ORGANIC LIFE
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well as a grey water system that filters water from the
house through river sand and out into the orchard.
Water is just one of the assets on the farm that is
thoughtfully managed. Compost is another, with Kay
and Gregg spending a lot of time getting it right.
They have a composting toilet that ‘takes about a
year before you have to empty it,’ and they have recently
brought in additional compost beyond the usual
amounts they generate in their previously closed system.
Kay explains that the Bega Valley Shire Council has
introduced a FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics)
household compost collection service and is selling
high-quality, hot-composted material for about $25 a
trailer load. Kay says that local residents were offered
free compost in a note that came out with the rates
notice – an offer that was too good to refuse for a
farm that relies on healthy soil.Organic trade-offs
This is just one of the reasons Kay and Gregg have moved
away from organic certification: they weren’t allowed to
take up offers like that because of the tight rules.
In the beginning, the farm was certified organic
(hence the business name) and the couple spent a lot of
time, money and energy growing and raising everything
themselves on the property. They even became certifiers
and inspected other farms.
But Kay says aside from the costs of certification,
some uncomfortable trade-offs developed.
“We found ourselves in a position where we were
looking at importing certified organic honey that was
blended and lavender oil from India because we couldn’t
get enough from Australia. The embodied energy in that
was huge, and then there was the import tax. We started
to look around locally and we found Tony Bee, an
amazing local honey supplier who takes his bees to
other organic farms and national parks, as well as
a biodynamic lavender farm up the road.
“The whole basis of permaculture is supporting your
local community and reducing your carbon footprint.
It was great to be certified in the beginning but now
we focus on eco and sustainable, and we still practice
organic and biodynamic farming methods,” Kay says.Animal inputs
An important part of that system involves animals –
72 in total. There are Muscovy ducks in the orchard,
which help create natural liquid fertiliser and keep the
weeds down, peacocks to help control snakes, chooks,
Merino x Dorper sheep to keep the fireweed down, two
ponies for pony poo, and a mob of free-range guinea
pigs that mow the grass and eat the weeds in the
orchard. There are also two dogs – one old, one young.
The animals help maintain orchards and gardens,
including over 1000 raspberry bushes, six kiwifruit vines,
thornless blackberries, garlic, potatoes, Jerusalem
artichokes, citrus all year round and seasonal vegies.
The chooks keep the family in eggs and Gregg makes PHOTOS: HONEY ATKINSONTop: Gregg, Gemma and Kay.
Centre: Kay harvesting borage.
Above: A range of the skincare products.