as a handyman, doing odd jobs for people around Adelaide.

“I slowly sold off my handyman tools and started buying gardening tools instead,” Steven says.

Fast forward and now Steven works full time work as an “edible landscaper,” visiting people’s homes and assisting them in planning and maintaining edible food gardens.

In a sound bite the business is, “helping people create nice looking gardens with high food production values.”

It was actually some clients of Steven’s that helped get the ball rolling with the urban farm plan – Beth and Ray, who started the marvellous Sustainable Communities SA.

Over morning tea, momentum struck! Beth knew someone who had land – an essential but difficult component to starting a farm.

The Autumn rains had started and up grew a soft covering of wild oats across the site but for now, Steven started storing compost with no concrete plans to farm.

Steven had met small group of people also interested in starting an urban farm in Adelaide at a talk with American urban farmer, Michael Ableman – that’s where he met Nat Wiseman.

So after a phone call to Nat, the duo teamed up formed the plan that would guide Wagtail’s creation.

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Steven is that he doesn’t want you to forget about the soil – “Learn what makes good soil and what goes into soil.”

Steven says he’s still learning about this too but there were lots of things that helped along the way and connecting with other growers in the area is a great way to speed up your education.

“I made friends with compost manufacturers! Matt Quinn from S.A. Composters would often call past and often drop hints.”

Getting connected and working with others is important but Steven also has some advice on this.

“I love the saying – “unspoken expectations destroy relations” and it took me a while to learn this.”

Steven’s also given us a list of essential reading:

• Mycelium Running, Paul Stamets (Steven says this one blew him away and changed the way he thought about soil and fungi interactions)
• The New Organic Grower – Elliot Coleman
• The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit in Australia – Bob Flowerdew, Matthew Biggs and Jekka McVicar (Steven referred to this as his Bible. It’s the book he refers to the most and it stays in the car like a well-read road map)

And the final pearler, “Don’t be a cheapskate with water.”

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Getting the produce to whoever wants to buy it was a big challenge.

Wagtail started off selling at the farm gate and at markets twice weekly, then once weekly, then once monthly.

Now they mostly have customers pick up a few things on Thursdays or advertise on Facebook for pickup from Steven’s home.

“We eventually found a new avenue, but I’ve also had a crate of leeks sitting at home for three weeks, so it doesn’t always work.”

In this sense, it’s good to be prepared from some wastage, but then wastage also comes about with increasing climate variability.

Sometimes seasons come late and other times they don’t come at all. One solution is to frantically plant something else.

“Pull out something that isn’t a valuable crop to make space for the next stuff.”

Steven adds that this puts all the crop rotation out of whack, of course.

Climate change will bring about more seasonal uncertainty and finding sustainable options to cope can be difficult.

Growing things like tomatoes can be a struggle in scorching summers if, like Steven, you don’t want to rely on plastic shade cloth.

Steven says that adaptation will be essential moving forward.

“I have a friend who has been breeding plants that are resistant to heat.”

Each year his friend cultivates and saves seeds so with each growing season the crop is better suited to its niche climate.

Another challenge is of course, finding land.

However, Steven says finding land is a real issue with a simple solution.

There are heaps of vacant blocks across our urban environments that legally need upkeep. A landholder is obligated to keep the land free of weeds because then it’s a bio and vermin hazard.

So the solution? Have urban farmers steward the land!

“There are people everywhere looking for spaces to grow on and there are people with the land – it’s a match made in heaven.”

But what would it take for people to realise the relationship?

“I think councils and government would need to get involved. There could be a database for people offering land and then people or groups could approach landholders with their idea.”

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Steven says it’s simply watching the plants grow.

“I know it sounds crazy but I just love it. I love watching the succession over the season, like with the corn planting.”

It’s the simple pleasures of watching little willy wagtail catch bugs and being apart of this ecosystem.

“Nature is defiant to the manmade world, it keeps rolling with the seasons and I like being a part of that.”

Connecting with passers-by is another gift.

Often retirees stop by for a chat, or locals who don’t speak English, but there’s always a connection made and produce taken home to their dinner tables.  

It also gives Steven a chance to steal customers on their way to Coles down the road. Why keep walking when you can get your veggies fresh from the farm?

“I forget that there’s beautiful moments, but there are some small moments almost every day,” Steven says.

“I wouldn’t be doing anything else.”

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

Steven sees himself continuing to work towards a more regenerative and local food system in Adelaide.

He imagines endless environmental benefits if more of us could start growing our own food and rely less of large scale farming.

“Many people don’t know what SA was like prior to industrialised grazing and soil depletion from farming,” Steven says.

In many ways, Steven wants our natural systems to return to what they would have been like before this time – less pollution, clean waterways, less export and import and more biodiversity.

Is this possible though? Steven thinks so.

In the meantime, Wagtail will stand steadfast.

“I might not be here for the next 10 years but Waggie will be handed over willingly to the next caretaker.”

Ideally, Wagtail will increase its capacity as an educational hub, and with potential support from council, could be run as an urban farm display with opening hours and paid educators.

Until then, Steven will be there, gates open on Thursdays, with knowledge to share with whoever seeks it.

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Facebook: @WagtailUrbanFarm

Website: www.wagtailurbanfarm.wordpress.com

The Sacred Grove

Located in Belvidere, just a short drive out of Strathalbyn, the Sacred Grove produces unique products that help you enjoy some of Australia’s most wonderful medicinal plants. Here we chat with the founder, Edmund Gooden to learn more about the Grove.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2007 
• 📍 Location: Belvidere, about 6 kilometres from Strathalbyn
• 🏡 Land size: 12 acres
• 🌱 Soil type: Heavy soils that are clay predominate and pH-neutral.
• 🚜 Energy: Solar and Battery which is on the 160 year old Barn function centre
• 💧 Water: It took 50 litres to establish the trees in the first year and now they require no more than the annual rainfall.
• 🌧️ Average rainfall: Around 350mm per year.
• 🥕 Main production: Australian native medicinal products, body rubs, essential oils, massage oils, herbal teas, bush oil, and bulk products for value-adding outside the farm.
• ⚡️ Capital: The land originally cost roughly $290,000, with significant establishment costs to create the wildlife haven it is today.
• 👩‍🌾 Labour: Edmund is the main worker.
• 🤝 Suppliers/ Inputs: The Sacred Grove works with olive oil and massage oil producers and tin, wax and label companies.
• 💰 Markets: Sacred Grove pops up at farmers’ markets, such as the Adelaide Farmers’ Market, and also sells to practitioners, online and to other businesses, actively collaborating with Indigenous Businesses.
• 👫 Reach: Most products are sold directly to the public at markets and via word of mouth. Often companies seek out Edmund’s unique products.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Founded by Edmund in 2007, the Sacred Grove is an organic farm in Belvidere where Australia’s finest medicinal plants are grown and used for healing products. 

The company was originally established to communicate the important connection between people and nature, as well as for the promotion and protection of unique knowledge held by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Edmund works with the Anangu peoples from the Central Desert, in particular those who live near Adelaide now, and other Indigenous Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri peoples close by.

The champion plants Edmund grows include Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), Native Pine (Callitris gracilis) and the lesser known, Scented Emu Bush (Eremophila alternifolia). These particular plants are used in essential oils, teas, massage oils, and rubs.

These plants are thought to hold potent properties that deliver a connection between the user and the plant’s ancient heritage. They offer a variety of benefits, such as natural antibacterial qualities and potentially reducing pain.

“With the over-prescription in particular painkillers and antibiotics, why not turn to what our country has to offer?” Edmund says.

At Sacred Grove, the plants are produced with the intent to provide an “ancient encounter” that helps practitioners and general users follow a path to wellbeing and tranquillity. 

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

“The Grove is a personal expression of my unique and intimate relationship to the plants,” Edmund says.

Edmund forged this connection during his time living and working in the Great Victorian Desert or Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (the APY lands).

Over 7 years he received a request from an Elder to go forth and share this story or the Irmangka Irmangka, Scented Emu Bush (Eremophila alternifolia).

Growing up, Edmund held a deep appreciation for the natural world, bird watching as a young boy and progressing to work catching wild camels in the APY lands, in the remote north west of South Australia. 

Over time he learnt about native medicinal and edible plants, first learning about the use of the Scented Emu Bush, “Irmangka Irmangka”, and its importance in traditional Anangu culture. 

He received a request from an Elder to share this story of the Irmangka Irmangka.

“In times of difficulty I used to drink my infusion of olive oil and the Scented Emu Bush to reduce my inner being from being thrown in the never-never. It became a rudder to the ship or the anchor and allowed me to get up the next day and know that I am going to be okay,” Edmund says. 

This sparked his journey towards the development of Sacred Grove as a means to cultivate and share these special plants. 

“We grow these plants because they have been there for us and many other people in times of need.

“Scented Emu Bush bestowed its unconditional love upon us and this is why our Indigenous peoples love this plant – it becomes our friend, our soulmate and our guardian in times of need,” says Edmund. 

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Edmund suggests to begin with knowing the plants incredibly well.

He also suggests to talk and live with Indigenous People who know the plants and to ask if they are okay with you growing the plants.

“Once you research the plant, you can begin to think about how you will best represent it. For example, will you utilise it in its dried form or fresh?”

The next step is to think about the market and spend time learning about what is already happening in the community.

Edmund recommends above all, determination.

He says it’s best to be in for the long haul because nothing comes instantly. 

WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

“There have been many challenges, primarily that lots of people do not know the plants let alone the products.”

Once the customer becomes more engaged with the products, they deepen their understanding of very important Australian medicinal plants and their roles in a traditional and contemporary context.

“It is a process of education,” Edmund explains.

He adds that the obscure mix of academic research available for consumers doesn’t make things easier.

“It really depends on the plant you are interested in. Some have lots of information and research behind them while others are a lot more obscure, which will naturally be harder to find.”

There’s a divide between producers and researchers too, meaning the potential for research on plants, like Australian medicinal, has yet to be fully unlocked. 

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Edmund’s connection to these plants has been a lifelong venture and something that he enjoys the most. 

Edmund is living his dream of giving more people the opportunity to enjoy these unique plants and carrying on the preservation and respect for the Anangu culture.

“This is a passion which is a part of me, I am obligated to these plants,” Edmund says.

Another big motivator for Edmund is to see his customers use the products and recognise the plant’s value and importance to Aboriginal Australians.  

Edmund says part of being a true blue Aussie is understanding our country’s past, paying respects to our Indigenous peoples and loving our country. 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

Sacred Grove’s end game is to have Australian medicinal plants protected by intellectual property rights so that Aboriginal peoples can be autonomous in their decision making in regards to these plants.

However, this process is hugely expensive and he hopes to one day create a team of likeminded people to enact this matter and enshrine it in law 

This has been a long journey for Edmund, but something he passionately persists with.

He’ll also continue to support other small businesses to buy the raw plant materials and make their own unique products like oils, teas or soaps.

Over the past few years, Edmund has seen a welcome increase of visitors to the farm and hopes people will continue to come and learn, explore their connection with the plants and gain a unique experience.

Edmund also hopes to branch out and grow these plants at other locations in collaboration with Indigenous businesses.

As consumers, we can choose to support Edmund and Indigenous growers. Support will aid the ever-increasing industry to regain sovereignty and we can achieve this all through the combined love of these very special plants.

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH:

Facebook: @SacredGrove

Website: www.sacredgrove.net

Trevallie Orchard – Angaston

A little over an hour drive away from Adelaide is the Barossa Valley region – a place synonymous with great wine, rolling hills, and endless grapevines. Nestled in this beautiful setting is Trevallie Orchard, a family-owned affair run by a small team for years. We chat with Sheralee Menz, the orchard’s sales and marketing coordinator, and learn about Trevallie’s commitment to serving the community with 100 per cent tree-ripened fruit with real flavour, real passion for tradition and limited food miles.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: The official year is uncertain, but the Hill-Smith family knows that their orchard dates back to Barossa’s European settlement – possibly mid to late 1800s.  
• 📍 Location: Angaston, Barossa Valley.
• 🏡 Land size: 40 acres in total with 20 acres dedicated for the orchard.
• 🌱 Soil type: The same Barossa soil that produces world class grapes!
• 🚜 Energy: Sunlight and water.  Human energy for cutting and drying – it’s a very manual process.
• 💧 Water: The fruit is largely dry-grown, relying on rainfall.  The orchard has access to a bore for back up water, although that is very salty and they avoid using it. They have just undertaken a collaborative venture with the winery next door to use their wastewater for irrigation, this is the first growing season with that in place.
• 🥕 Main production: Apricots (fresh and dried), pears (fresh and dried), and fresh apples.
• ⚡️ Capital: There are always ongoing costs to maintain equipment and keep the orchard in productive condition.
• 👩‍🌾 Labour: The orchard has two part time permanent employees through the year, and a team of seasonal casuals who work the fruit harvest. They aim to use the same team every year to give continuity in quality control, and the team size varies depending on the demands of the season and the yield.
• 🤝 Suppliers/ Inputs: Their only external supplies are horticulture supplies, such as fertilisers.
• 💰 Markets: The business is divided into wholesale and direct-to-customer, with both aspects being managed from the orchard.  They sell to wholesalers with distribution through supermarkets and specialty fruit and veg shops, with branded bags distributed through Foodland stores and other smaller stockists.  Trevallie also sells direct to customers through Farmhouse Direct (online), and has a weekly stall at the Barossa Farmers Market.  
• 👫 Reach: People travel from all over Australia to visit the Barossa Farmers Market, and they are able to ship dried fruit Australia-wide.  Fresh fruit is subject to quarantine laws at borders, so fresh fruit sales are restricted largely to local customers.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

In this beautiful part of South Australia, Trevallie Orchard offers a window back in time when the region was abundant with stone fruit, apples and pears.

Trevallie Orchard is a pocket of preserved history and takes pride in producing local and seasonal apricots, pears and apples.

“All of our fruit is grown, cut, dried and packaged onsite,” says Sheralee. 

The orchard makes every effort to epitomise what it means to be local and they feel a deep sense of responsibility when tapping into their heritage.

“We are the keepers of our regional food traditions.”

Today the orchard is owned and managed by the Hill-Smith family, who also own Yalumba Winery, which is next door.

It’s Robert Hill-Smith’s vision to keep the orchard alive and keep the history relevant.

The team looking after day-to-day management, is made up of a few highly skilled and knowledgeable people.

“The orchard is overseen by Yalumba’s viticulture team, using all the world class techniques and knowledge that also produce Yalumba’s world class wine.

“We also have a part-time dedicated orchard supervisor and then I sell the product and promote the brand.

“So all in all, there are really only two dedicated staff members there through the year, but during the fruit season the team swells according to the work,” Sheralee says.

Although the orchard isn’t certified organic, they do grow according to organic principles.

“Yalumba has several certified organic vineyards and wines, so our growing team certainly understands how valuable this philosophy is, and how to do it well,” Sheralee says.

The team at Trevallie Orchard work to support and encourage customers to reconnect with their local food producers, helping people understand the seasonality of produce and the reality that not all fruit comes with a perfect, gleaming exterior. 

Understanding what local and seasonal produce looks like and the costs associated with growing are some of the best ways customers can support their local growers, along with paying a fair price for the produce. 

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Established sometime in the mid-late 1800s, the orchard transports us back to a time when this region was predominately used for fruit growing. 

“In the last 40 years, many Barossa orchards have made way for grapes – which is not automatically a bad thing, because, man the wine is good! But if we don’t make a concerted effort to save pockets of traditional trees, we lose our history,” Sheralee says.

The Hill-Smith Family have a long connection with fruit growing, as Samuel Smith started Yalumba in 1849 as a mixed fruit grower, who also happened to grow wine grapes.

“The winery originally had a canning operation, and extensive orchards of its own, until the 1930’s when it divested those operations and concentrated on wine.  

“Trevallie Orchard shares a boundary with the original winery, and it was purchased by the Hill-Smith family about 15 years ago because of its significance not only to their family, but to the region, and our overall food heritage,” Sheralee says.

Sheralee joined the team at Trevallie Orchard six years ago, guided by her love of food and local produce. 

“I am employed by the orchard, but I grew up in the Riverland. My grandfather was a fruit grower, and I spent my teenage years cutting apricots, working on fruit orchards and in vineyards and cutting sheds, so I have a good understanding of the process,” she says

Before beginning part-time work at the orchard, Sheralee spent many years working in corporate communications and marketing. 

“To now work with food traditions and be immersed in the seasons is a beautiful thing.”

Sheralee advocates for an increased appreciation of traditional food growing and a move away from the large multinational supermarkets that hold a monopoly over the average Australian consumer. 

“The large multinational supermarkets have convinced us that fruit and veg are available all year round, and consumers are wholly disconnected from their food supply. It’s a terrible thing and I want to be part of the solution.”

With Sheralee’s dedication, the orchard continues to deliver products that are steeped in this respect for tradition and good, local food.

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

“A pearl of wisdom is don’t plant an orchard thinking you will get you rich and make lots of money, because it just doesn’t work that way,” Sheralee cautions.

Sheralee guesses people fall in love with the romantic idea of fruit orchards, but aren’t always prepared for the hard work, expensive labour costs and the reality of servicing a customer base, who may not understand what goes into producing top-quality local food, and instead “just want cheap apples with no blemishes”.

If you’re ready to face the facts and still want to start something similar, then Sheralee recommends heading to our local grower associations, such as Apple and Pear Growers Association of South Australia and Summerfruit Australia.

“They’re a wealth of information and support, and are great places to start for anyone considering a commercial operation.

For home orchardists, Sheralee recommends local nurseries and the Diggers Club.

Knowing your produce and product inside out is also of huge value. “Packham Pears don’t ripen evenly!” she says – that was an expensive mistake.

WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Like most farms in the region, finances and climate change are two major concerns. 

“Having to rely on external resources is a challenge. Without the support and the cost efficiencies from the parent company, Yalumba Wineries, the orchard would not be viable,” Sheralee says.

“Climate change is another challenge and has already and will continue to have a profound effect on fruit yields across the Barossa.

“But it may also provide the wake-up call that our disconnected consumers need to become less wasteful and more conscious about their consumption of everything,” she says.

Sheralee notes that with an over-reliance on supermarkets, consumers have become increasingly apathetic towards local and seasonal food, posing a colossal threat to small orchards like Trevallie. 

“Customers don’t want to pay for Australian produce. Turkish dried apricots are a fraction of the price, and we hear constant howls of protest that we are ‘too expensive’.

“People have no concept of the costs involved in producing food.  

“Consumers are now so indoctrinated in the ways of cheap milk/meat/bread that it’s going to be difficult to reverse, but if Australian farmers are to have a future, then reverse it we must.”

“I may sound cynical, but unless fruit growers have the critical mass to supply in massive quantities to Woolworths/Coles, using intensive chemical management to reduce labour costs, then it’s a dying industry.

“Small growers are being squeezed out through a race to the bottom in pricing, and customers who only shop on price.  

“But that also makes the work you do even more critical and valuable, because you are challenging people to think about their food, and rather than just blindly buying plastic coated stuff at the supermarket, to really engage with their food source.”

WHAT IS THE BEST PART?

Sheralee says the best part of working within a local business comes from the support of their customers.

“Some people really understand the importance of what we do, and go out of their way to support us by buying our product,” she says.

“Local support is the lifeblood for us. Without local customers we don’t exist.”

Sheralee is incredibly grateful to the customers and is excited to see the flow on effects of empowered consumers, who contribute to a slowly regenerating food system that is becoming increasingly local, healthier, seasonal and resilient. 

“I think this shift would be revolutionary for food producers,” she says.

“To have a largely well informed customer base who are food literate and shop accordingly would literally be a game changer.” 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE  – WHAT’S NEXT?

Most of Sheralee’s dreams for the future revolve around better customer education. 

The aim is to continue face-to-face conversations at farmers’ markets, where they can influence and challenge long-held perceptions about the price and availability of fruit.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheralee has noticed interactions with Trevallie’s social media platforms have increased, as many people became acutely aware of food security and wanted to start supporting local.

On Trevallie’s social media, Sheralee tries to constantly reinforce the message about fruit seasonality, and the importance of buying fruit even if it’s a funny shape or has marks.

Sheralee hopes these interactions will continue into the future as people slowly wake up to how their food is produced, where it’s produced and the need to support all our local growers. 

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH:

Facebook: @TrevallieOrchard 

Instagram: @TrevallieOrchard

Website: www.trevallieorchard.com.au

Rachel Eckermann, home gardener at Enfield, Adelaide

Based in Enfield, on Adelaide’s northside, Rachel Eckermann tends to her suburban garden, producing a myriad of fruit and vegetables, and also a sense of serenity. Here we chat with Rachel to learn about her gardening journey and how to beat that dreaded water bill!

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2000
• 📍 Location: Enfield, around 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD.
• 🏡 Land size: 900m2 in total, with 600m2 dedicated to the garden.
• 🌱 Soil type: Alkaline silty loam.
• 🚜 Main energy sources: Mains power with 25kw solar system installed in 2008.
• 🌧️Average rainfall: 536mm per year.
• 💧 Main water sources: 20,000 litres of rainwater storage plus mains water, which costs about $500 per quarter.
• 🥕 Main production: Fruit, vegetables, herbs and eggs.
• ⚡️ Capital: Rachel purchased her block for $147,000 in 2000. The cost to maintain the garden is ongoing, but Rachel isn’t sure of the overall cost.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Rachel’s home garden is a dedication to self-sufficiency and sustainability. She mostly looks after the garden herself in attempts to grow as much organic food as possible. 

The garden provides more than just food, but also a place of peace and greenery to relax and reflect. 

When she’s not in her own garden, Rachel works at Trees for Life, a community organisation that restores and protects South Australian landscapes, raises awareness about nature and empowers people to take action. You might have heard about these guys and all their massive efforts to help landowners in bushfire recovery. 

You might guess that with this kind of professional experience Rachel’s garden would be full of natives and budding with life. Well, you’re totally right. 

“I have a large verge at the front of the place and have planted a number of local native trees and shrubs – these attract insectivorous birds that keep the bugs at bay,” she says.

“And there are two ponds, full of native water plants and various native pond creatures.” 

Probably the most unusual plant she has growing is Sandalwood Santalum spictatum, which Rachel grew from a seed gifted to her by a fellow who specialises in growing, harvesting and selling bush food. 

“Sandalwood doesn’t require any special attention and is in fact incredibly hardy. The seeds have healing qualities and are good to eat,” she says.

“I also have a number of Acacia victoriae plants which provide ‘wattle seed’ for bread, scones, ice cream flavouring and chook food.”

Rachel also keeps chickens: eight hens and one rooster. 

“There is also a family of blue tongue lizards that live in the garden and a semi-feral cat who thinks it’s a chicken, who has been desexed and now controls mice and rats.”

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Rachel attributes much of her success and passion to her German heritage. 

“My forebears were peasants from Prussia who brought their farming knowledge to the Barossa Valley. I grew up in a chook pen, in a vineyard, eating homegrown, locally produced food. It has stuck,” Rachel says. 

This culture instilled the importance of self-sufficiency for her.  

Gardening and considering the environment comes easy to Rachel, but she’s also worked incredibly hard to build her knowledge.

Rachel completed a two year Certificate in Agriculture at Urrbrae College, before undertaking a Permaculture Design Certificate with permaculture co-founder, Bill Mollison, in 1985.

She was just 16 years old when she completed her PDC and says it changed her perspective, setting her on the course she remains faithful to today. 

During this time, Rachel was living on a semi self-sufficient property in the Mid North owned by the Mylius family (founders of the non-profit Sustainable Communities SA)

“They were using permaculture principles before permaculture was a word!” Rachel recalls.

After completing her permaculture course, Rachel remembers a small goal beginning to unfold. 

“I didn’t really have a plan except to have access to a property on which I could grow food.

“It took 20 years before I owned a piece of land, but I’ve left a trail of rental properties with food gardens.”

Thinking back to how permaculture has influenced her garden, she remembers the teachings of Bill Mollison.

“Bill told us he was the ultimate lazy gardener… that stuck with me. Also to observe, to teach others, to share. 

“There was never really a design, the space is constantly evolving, I have worked within my means as a single parent for most of the time, and have not had the money to retrofit in any significant way.”

The one thing Rachel did spend time considering was the position of the house. She bought the house because it sits north facing and this meant prime positioning for her solar panels, which bring her one step closer to her ultimate goal of going totally off grid one day.  

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

With the wealth of information and resources freely available at our fingertips, Rachel recommends just diving into whatever topic interests you most.

“Just start and learn from others as you go, read, experiment, have fun and play!” she says.

Looking back, Rachel believes knowing more about soil, in particular, would have been helpful. 

Rachel offers a few key readings that were especially helpful in guiding her journey:

• One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka
• The Yates Garden Guide
• Permaculture 1 and 2 by Bill Mollison 
• Fruit Growing in Australia by Louis Glowinski

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

“The water bill,” says Rachel. Living in the Mediterranean climate of Adelaide, we suffer from long, dry summers. This means water is crucial to growing a healthy and prosperous garden. 

When thinking about climate change, Rachel says, “I’m very concerned for the future of my garden but I’m working hard to mitigate the impacts.”

Rachel incorporates native species in her home garden that are best suited to the harsh Adelaide summer. In some areas, Rachel has planted locally native Malley species, Eucalyptus porosa and Eucalyptus socialis, to provide shade and attract local bird species, which in turn help with insect control. 

Rachel uses garden beds raised off the ground – on rainwater tank stands, with old corrugated iron as a bottom – to lower the risk of roots competing, meaning one species is not taking water or nutrients from another. 

“No water leaves the property,” she says. “I have installed rainwater tanks at all downpipes and the runoff from those are sent to the citrus, which needs the winter rains, or to a central point in the vegetable garden.” 

Using 50 per cent white shade cloth over growing areas also helps curb the water bill. The shade cloth helps keep the soil cool and retain moisture, meaning plants are less likely to wilt and need more water. 

“I have also planted my verge with local native plants to provide habitat for insectivorous birds and bats. Two ponds have been built recently and I’m waiting for frogs to find them,” Rachel says.

Bringing diversity into her garden helps the resilience of the ecosystem. 

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Walking into the garden to pick breakfast is one of the biggest highlights, says Rachel.

Having a productive garden means she can access fresh food every day and become less dependent on buying food elsewhere.  

Besides the garden’s productive perks, Rachel says having a piece of land that provides serenity is another great part of gardening. 

“The garden is seasonally visited by many forest and woodland birds, some that I never expected I would see in the suburbs,” she says.

Maybe the birds find serenity and happiness in this garden too. 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

Climate change is a huge challenge and a big consideration for the future of Rachel’s Enfield garden.

Already, she’s feeling the effects of climate change in her patch, and wants to help others move towards a more resilient path. 

“I want to be part of helping people to be productive, hopeful, and resilient.” 

Rachel hopes she can one day use her garden as a space for teaching, to help people learn to grow their own food and support their food security. 

“Supporting farmers who practice regenerative farming is the way forward,” says Rachel. 

In spite of persistent issues in our global food systems, Rachel demonstrates that we can address these problems locally, starting right in our backyards. 

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Email: racheleckermann@yahoo.com

Mijbil Urban Farm – Glengowrie, Adelaide

Not too far away from one of Adelaide’s most popular beaches lies Mijbil Urban Farm, located in suburban Glengowrie. The family home and farm celebrates bringing the garden to the front yard where the community can best enjoy it. Here we talk with Lynne Gunn about growing food for her neighbours, the no-dig method and the fun of keeping a “paramilitary chook!”

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: Sometime 30 years back!
• 📍 Location: Glengowrie, about 12kms south-west of Adelaide’s city centre.
• 🏡 Land size: Suburban house and garden. They use 20sqm beds for annual plants, 150sqm for fruit trees, berries, perennials and ornamentals plus the chooks enjoy a chook run that’s around 24sqm.
• 🌱 Soil type: Sandy loam that goes down to clay if you dig down far enough.
• 🚜 Main energy sources: Mains power, looking to invest in solar.
• 💧 Main water sources: At the moment still on mains water, looking to install rainwater tanks.
• 🥕 Main production: Eggs, the usual fruit and veg, and almonds.
• 👩‍🌾 Labour: Michael and Lynne look after the garden, with Michael’s dad stepping in when the couple is away.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Lynne and Michael have lived in their home at Glengowrie for over 30 years, raising their two sons, fostering a menagerie of pets, and gradually turning their suburban block into an urban oasis. 

Over time, their home has become an urban farm, growing seasonal produce to feed their family and neighbours. 

The farm is named after Lynne’s border terrier dog, Mijbil. A love for animals has been a guiding ethos for Lynne, as well as the permaculture tenets of People Care, Earth Care, and Fair Share. 

The family has had a flock of chickens in residence for the past 15 years. The current flock is the treasure of the garden, lovingly called The Mijbil Rainbow Flock, and they live in a retrofitted cubby house. 

“I have Araucanas, brown and white Hy-lines and Australorps, and they bring life to the garden,” Lynne says.

Lynne has one chook in particular that rose to chicken stardom. This black Australorp, named Mrs Bennett, described as a “paramilitary chook,” devoted her life to terrorising Lynne, sneaking around corners to peck her, undoing her shoelaces and generally dominating the flock. 

The dear Mrs. Bennett developed her own fanbase on Facebook as Lynne often live-streamed the coop. 

“She passed away a few weeks ago, aged five years, and her fans miss watching me fend her off with my “Chicken Sword”. These are special little creatures and they deserve the best care you can give,” Lynne says.

Michael is a keen beer brewer and the couple see their passions align when the spent grains from the brewing process can be used as a treat for the chooks to eat. 

He is also a whiz in the kitchen and adds kombucha, relishes and passata to the couple’s repertoire of skills.

“He has adapted well to me becoming vegetarian and things have never tasted so good!” Lynne says. 

The initial plan to gradually build their self-sufficiency and sell any excess produce at the front gate quickly became sidetracked since the pandemic outbreak. 

“Suddenly it became more important to help our community by donating produce to our neighbours, family and friends, particularly the elderly who have been isolated for many weeks,” says Lynne. 

This piqued their interest in not only providing produce to their community, but helping others to grow their own. 

“I guess you could say we’ve shifted our focus from self-sufficiency to developing community-based sufficiency.”

Having a garden in her front yard is important to Lynne as it creates a special space for connection with the community. 

Now Lynne is able to have her garden out in full view, she enjoys watching her neighbours wander in and pick their dinners. 

To encourage community spirit, Lynne has told her neighbours they are welcome to come into the front garden and harvest fresh produce. 

“My next door neighbour Paul kindly mows our “lawn” on the front verge in exchange for eggs and vegetables. His little grand nephew also enjoys “food hunting.” 

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Lynne’s passion for gardening was sparked at the age of 12 after her father brought home a copy of Esther Deans’ Gardening Book: Growing Without Digging. 

“This was quite revolutionary for my father, who until then had been a very traditional gardener; one who tilled the earth and sprayed everything with poison,” Lynne says. 

She remembers her parents as novices to growing vegetables, but she and her father transformed a small part of their beautiful backyard into a  productive garden. 

Tucked out of sight, Lynne was allocated her small allotment to grow to her heart’s content. 

“Dad and I sheet mulched the lawn and built raised garden beds, layering them with lucerne hay, straw, manure and compost. We used herbs as companion plants. The vegetable production was phenomenal.”

Since then, Lynne has been hooked. 

When she stumbled across permaculture in later life, she felt an instant recognition and connection.

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Lynne’s key advice is to start a small project while you plan a larger overall concept.

“This could be as simple as growing a planter of herbs and starting a compost bin, while evaluating which areas would be best for planting.”

She also suggests doing plenty of research and asking lots of questions, but at the end of the day backing your own judgement.

“What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for others, so if you think you’ve come up with a new idea, give it a go.”

“Even if it doesn’t work out perfectly, you’ll have gained some experience that might lead to other opportunities.”

Lynne and Michael attended a Living Smart course two years ago, which helped them draw on inspiration and knowledge in their community. 

“We were delighted to find like-minded people who also wanted to live more lightly on our planet. We decided it was time to up our game in many ways.”

One way to take the next step in your garden is to increase your growing space. Often this means removing a quintessential feature of the Aussie front yard – the lawn. 

Lynne and Michael sourced most of what they needed to achieve this project for free, finding cardboard from retail businesses and green waste from supermarkets. 

“We cut the lawn very short and sprinkled it with lime and blood and bone. We then put two layers of wet overlapping cardboard down.”

With the teachings of Esther Deans guiding the way, they added the likes of lucerne hay, cow manure, and then straw. After a layer of compost and woodchips, they were ready to grow. 

“This is a no dig system – if you till the chips into the compost, you’ll lock up the nitrogen. So just keep adding mulch and compost to the top.”

Once a complex fungal system brings everything together as the wood chips break down, you’ve effectively created your own forest floor!

“In terms of planting, get your fruit trees in first, as they take the longest to crop,” Lynne says.

She also recommends researching when different varieties fruit, so that you can have a crop most of the year.

Mijbil Urban Farm now has peaches, pears, apricots, apples, persimmons, almonds, mandarins, lemons, limes, kumquats, figs, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, passion fruit and grapes, as well as annual crops. 

Chickens are a great addition to a home garden and will aid by eating kitchen scraps, making manure for compost and providing eggs.

Be prepared to look after your feathered friends though.

“They need shade, cool clean water and predator-proof coops with plenty of room,” says Lynne.

While waiting for your delicious food to grow, learn new skills for preserving your harvest. Learn to pickle, preserve, ferment and dehydrate your surplus to use in lean times.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Coping with the scorching summers has been a challenge in the past and Lynne says that Adelaide’s 2019 searing summer heatwave was particularly tough going. 

Their no-dig style of garden helped to retain soil moisture and, after adding many shade cloths, Lynne is happy to report that they didn’t lose any plants.  

“We will be putting up more permanent fixings for shade this year well in advance. Wrestling with nine metres of shade cloth in 45-degree heat and strong winds will test any couple’s relationship to the max!”

Lynne says in terms of making a living, she’s not generating much in cash terms but finds a wealth of benefits nevertheless.

“I am rewarded with extra time, fresh ingredients, and a connection with my local community that I didn’t have before I started marching about the front garden in my gum boots.

“I’m not making a living as much as I’m making a better life.”

Security isn’t something Lynne often dwells on, but it is a reality for a front yard garden. 

“I do appreciate a knock on the door from people I don’t know who would like to enjoy the garden from my side of the fence,” she says. 

Mijbil, the terrier, is head of security and vigilant to alerting the family if anyone enters their property. 

“Unfortunately Mij was away on holidays during The Great Mandarin Heist, which has been our only disappointing moment with regard to our honour system.

“A man with a bag stripped our entire mandarin tree. Perhaps he needed them. I guess if that’s the worst thing that ever happens, we can live with it.”

Now the family has secured the annual beds in the backyard they expect to have enough for themselves and can focus on providing more public picking areas out the front. 

“Most people are honest and are emotionally invested in watching our little farm grow,” Lynne says.

Just to be on the safe side, Lynne also has solar powered security cameras continuously running so she can log in remotely and check on the chooks and property from wherever she is. 

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

“I enjoy watching people stopping to exclaim over vegetables they’ve never seen growing before, and letting little children pick and eat fruit and vegetables straight from the garden,” Lynne says. 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the residents from the local nursing home would include Lynne’s garden on their daily walk, gathering in the driveway, surreptitiously pinching her figs and roses. Lynne says she never minds as they have plenty to share. She looks forward to when the passersby return. 

During the pandemic, Lynne reflects that having their own food security has kept them calm while many have felt panic. They’ve found comfort in being able to supply food to friends and have been deeply touched by a newfound friendship between their eldery neighbour and the chooks. 

Their neighbour, who is lonely in isolation, sits next to the fence so she can listen and be soothed by the sound of the chooks going about their business.  

“I’ve inspired many friends to start their own gardens and to keep chooks, and the photos they send me of their efforts spur me on to continue sharing this way of life.”

The farm also helps Lynne start her day feeling grounded and connected to nature before slowly slipping into a regular work environment.

“My mornings are very grounded, as before work I tend to The Mijbil Rainbow Flock, hand feeding them and collecting the gorgeous eggs that are all different colours: blue, brown, green and white.

“Picking herbs and greens to eat with the eggs for breakfast all helps to make me feel more connected with nature.”

After a long day trapped inside at work, it is wonderful to come home to our own little oasis,” Lynne says. 

She’s planted strawberries along the path to the front door, and enjoys the ritual of pausing to pick the sweet, sun-warmed berries as the short walk transitions her from a stressful workplace to a sanctuary of peace. 

Lynne has recently retired after working in community pharmacy for nearly 20 years, deciding to focus on the garden and a writing project. 

While working she kept the garden low maintenance with wood chips covering most of the bare soil in the front yard. This style of mulching keeps the weeds and watering to a minimum. 

“Michael has been working tirelessly over the past few months building new raised beds and new compost bins. He retired a few years ago and this healthier lifestyle clearly agrees with him,” Lynne says.

With the extra time on her hands the garden will flourish and already the couple have been busy making design alterations throughout the backyard. 

“We moved all of our intensive raised beds for annual vegetables into the newly built Mrs Bennett Memorial Chicken Pavilion in the backyard and they are quite high so that we can continue to garden even with bad backs!”

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

“I think after the stresses of 2020, many of us will be reevaluating our future and lifestyle.”

Lynne is taking long service leave after working in community pharmacy for 18 years. 

She’s also planning improvements to her own patch.

“Our plans include improving the chicken coop, creating easier access to our many compost bins, adding water tanks and solar panels, and improving our planting succession timetable.”

Lynne and Michael have been keeping notes on what’s happened in the past year so they can learn and do better in the future. 

“A friend is starting her own vegetable garden, and we are planning to collaborate to produce a diverse selection of crops we can all share. Hopefully it will inspire more people to start growing,” Lynne says.

“I’m hoping that when we all come out of isolation, many of us will reconnect in our gardens and kitchens.”

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Facebook: @MijbilUrbanFarm

Seacliff Community Produce Swap – on Adelaide’s southside

Beginning in 2018, the Seacliff Community Produce Swap has quickly become a popular way for local residents to connect and to share knowledge, seeds and produce. Here we talk to Emma Sandery, who brought the swap to life.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2018
• 📍 Location: Seacliff (Kauri Reserve, corner of Kauri Parade and Wheatland Street.)
• ⏰ Open times: The group meets from September to May at 9.30am to 10.30am on the last Sunday of each month. In winter (June, July, August), the swaps move to Seacliff Community Kindergarten, 47 Kauri Parade, Seacliff.
• 👩‍🌾 Staff and volunteers: Emma runs the swap as a volunteer (with the help of her family) and everyone who has produce to share comes along.)
• ⚡️ Capital: The group spent about $100 buying some second hand coffee plungers and thermos, tea and coffee supplies, an old table and printing some letterbox flyers. That’s about it!
• 👫 Markets: The majority of people are local, but some people travel from further away to attend and share surplus homegrown foods. The majority come from within 5km, but the furthest was Milang with a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins!

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Seacliff Community Produce Swap is a place to bring the local community together, share excess homegrown produce, take home some goodies, have a chat with neighbours and new friends over a cuppa, and share gardening knowledge, plus super-local seeds and seedlings. 

“Our vision is a happy group of local people enjoying each other’s company and the pleasure of super fresh, super local produce,” Emma says. 

The main idea is to come with any excess homegrown fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers, nuts, seeds and seedlings or homemade jams, preserves and baked goods. All contributions are placed on the share table as people arrive and at 10am sharp everyone is welcome to take whatever they would like.

Emma says they get around thirty people each swap and it’s always dynamic, with mixture of new and regulars mingling together.

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Emma recalls she came across a guide on starting a produce swap and thought it was such a nice idea: combining local community, local produce, growing more of our own food and building stronger connections. 

“I went along to the West Croydon Vege Swap to see what it was all about, and it was such a beautiful experience,” Emma says. 

After considering the steps necessary to set up a similar venture, Emma hit a small setback when she wasn’t sure how to manage the insurance for the swap.

“Then I heard about Sustainable Communities SA,” she recalls.

By operating under Sustainable Communities SA, she could be covered by their insurance and wouldn’t need to worry about that side of things.  

Emma also made networks and connections with the wider food swap community. She talked to the people behind the West Croydon Vege Swap and the Joslin Essential Edibles Produce Swap and learnt from how they have done things. 

Emma says that her local council, City of Marion, were supportive of her initiative and provided her with a letter of support to provide for insurance – she was set.

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Emma says it really didn’t take much to get the ball rolling. 

She had already begun to build local networks via a Facebook group and used her local connections along with letterbox flyers to promote the initial swaps. 

Getting your project featured in your local newspaper is a great way to promote it, Emma says. She  also recommends forming connections with other local groups, such as community gardens or clubs. 

Emma uses simple methods to keep members engaged – just a Facebook page and sending out month reminder emails keeps most people connected easily. 

“We encourage people to be welcoming to newcomers and wear name tags to help conversation flow and make it easier to build relationships,” Emma says. Emma recommends checking out this article if you are wanting to start something similar.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Emma says  her community has pulled together to see this initiative flourish, but more help would always be gratefully accepted. 

“If we are to do more to spread the love of growing food in our local community, we will need more people to step up and volunteer to get involved, as I can’t take on much more myself,” Emma says.

Sometimes things might not go to plan, such as when they were looking for a more sheltered winter venue, but Emma says that the community has never let her down. 

“When we’ve needed something, I’ve asked the produce swap group and it’s always worked out,” Emma says. 

“This has been easier and more enjoyable than I thought it would be.” 

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Emma loves how quickly locals have jumped on board her initiative. “The local community has embraced the swap right from the start.”

The event has highlighted the huge variety and abundance of backyard garden produce. Emma would love to see backyard produce step into the spotlight and show people the abundance that is fostered in our urban environments.  

She’s amazed how each month they step up more and more tables that continue to overflow with people’s produce and generosity. 

“I love watching the kids looking at all the different food and tasting and trying things they might not have seen before.”

Watching all the conversations, budding friendships and exchanges happening within the group is also very special for Emma. 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

While the Seacliff Community Produce Swap is still young, Emma has high hopes for its future.

“We just had our second birthday party swap, which was beautiful – live music, flowers, cake and so much amazing fresh produce.”

Emma would love to see the produce swap continue forever and hopes the group can one day do even more to support local food in the community. 

The group is full of passionate members that could help spread the joy of gardening and of fresh, local food. 

Emma’s big dream? This group might one day be able to help others to get started, by acting as mentors or buddies.

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Website: www.sustainablecommunitiessa.org.au/projects/seacliff-community-produce-swap/
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SPSMailingList
Facebook: @SeacliffProduceSwap

Photo credit: Morgan Sette

The Adelaide Bee Sanctuary – across Adelaide’s metro suburbs

Sandy Ullrich has brought over 50 hives into Adelaide’s metropolitan areas and has worked since 2015 to make Adelaide a sanctuary for bees. We had a chat with Sandy to learn more about the bee business and the joys of working with our little fuzzy friends.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2015
• 📍 Location: Metropolitan suburbs of Adelaide
• 🏡 Land size: Each hive is smaller than one square metre – about 50 hives across Adelaide so far.
• 👩‍🌾 Staff and volunteers: Sandy manages the business herself, although groups like community gardens help care for the bees in between Sandy’s visits.
• 🥕 Main production: Honey! And honeycomb.
• 💰 Markets: Sponsors receive 4kg of honey each year in thanks for their support. Stock is also sold across Adelaide in selected local stores and sold by Sandy at local markets.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

The Adelaide Bee Sanctuary combines the best practices in beekeeping and the provision of local and ethically sourced honey and honeycomb. 

“The primary purpose of the Adelaide Bee Sanctuary is to raise awareness of the important role of bees to our food security and ecosystem,” says Sandy.

Sandy runs the business, installing hives, caring for the bees, selling honey and also advocating for bees and bee health in general.

She also offers individuals and organisations the opportunity to sponsor beehives. Sponsors support the bees through an annual payment and, in return, receive a portion of honey from their sponsored beehive. So far, the main sponsors are local councils, community gardens and Government House.

The sanctuary aims to promote the cohabitation of people and bees in the urban environment and works to demonstrate the best practices in beekeeping, underpinned by a bee-centric approach. These goals and services were driven by the vision to support a greener and more sustainable Adelaide city.  

From there, Sandy launched Sanctuary Seeds  as a natural extension of her sanctuary’s honey.

Bees are important for pollination and in turn our food security – part of this food security is saving our own seeds from the plants growing in our gardens. 

“Creating my own seed saving business was a natural progression from working with bees within community gardens,” Sandy says.

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Sandy has always been fascinated by bees and insects and kept bees as a hobby for eight years before launching the Adelaide Bee Sanctuary. She previously worked as a nurse, until beekeeping became her primary income. 

She began beekeeping for therapeutic reasons, explaining that beekeeping requires a certain mindfulness and awareness – it’s often a reflection of your state of mind and being, Sandy says. 

“Bees have been there for me when I have been happy, grieving, lost and confused. I believe they listen to me and respond to me in kind.”

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

For those wanting to venture into the urban beekeeping business, Sandy says perseverance is key – working with councils, for example, has gotten easier for the Adelaide Bee Sanctuary with each passing year.

“Now that I have been working with councils for about four years, the conversations about risk management are becoming easier. I also recognise that councils are doing some amazing things in terms of supporting all our local pollinating insects, not only bees.”

Building trust in the community also takes time.

“Twenty per cent of my work is with the bees, the other 80% revolves around ensuring that connection between myself and the sponsor,” Sandy says.

“Beekeeping in the urban environment requires this. One needs to connect to dispel any fears or concerns people may have about having a beehive nearby.”

Her other tips include:

• Get celebrity chefs on board to help promote your venture.

• One size does not fit all – you have to find what works best for you, your community and the bees.

• Opportunities are limited to one’s imagination!

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Sandy is the sole owner and manager of Adelaide Bee Sanctuary, which means she’s effectively on call 24/7.

The work of managing the hives and producing honey can be physically demanding, too, and she does worry that her hives may be stolen or threatened by biosecurity issues or even chemical pest control. 

Several of her hives have been wiped out in the past – possibly because of exposure to pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Although the cause was unknown, the rate at which the colony died indicated some chemical exposure. Sandy says this is a worry for any beekeeper because nothing can be salvaged. She had to destroy over 100kg of honey that was also contaminated, most likely because an agent or agents were used incorrectly within the urban environment.

“Selling raw, local honey and honeycomb was also a challenge, but I manage that by selling honey face-to face and not in a retail store,” Sandy explains. 

As an added bonus, selling this way allows Sandy to communicate with buyers about why “real” honey looks very different from what is often sold in supermarkets.

Honey actually exists in a spectrum of colours, ranging anywhere between a dark red or black colour to a light translucent colour – unlike the homogenous golden colour of most honeys on supermarket shelves.

Sandy doesn’t strain her honey and invariably a piece of wax or two or three might float on the surface or there could be a piece of pollen floating in the honey. And that’s perfectly how nature intended, she says. “I want to educate people that they are already consuming a perfect product … perfected by the bees,” she says.

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Being a steward of bees is therapeutic and brings so many rewards, Sandy says.

“It’s not just about the yummy honey. It is about connecting with one another. One of the greatest issues we as a society face is loneliness, and the anxieties and depression that come from this.”

“Bees and beekeeping in the urban environment becomes a conduit … connecting people to one another.”

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

Sandy has plans across both her beekeeping and seed saving business. She hopes to continue developing Sanctuary Seeds and the seed collection group across community gardens, as well as launch the first Adelaide Bee Sanctuary workshop about urban beekeeping.

Sandy is also planning to install an indoor observation beehive at the Woodville Library, offering the community an opportunity to learn about bees while in an environment designed specifically for learning. 

Sandy hopes this will highlight that bees are not so dissimilar to us.

“They dance, clean, tend to their babies, carry out their dead, keep their home cool, tend to one another and demonstrate all the feelings that we as human beings have such as compassion, kindness, mourning, happiness,” she says. 

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Website: adelaidebeesanctuary.com.au
Facebook: @adelaidebeesanctuary
Instagram: @adelaidebeesanctuary

Ligaya Garden – Gawler South

Less than an hour north of Adelaide sits the suburb of Gawler South, where this family of four – Jelina, Marlon, Athena and Malcolm – have created the small yet thriving Ligaya Garden. We chatted with Malcolm to learn how the garden evolved to become an inspiration to learn, grow and give it a go.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2015
• 📍 Location: Gawler South
• 🏡 Land size: A family home on a 360sq meter block with a garden space of approximately 60sq meters.
• 🌧️ Average annual rainfall: 440mm on average rainfall.
• 🌱 Soil type: The block is on a river floodplain, but the soil was full of builder’s rubble, rubbish and weeds when they moved in. After years of mulching and heavily composting, the soil is now rich in organic matter. 
• 🚜 Main energy sources: The family is on the mains grid and also have a 500W solar setup made by Malcolm, which is used to charge batteries, phones and some of the aquaponics pumps. It will also run fans and lights inside the house when Malcolm can upgrade the wiring. The plan is to eventually finance grid-connected solar and join a local community initiative called Solar Harvest. This way they will be contributing to the overall stability of the grid for everyone’s benefit.
• 💧 Main water sources: The garden uses a combination of mains and rainwater. They only have room for one 6,000-litre tank so rely on mains during hotter weather. Despite this, they often use less than a two-person home with no garden.
• 👩‍🌾 Labour and volunteers: They don’t employ anyone, it’s purely a family show.
• ⚡️ Capital: The garden was started with a tiny budget of just $10. Five years later, the couple estimate they’ve spent around $18,000 all up. This includes fencing, small building jobs, paving and maintenance.
• 🥕 Main production: Lots of fruit trees and lots of leafy greens. Their favourite summer food to eat and share are kangkong, eggplant, silverbeet and kale. There’s also a strong emphasis on medicinal plants. 

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Ligaya Garden is a small backyard family garden. After buying the house in suburban Gawler South in 2015, the family of four – Jelina, Marlon, Athena and Malcolm – began establishing the foundations of what is now fondly known as Ligaya Garden. 

Jelina and Malcolm met in the Philippines and the country still holds a special place in their hearts, influencing the name of the garden, the main ethos and what plants they grow.  

In Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, Ligaya means the happiness that comes from family and community. This is the guiding ethos for the family’s garden. 

“Our garden is as much an expression of a love for food and nature as it is a love for culture and community.” 

Malcolm Haines

Growing as many tropical plants as possible is another way that they connect to Jelina’s culture and love of food. In her culture, passing down knowledge revolved around food. 

The family also writes a blog, detailing  their gardening successes and challenges. 

Malcolm says the blog chronicles their story. It details a lot of tried and tested gardening tips, with a focus on food, medicinal plants, aquaponics and water and energy solutions. 

“We’re not just about food production but try to dabble in everything that makes a family lifestyle suitable for a world that we all need to work at making,” Malcolm says.

“One of our goals was that it doesn’t look like a farm or just one big vegetable patch. We tried to stay away from a grid-like design and incorporate as many curves and hidey holes as possible.”

“Also, the garden is designed to support Jelina as she has long-term back issues.”

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Malcolm and Jelina met in the Philippines while both studying at a traditional medicine school. After living there together for a few years, the family moved to Adelaide. 

They started their garden with minimal gardening experience but were driven by passion and the necessity to grow their own food.

“I never knew much about all of this but just applied common sense to the overall design, then filled the gaps from there,” Malcolm says.

Their overall goal starting out was to grow as much as they possibly could while saving energy and water.

They also began at a time when the government was increasingly lowering much-needed welfare support – which Malcolm, who’s on a disability pension, relies on. He recalls their income slowly falling every couple of weeks, “as allowance after allowance disappeared”. 

They started with  a single straw bale bed for green leafy vegetables. Apparently that was so successful that they just kept going! 

But turning their rubble-filled backyard into a gardening paradise wasn’t easy.

“We emptied local sources of cardboard and paper and sheet mulched the areas that we wanted plants in. Then we bought two cubic metres of mushroom compost and two cubic metres of regular compost. We added two trailer loads of good soils and laid that lot over the cardboard. That formed the growing areas,” Malcolm explains.

Soon after, they created their website as a virtual space to share their journey, but also as a form of therapy for Malcolm’s depression and other health issues. It soon became a place to showcase their passion and perseverance.

Malcolm says he wanted to “show that no matter how small the garden space, you just need a little bit of creativity and patience”.

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Get to know the sun on your block before you start planting anything, Malcolm says. “That’s crucial and will make or break any project.”

Then consider what is growing around the area already. Even the weeds can tell you so much about the soil – deficiency, strengths and drainage. 

Malcolm’s next tip is to start small, even if you are on a big block. Master a few square meters first and start by growing the plants that you like to eat. At Ligaya Garden, for example, they started with brassicas first, then solanums.

“Success with a smaller space will bring both nutrition and confidence in your growing abilities.”

Malcolm Haines

“Exotics can come later and will probably do better with the protection of established plants.”

Malcolm wishes he knew about blackbirds earlier on in his gardening journey. Malcolm says, “They’re destructive little critters, they disagree with me on every aspect of mulch placement!”

He also says that a little more research on insect pests wouldn’t have gone astray. They deal with a brief but annual cycle of whitefly and, this year, spider mites. 

Finding people to inspire you and create a network is another great way to support your fledgling project. 

Ligaya Garden is well connected in their community, finding inspiration and support with the folks at Joe’s Connected Gardens. Transition Gawler has also opened up the doors to many opportunities to share information and projects.

Malcolm suggests a few key readings that he keeps close by and revisits when in need of guidance or inspiration:

• One Magic Square by Lolo Houbein.
• Intelligent Gardening by Steve Solomon.
• Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.
• Grow Your Own by Angus Stewart and Simon Leake.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

For Malcolm, the greatest challenge in Ligaya Garden is his health – but this has led him to realise that he’s a great supervisor! 

There are days where he can’t do anything physical, but he knows he can rely on his son, Marlon, to do the heavy lifting. Malcolm does want he can when he can. He says, “You learn more to be more efficient and also learn what ideas and plans to let go of.” 

Marlon has a term – “feature creep” – for the constant evolution of ideas and plans, and the constant upgrading and updating of this or that. But Malcolm admits that “a lot of it becomes unnecessary when you learn to let the plants do their thing”.

Being able to rely on a strong community who can support you with non-monetary resources, skills and advice also provides a sense of reassurance.

“We have found that patience, planning, frugality and more patience help a lot.” 

The family doesn’t currently make a living wage from their garden, but Malcolm says their homegrown produce does help stretch his Disability Support Payment and Carer’s Payment much further. Workshops and talks at the garden bring in occasional income, too. 

Ligaya is a flexible space that responds to the uncertainties and variabilities of climate change. “Flexibility will become the key to success and survival, not old gardening dogma,” says Malcolm.

One of their more significant responses to climate change has been to expand the aquaponics and to move all the growing of leafy green and ‘daily’ vegetables to that system. This way both water usage and plant growth is more controllable. 

Planting perennials has been another adaptation method. Most areas around the garden are perennials now. Malcolm says, “Perennials are less water-intensive and generally less prone to pests, although our yearly invasion pear slugs would argue against that!”

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Malcolm says having a coffee in the garden and knowing all the work has paid off is one of his greatest joys. He can look around and see that everything around him is either edible or medicinal. 

They have also made it easier for others to build similar models. Malcolm says this gives him a buzz and sense of accomplishment. 

“What keeps me going, personally, is the knowledge that we’re not alone. That nothing we do or anyone else does is in isolation. It is so easy to connect and inspire others.”

Malcolm Haines

“That’s what it’s really all about – inspiring people to try.”

Social media has been a fundamental aspect of their lives in the garden. It has been the best way for the family to reach people, connect and share their journey.  

“We feel great every time we share something with others, or even when we learn something,” Malcolm says. 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

The family’s current goals are to increase the nutrient density of the food they harvest, as well as to become local leaders in water efficiency. 

They’re going all out over winter, when the digging and carrying is easier, to upgrade certain aspects of the house and garden so they can capture and reuse every drop that enters the block. 

“I’m studying the details of water filtration and purification so that I can produce and teach how to make small, home sized, DIY purification units. I’ve even found a tiny turbine to fit the mains pipe and generate a little power,” Malcolm says. 

Jelina, meanwhile, is itching to get back to her artwork and teaching. She is an internationally known felter and traditional weaver and, when not working on her PhD, mentors and runs art workshops – on top of the plant-themed workshops the family also runs.

Next summer, they’re planning to ramp up water-related workshops. 

True to their ethos, Ligaya Garden will focus on sharing this information with their community, with talks and a free PDF and eBook all soon to come. Keep an eye on their website!

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Website: www.ligayagarden.online 
Facebook: @LigayaGarden
Instagram: @LigayaGarden

Magic Harvest home gardening program – across South Australia and beyond

In 2009, Tori Arbon created Magic Harvest to share the magic that comes from gardening and supporting your community. We talk to Tori to learn more about the famous book series that inspired her and the journey this program has taken.

THE KEY STATS

• ✅ Year established: 2009
• 📍 Location: South Australia and beyond; originally established within the City of Onkaparinga
• 🚜 Main energy sources: Human power
• ⚡️ Capital: Tori works free of charge, which “frees her”. The program was established using her own resources and volunteer time, and continues on volunteer time. Some new programs have been funded by local councils and OPAL. Tori created a ‘Do it Yourself – Magic Harvest’ gardening guidebook, which she paid for out of her own pocket, but recouped the costs after selling copies. Once she recovered the initial cost she began to release the guidebook for free. The Magic Harvest documentary was funded through grants.
• 👩‍🌾 Staff and volunteers: Voluntary, hundreds of volunteers
• 🥕 Main production: Food plus groups for gardening and cooking
• 🤝 Suppliers/inputs: Lolo Houbein as main mentor and inspiration, Diana Bickford for support, seedlings, supplies and gardening advice; Amanda Fleming assisting with Magic Harvest In Schools
• 💰 Markets: Primarily driven by word of mouth and Facebook. Amid the COVID 19 global pandemic, Tori is beginning to establish a stronger online presence. 
• 👫 Reach: The ‘Do it Yourself – Magic Harvest’ guidebook has been sent to the UK, Japan and across Australia. Magic Harvest groups have been supported by OPAL in the Northern Territory and groups have formed in NSW and Victoria.

WHAT’S THE PROJECT, IN A NUTSHELL?

Magic Harvest is a low cost, simple to implement, enjoyable, accessible and flexible home food gardening program. Food growing and cooking concepts within the program are based on the Magic book series by Lolo Houbein, author of One Magic Square, Outside The Magic Square and Magic Little Meals (the latter was co-authored by Tori Arbon).

These books are all based on using the simple idea of growing food in one square metre plots. The program promotes community connection through networks that share and implement small-scale but intensive gardening. Together, the networks help families to grow their own food and prepare nutritious meals at home.

“Magic Harvest’s purpose is to contribute to creating the world I want to live in – one of abundance and health for all.”

– Tori Arbon

Tori isn’t sure just how many Magic Harvest groups there are, but believes at least 200 groups are currently active. They span areas from North Adelaide to the Northern Territory, across Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Whyalla, with offshoots in the United Kingdom and Japan.

“Magic Harvest is not an organisation, it’s just me and an idea I share and spread and ask everyone to pass it on,” she says.

• 

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

Tori started out working within the food industry, wanting to share the knowledge, skills and simple ways we can all have access to the best food if we learn to grow and prepare our own.

She says, “It is so simple yet radical as it gives us control over our food source, which is fundamental to survival.” 

Tori’s own experience of the benefits of growing her own food gave her “a deep passion for wanting to share this with everyone”.  While working in event management, production management and running her own business, Tori and her husband, David bought a block of McLaren Vale land and started growing veggies on the weekends.

“We ran sheep and chooks, kept planting fruit and nut trees, growing grapes and making wine, and pressing our own olive oil. We started milking our own cow and growing grain to make our own bread,” Tori recalls.

This passion-fuelled lifestyle soon turned into their own business, sharing the growing, preserving and cooking skills they had acquired. Tori’s time working with local and state government on food industry development as head of Fleurieu Peninsula Food also gave her valuable connections, but she wanted to go further. 

Throughout 2008 and 2009, Tori remembers looking for a way to get more people growing their own food and feeling compelled to reach people who  had never grown food, or thought they never could.

Part of her research led her to the local Fern Avenue Community Garden, to hear Lolo Houbein speak. Tori’s idea for her own program began to take shape after hearing Lolo say, “Australia’s best agricultural land is covered by suburbs, that’s where we should be growing food.”

“I had a vision of faceless suburbs returning to connected villages with everyone swapping produce, recipes, sharing tools and skills.”

– Tori Arbon

Turning that vision into reality took a lot of planning,background work and “testing out theories on willing guinea pigs”. She relied heavily on relationships and trust built over previous years. But once Tori  convinced her local City of Onkaparinga council to support a pilot program, Magic Harvest fell into place quickly. 

“I wouldn’t say it was easy but the development and process has all been an enjoyable, stimulating journey,” she says.

While running Magic Harvest workshops,Tori has been  struck by how many people lack even the most basic food preparation skills. Many have almost no skills in growing and preserving food either.

It’s because most of us don’t have mentors, knowledgeable grandparents or wise elders, to pass down this knowledge to younger generations, Tori believes. That makes sharing this information among ourselves even more crucial. 

“When is this going to happen and who is going to do this? Now is the answer to when, and all of us are the answer to who,” she says.

• 

ANY TIPS FOR THOSE WANTING TO START SOMETHING SIMILAR?

Tori’s key tip for getting started on a food-related project is to do a lot of research:start by looking into what’s already existing, who you can work with and what resources you can tap into.

“You can ask for help,” she says – a lesson she wishes she’d known at the beginning of her Magic Harvest journey.

Tori says she did a lot of work and heavy lifting herself, only to find later on that others would have loved to have shared the load. She frequently asks for help now and lets others take the lead. 

“The power is in sharing.”

– Tori Arbon

Tori offers a few key readings that were especially helpful in guiding her journey:

• One Magic Square by Lolo Houbein – a guide to growing food in one square metre plots, which became the foundation of her Magic Harvest program.
• Outside the Magic Square by Lolo Houbein – a handbook for food security. 
• Magic Little Meals by Lolo Houbein and Tori Arbon – how to make the most of homegrown produce. 
• Ministry of Food and Pass It On program by Jamie Oliver – Tori says she found these to be useful tools and inspiring.  
• Harvest of the Suburbs by Andrea Gaynor – an environmental history of growing food in Australian cities.
• Fair Food: Stories From a Movement Changing the World, edited by Nick Rose. 
• Call of the Reed Warbler by Charles Massy.

• 

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

Tori says that one of the biggest challenges is running out of steam. But she overcomes this by having a solid network of volunteers who help spread the word and keep more programs popping up. 

She’s also battled to build an online presence – communicating what your project is through online platforms is important, but navigating this virtual world can be difficult. Tori hopes to overcome this by recruiting online-savvy supporters, but she says that she’s still working on this. 

Like many of us, Tori agrees that climate change will bring a number of challenges – but she also believes this reality will only make the Magic Harvest program more necessary and important.

“Being even just a little bit self-sufficient is wise and growing your own food might be the most important thing we all do,” she says.

For now, Tori says she’s not  making a living from Magic Harvest – but she’s actually totally comfortable with that.

“I know it would be possible but it’s not my aim. No one ‘owns’ growing our own food and that is how spreading the learning should be – free.”

• 

WHAT’S THE BEST PART?

Tori loves that her work with Magic Harvest has such a positive impact, helping create “a beautiful world we can all share in which people and nature are thriving in harmony with plenty for all”.

She’s committed to contributing to local food networks, which are becoming even more important amid events that undermine our way of life, such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can’t do this in isolation, we need our neighbours, local networks and systems in place.”

– Tori Arbon

“A powerful health and wealth for all can be found in fair localised systems.”

To her delight, Tori has also unexpectedly found many participants of her first council-run workshops were using the program as therapy for depression.

“The most profound impact was the large number of long term unemployed men who felt a sense of pride at putting food on the table again,” she says. 

“I hadn’t expected this little project to connect me with such diverse areas but of course it makes sense – gardening is the answer to everything.”

• 

TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE – WHAT’S NEXT?

This year, Tori will start a Magic Harvest pilot in about six South Aussie schools, with support from the Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Board. 

This program will focus on skills rather than infrastructure, meaning that no large school vegetable garden or kitchen is required. “All you need is a one square metre plot, one gas burner and one hour per week,” she says.

The aim is to teach kids how to grow and cook their own fresh nutritious food, sharing their skills with the whole family to keep growing and cooking at home.

 Two members of the school staff or volunteers (or both) will meet with the children weekly to facilitate the program, centred on the veggie plot. This can be in class time or after school, each school will adapt the program to suit their needs. During the program children will learn, share skills and resources, participate in activities, produce swap, and pass it on.  

On a personal level, Tori hopes to build a permaculture food forest on her McLaren Vale property for sharing with family and community. She’s planting a bush food block for native animals and humans to forage, restoring her creek and going deeper into regenerative farming.  

But her biggest dream was inspired by a thought shared by Lolo: “There are over 5 million backyards in Australia, can you imagine if they were all growing veggies?” 

Tori hopes loads of local groups will pick up her Magic Harvest program and run with it, spreading the word, adapting and making it their own.

“Eventually, I hope that Magic Harvest isn’t necessary in the future, that we just all do growing, sharing and swapping as part of our everyday lives,” she says.

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH

Email: harvest@producers.net.au 
Facebook: @MagicHarvest