Just outside the Gerringong township is Buena Vista Farm – a small, mixed-enterprise producer with a focus on a pasture-based system and rotational animal grazing. Buena Vista farms free-range meat chickens and laying hens using portable roosting caravans that circulate around the property. They also have grass-fed beef, free-range pigs and honeybees, as well as an abundant market garden. With a passion for educating the public about produce and traditional food, owners Fiona and Adam Walmsley also regularly hold public workshops and other events on the farm.
“Mostly they are cooking classes focusing on how to prepare traditional foods, such as sourdough, fermented foods, and bone broths. We also run quarterly long table lunches that celebrate what the farm is producing each season and we host a picnic day twice a year for families. This is a part of our business that we both love, and is important to us – we’re thrilled to be able to share some of these skills,” Fiona says.
Buena Vista Farm produce can be found at the Kiama farmer’s markets every Wednesday afternoon – where their infectious local food ethos is embraced and shared by other members of the area’s vibrant food and produce culture. “We are very plugged in to our farmer’s market and our local food co-op. It’s a strong market supported by local people, but also attracts visitors who get to experience the fantastic food produced right here. We’ve been overwhelmed by the local support for our business. This is a community that’s serious about supporting farmers,” Fiona says.