Organic Insights Magazine - Spring 2023

Organic Insights / Spring 2023 / 5

“All stages of my farming approach I could compare to existing methodology and equipment to adopt, adapt or abandon to suit a wholistic biological farming approach,” he says. He was (and is) an avid reader, calling Masonobu Fukuoka’s “The one-straw revolution” his bible, and pointing to organic gardening books by Samuel Ogden, Peter Bennet, PA Yeomans; specific herb growing books by M Grieve and Ludo Chardenon, and other seminal books by Rachel Carson, Peter Andrews, Bruce Pascoe,

Charles Massey as inspiration. He has also kept up with various magazines and papers like Grass Roots, Earth Garden and Acres. “These days there is a real momentum, with goodwill and positivity, as the scale of [organic] production and use has really pervaded the mainstream food supply,” he says. Adrian points to the danger of being suddenly ‘in’, however, believing that many are using organic as a marketing tool, with little regard for the principles. “Some are doing the bare minimum

When organic certification came in about the early 80’s, I was keen to seeNASAA come in as a regulator with a good charter

In addition to almonds and olives, 9 acres of the farm is devoted to Shiraz grapes, delivered direct to Yalumba winery for one of their organic lines. To increase biodiversity, thicket forming hedgerows were planted around the farm and have matured into a thriving native ecology that integrates with the farm ecosystem. “It [organic] was new on the radar

required without really being converted or committed.” He says also that most consumers haven’t read the Standards and glaze over when it’s explained. “Apparently, some people still believe the Earth is flat and its many resources are made for the use of humans as quickly as possible,” he says. “Some believe organic is great and we should all wear beanies.” He says there is a huge increase in farmers becoming certified. “When organic certification came in about the early 80’s, I was keen to see NASAA come in as a regulator with a good charter,” he says. “There was a near end to overnight ‘organic’ crops and inspections and records became the norm.” Adrian believes that organic certification provides “a set of rules that will make a difference if the farmers of all nations want to improve the current dire condition of our trajectory and the ecology of our planet.” “To me, organic means ‘biologically integrated agriculture’ and simply, ‘humanity’, “he says.

at the time,” says Adrian, reflecting on the early years. “I was seen as a pariah at the time, like I was betraying farming,” he says. “I still am to this day,” laughs Adrian, “but for being a non-conformist now.” Adrian says he is very thankful to his wife Robin who “helped me ignore the bullies, the cynics and the socialites and keep focused on purpose, the principles and doing the job at hand as well as possible.” Robin went to work when the children were a bit older and while the family cottage was being completed. She continues to do the farm books and manage certification records and inspections. With a lack of support and information, Adrian became part of a group that secured the backing of the State Department of Agriculture underpinning the formation of the Biodynamic and Organic Agricultural Bureau (BOAB), a grassroots grower group of which he was a Founding member. Surprisingly, Adrian says that a primary inspiration has been the many capable ‘conventional’ farmers with their individual fine tuning of methods, equipment and crops that have put Australia on the map as “competent, ingenious, world-class farmers.”