Learning about organic farming and the opportunities it offers a farmer was at the core of the half day workshop provided by the Hunter Local Land Services. 

About 40 people attended the event to hear from guest speakers international expert Tim Marshall from TM Organics and local organic farmer and garlic guru Patrice Newell, who also took the attendees on a guided tour around her garlic farm – ‘Elmswood’ just outside of Gundy. 

With 35 years’ experience in the industry, Mr Marshall spoke on growing, marketing and certification of organic farms to the crowd of people who were predominantly farmers currently operating in other sectors, but with an interest in organic farming.

Mr Marshall was one of the founders of the one of the first certified organic farming associations – the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia Ltd. 

He encouraged people to consider organic farming and spoke on the business of how to make the conversion from other farming enterprises to organic. 

Ms Newell shared her thoughts on the different ways to sell organic produce and how organic farming is part of developing a new, improved, healthy agricultural system. 

“It’s a great journey and I am very pleased to be able to be speaking to people about organic farming in Gundy,” she said. 

One of the attendees, Jan  Walsh is a commercial beef producer from Goorangoola.

Ms Walsh said she attended the workshop to seek information as she is tempted to go into organic farming. 

“It is definitely a burgeoning market as a lot of people are much more interested in what they are eating than they were 10 years ago,” she said. 

“It is true that people get a big wakeup call when they start having children and they want to avoid allergies and provide good healthy food.

“People are more aware of what’s around, so organic farming is a worthwhile investigation.”