EMILYYARRA& MICHAELKOBIER
BrightsideProduce,Anembo,NSW
“Wejustwantedtoliveoutinthebush,”saysMichael
Kobier,halftheduothatrunsBrightsideProduce.For
EmilyYarra,Kobier’spartnerinlifeandbusiness,the
progressiontofull-timeworkfromlawschooldidn’t
exciteher.ThecouplelivedinCanberraatthetime
anddreamedofmovingtothecountryandavoiding
thecitycommute.“[But]weweren’tsurehowthat
lookedina practicalsense,”saysYarra.
SixyearsofWWOOFing(workingonorganic
farms)inNorthAmericaandEurope,labouring
oncommercialfarmsinAustralia,reading,taking
coursesanddreaminggavethemtheanswer:
BrightsideProduce,a chemical-free,organicfarmin
Anembo, 90 minutes’drivesouth-eastofCanberra.
“WemovedouthereinJuly2015,plantedinOctober
andweresellingbyDecember,”saysYarra.
Theystartedbysupplyingfriendsandfamilywith
boxesofproduceharvestedthatweek.Thesedays
theygrowbetween 15 and 30 varietiesofheirloom
vegetablesatanytime,supplying 25 produce-box
subscribers(there’smoreona waitinglist)anda
rangeofCanberracafésandrestaurants,including
BarRochfordandPilot.“Wegrowa certainrangeof
vegetablesbecauseoursoilneedsthediversityto
stayhealthy,”saysYarra.“Subscribersgeteightto
12 differentseasonalvegies,changingeachweek.”
These,andthechefs’picksofwhat’savailable,are
driventoCanberrathedayofharvest.
Unpredictableweatherpatternsandchanges
in climatedon’tmakethislineofworkeasy.“We’d
liketomoveintomoreperennialproduce,likeodd
fruitsandrareberries– we’rekeentobecomemore
adventurous,”saysYarra.“We’realways dipping our
toes into more specialty stuff.”➤Peopledoingbigthingsusuallystartsmall.
WetalktoAustraliangrowersandmakersabout
the dreams behind their dream businesses.
PHOTOGRAPHY LEAN TIMMS.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 59