NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY
Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1986
APRIL, 2018
CLONING BRAHMANS FOR QUALITY
www.farmernews.com.au
TALLANGATTA EXPO PAGE 7
SEEDS, FERTILISERS AND PASTURE
PAGES 12-13
PAGES 18-20
Berry delicious
Ű
Couple’s challenging journey to become a chemical free berry farm
HARVEST: Nina and Andrew Meiers have planted more than 15,000 strawberries at their Barjarg farm, and they plan to plant another 15,000, hoping to become reliable producers of organic blueberries and raspberries.
IN 2016, Nina and Andrew Meiers planted 3500 blueberries, 15,000 strawberries and 600 raspberry canes at their new farm in Barjarg - their hearts set on establishing an organic farm. It has not been an easy road – frosts decimated the blueberries in 2017, in December their greenhouse roof was ripped apart by wind and half the raspberry crop was lost, and then there was trouble with finding a commercial market. But despite the setbacks, the hard work and the heartache, going into the berry business has been the best decision the Meiers ever made. Bimbimbi Berry Delicious was the culmination of extensive market research and a lifelong dream. “We knew we wanted to live in the country, but were very specific about what we wanted,” Nina explained. Finding 30 acres just outside of Mansfield, with vast views across Lake Nillahcootie, the pair staked it all on their adventurous project. Long term, the vision is to be a productive, chemical free berry farm with a focus on blueberries. Short term, the Meiers are keyed in on getting strawberries out of the ground and onto the table.
“Simply put, you’re much more hands-on with the whole growing process, monitoring plant health, when you are chemical free,” Andrew said. “We decided early on we would do everything without chemicals, and no soil fumigation “Finding organic fertiliser isn’t easy either, but now that we have found the right supplier we have developed a very comprehensive plan for all types of crops we might grow.” The payoff is a Bimbimbi Farm strawberry tastes like a traditional strawberry should – rich, juicy and with a lingering sweetness. Handpicked every morning, Nina has found selling through her Facebook page surprisingly successful, and found the official farmers markets run through the Victorian Farmers Markets Association to be the best place to sell produce. “I can’t believe how many people want to buy them, and are willing to pay that little bit extra for organic fruit,” she said. “Because they’re eating fruit that is less than 24 hours from picking to consuming, the tastes like it should.” Strawberries have three flushes of fruit – spring, autumn and at Christmas.
BY RHYLL McCORMACK rmccormack@ nemedia.com.au
15,000 feels like a lot of plants when you are out there at 6am picking. NINA MEIERS, BARJARG’S FIRST ORGANIC BERRY FARMER “After planting, it takes about 12 weeks and you then have something to sell,” Andrew explained. “Blueberries will be our key business, but they can take up to three years to produce – so putting in strawberries is a good short term investment strategy.” One of the challenges that became immediately apparent to the Meiers was the decision to go chemical free. All berries need a certain kind of soil type – Nina points out wryly that strawberries and blueberries need almost the opposite in soil nutrition, just to make it harder – but to keep an organic approach to farming sends prices rocketing.
Continued page 4
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