Wattle Organic Farms

Wattle Organic Farms had its beginnings more than 10 years ago with the aim of producing healthier and more sustainable fruit and vegetable crops. A decade on and that dream is alive and well, with the Free family now set to embark on a new chapter in the evolution of their business thanks to a grant from Woolworths Organic Growth Fund, which will assist in enhancing apricot production.

The property, run by Nathan Free with parents Kelvin and Deanne, is at Lake Boga near Swan Hill in Victoria, with 130ha of certified-organic land devoted to the year-round production of vegetables and stone fruit. Nathan is the fourth generation to farm the land, with his great grandparents starting a mixed farming operation in 1943, producing the likes of table and wine grapes, fruit, vegetables and various livestock.

About 11 years ago, Nathan’s father Kelvin made the decision to take the business in the direction of organics, driven by a belief in the importance of soil and plant health and an increasing interest in the creation of composts and the use of more biological-based practices in the production process.

“We certified our stone fruit and vegetable land all at once, and in that process became vendors to Woolworths, with a focus on building up our stone fruit and vegetable lines to what they are today,” Nathan said.

“In consultation with Woolworths, we’d identified apricots as the stone fruit line gaining in popularity over the years, so we decided to look at ways we could enhance that program for Woolworths. We identified an apricot breeding program overseas that we saw to be a great fit for the enhancement of our organic apricot program,” Nathan said.

Nathan says securing the grant under Woolworths Organic Growth Fund is humbling and they are excited about what these new varieties will mean for apricot supply to Australian customers in the future. The fruit from these new varieties, he says, is higher in flavour and colour, with an improved shelf life, describing them as “exceptional”.