Andrew Wood and Jill McCalman

Help build a shed at Glenora Heritage Produce

Glenora Heritage Produce is inviting your support to help build a shed on our organic farm.  A new shed will provide us an efficient work space and packing area protected from the elements to store vegetables (such as pumpkin) enabling us to increase production of our award winning produce without compromising the level of quality we strive for.  This shed will significantly increase the efficiency of how we deliver to you the absolute best produce we can grow.

Glenora Heritage Produce is an organic (not certified) grower of edible flowers, culinary herbs and vegetables located in Goornong, Central Victoria (about 200kms north of Melbourne).  We, Jill McCalman and Andrew Wood established the business in 2005 at our original 2.5 hectare Glenora property at Tooborac.  In order to grow the business we needed to secure more land and a reliable water supply.  In 2013 we purchased a 35-hectare property in Goornong. Originally part of a much larger dairy operation, in the last three years we have been able to bring back to life a property that had sadly fallen into disuse.

The farm sits on what is known as the Northern Plains of Victoria.  The Campaspe River, which cuts through the middle of the Northern Plains, is 5kms to the south.  The Murray River is approximately 100kms to the north.  The soil profile is red, sandy loam that is free draining, beautifully friable yet holds moisture brilliantly.

On average, the weather is 5-10°C warmer than Melbourne during the peak-growing season (October-May).  Summer seedlings can be planted out early in October with little risk of frost damage.  It is not uncommon for our summer growing season to extend into June, which allows for two crops of tomatoes and three of zucchinis.

Two artesian bores located on the property supply our water. 

Andrew Wood and Jill McCalman

We have both spent our adult lives involved in food and wine, professionally and personally.  Combined, we have close to forty years hospitality/food retail and gardening experience.  During this time we owned a string of differing hospitality/food retail businesses with the occasional stint working for others.

In the 1990s we decided to pursue new careers: Jill as an art teacher (another of her passions), and Andrew as a publisher/editor of a niche food and wine magazine (Divine). 

In 2002, like so many Melbournians fed up with city life, we embraced the idea of a “tree change” and moved to Kyneton (central Victoria).  A year later we bought the property “Glenora” in the sleepy little township of Tooborac (100kms north of Melbourne).  Shortly thereafter a sizeable vegetable garden and orchard were established followed by a chook run. 

A year later Jill had given up teaching and was making cheese at Holy Goat.  One of her other duties was attending farmers’ markets, and it was this connection where Andrew got the idea to “grow a few vegies for the local Lancefield farmers’ market”.  Within two years we were both farming full-time supplying vegetables to the four main Melbourne farmers’ markets (St Kilda, Collingwood Children’s Farm, Gasworks and Convent Slow Food) and developing our wholesale supply to Melbourne restaurants.

Over the ensuing years we increased the area under cultivation until the 2.5 hectare property was fully developed.  The year before we sold the Tooborac property we leased some land from a next-door neighbour in an attempt to satisfy the ever-growing demand for our produce.  In 2013 we sold Tooborac and purchased the 35 hectare property in Goornong.

We both love our food and wine: Andrew is a very competent cook and is an avid organiser of elaborate dinner parties, whereas Jill has mastered the art of unleavened, sourdough bread making which she makes on a regular basis.  We are both are still keen gardeners despite working on the farm full-time.

Our Philosophy

Our aim is to grow the most flavourful, nutritious produce we can and sell it at a competitive, affordable price.  We are committed to using sustainable farming practices that not only improve the soil, but are also non-invasive on the surrounding environment - it is our legacy for future generations.

All the produce we grow is seasonal and field-grown.  We use no artificial fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides.  We rarely have to spray, but when we do, the organic governing bodies have approved what we do use (Eco Oil and Pyrethrum). Our main input is lime, composted green waste (to build up carbon in the soil) and a pelletised fertiliser made up of composted chook manure, kelp, blood and bone, fulvates and trace elements.

Where possible we use non-hybrid, open pollinated, seed.  We tend to specialise in heirloom or harder to find varieties such as romanesco cauliflower, purple sprouting broccoli, heirloom tomatoes, padron chillis, tomatillos, Musque de Provence pumpkin and golden ball zucchini, to name a few.  By using open pollinated varieties we are able to save our own seed and contribute to the bioversity of our food.  This year we saved eight varieties of tomatoes, ten of chillis, three of pumpkins, two of melons and an Australian heirloom cucumber for the upcoming season.

The Future

With the purchase of the Goornong property we have secured sufficient land and water to expand our operations.  To do so has involved substantial investment in infrastructure, machinery and irrigation.  We have spent an extraordinary amount of time and money developing the soil to attain optimum fertility.  Through trial and error we have a better understanding of what varieties are best suited to our environment (soil, water and temperature).  All of which has resulted in a steady increase in yield. 

Late last year we appointed an agent in the Epping Wholesale Market (Flowerdale Farm).  Working closely together over the last nine months, demand for our produce now vastly outstrips supply, especially our ever-expanding cut leaf/salad range.  We are also exploring the possibility of supplying interstate and overseas markets down the track. 

Currently we are working virgin ground to substantially increase the area we cultivate in an attempt to meet this increased demand.  We have also been approached to grow some new lines of vegetables that we will trial this year to make sure they are suited to Goornong. 

Part of our long-term planning involves building a 24m x 12m enclosed shed to process, pack and store produce (we currently use a small open machinery shed which we share with the tractors and the delivery van). 

This will enable us to work comfortably in all weather conditions.  We are also planning to install a staff room and toilet within the shed.  A new shed will greatly assist in improving the overall efficiency of the farm and we are seeking your support.

We have covered the cost of planning ($6,000) and now need to raise $55,000 to build the shed. 

Description:  Enclosed corrugated iron shed, one double window, one fire exit door, one sliding door, insulation.

Size:  24m x 12m x 4.5m

Budget

We need to have the shed erected in time for our 2016 summer harvest, our busiest time of year.