Farming that lets nature do its tricks
Leigh and Pooja from Edenvale Forest Farm work with nature, rather than against it, to produce seasonal sub-tropical fruits and vegetables that are chemical free and harvested to order.
Leigh is the farmer, and she puts a lot of love into it. Pooja helps Leigh with the gardening and managing the livestock, and she also manages the marketing, including the farm’s social media pages.
While the business is new, they’ve been at the Sunshine Coast Hinterland farm for seven years. Leigh says their natural and biodynamic farming techniques improve the fertility of the land.
“I’ve grown food for myself, but to make it scalable to sell to others is a new thing for us,” Leigh says.
“In the long-term, we want to sell mixed fruit and vegetable boxes, but at the moment it’s produce that’s in season – all chemical-free and grown with biodynamic fertilisers.
“Everything is grown organically from open pollinated seeds. We don’t grow from seedlings. That way the produce is stronger and adapted for the environment.
“We have a full ecosystem within a garden. It’s not just a typical market garden. Birds might eat one fruit, but we don’t mind that because the birds being there means other fruit and vegetables can flourish.”
Pooja describes it as a labour of love and says customers sense the passion that the produce is grown with.
“When we sell pumpkins to people, they’re very tasty compared to the supermarket. Really tasty. You can’t get this in a store-bought variety,” she says.
“We’re helping other people get good quality food that is good for their health.”
Leigh, who worked in nutrition for a number of years, adds that customers love the quality and storing ability of the food – especially the ginger and turmeric.
“You can keep it in your fridge for four weeks and it won’t wither,” she explains.
“We like to supply fresh harvested produce to the customer - we pick it the night before or in the morning and only harvest what we need. We don’t cold store anything.”
They know what to pick because their sales are made through REKO rings – online farmers markets where people order and pay ahead before collecting it from a set pickup place and time.
Edenvale Forest Farm sells at Samford, Dayboro, North Lakes and Bardon REKO rings.
They like that REKO gives them direct contact with customers, supports small-scale farmers and provides the guarantee of a sale.
“Typical farmers markets give you no guarantee. You can take a lot with you and bring it all home again,” Leigh says.
Pooja appreciates how their customers want to know where their food is coming from.
“If you go to a market, people don’t always want to take the time to get to know your story. At REKO, you can explain to everyone and they want to listen.”
The pair encourages any producer to get involved in REKO rings, no matter how big or small their business.
To customers, they promote the convenience over mainstream supermarkets.
“Everyone has so many different products. You can get most of your needs just there,” Pooja says.
“It’s also coming from people who are passionate about what they do. You’re getting the best of everything.”
“REKO gives you direct contact with customers and it’s supporting small-scale farmers. You know what you need to supply each weekend because you’ve got that guarantee of a sale. Typical farmers markets give you no guarantee. You can take a lot with you and bring it all home again.”
