The recent rain has done little to ease the pain for young vegetable growers afflicted by drought on their Hartley property.
Epicurean Harvest’s Erika Watson and Hayden Druce moved from Blackheath where they were leasing land to grow organic vegetables, to Hartley at the end of 2016. Pushed out of Blackheath by high prices, they chose to buy in Hartley. The couple supply top-end restaurants in Sydney, as well as locally at Lyttleton Stores, Mesa Barrio, Palette Dining, Darleys and Fumo.
They’ve had to completely re-evaluate what they grow and how much water they use, in a desperate bid to stay afloat.
At peak production during summer, they would use 15,000 – 20,000 litres of water a day on the two acre plot of vegetables. The drought will force them to cut back to 6000 litres a day in summer, and reduce their plot by half. They’re also introducing companion planting which utilises more ground cover and reduces evaporation, as well as planting less water-hungry vegetables.
“It’s a scary summer for us,” Ms Watson said.
“We’re considering applying for farm allowance – government support – to get through summer.”
Additionally, they’re considering off-farm work a few days a week.
Previously they watered their crop with overhead spray, but this uses a lot of water, so they’re putting in driplines instead and stacking garden beds.
“We’re looking at things you can put on driplines and re-pick, like tomatoes and herbs and plants that stay there so you’re not restarting each time,” Ms Watson said.
On the property they have two dams, one is empty and the other is running low.
“It won’t fill up in the next week or even if we get average rainfall over the next six months that won’t be enough to fill it up,” Ms Watson said.
They will hold a fundraiser on Sunday, November 4 to raise money for another dam which will use keyline principles. Costing $15,000 – $20,000 the dam will have contour drains cut into the landscape to capture rain falling in a wider area around the dam. “With that we can increase the water catchment quite significantly,” Ms Watson said.
“We hit a wall five months ago, but have been immobilised since the end of summer.”
Once they started brainstorming and worked through their anxieties, they have been able to move forward.
“Looking towards that sense of positivity has had a good outcome for both of us in coping,” Ms Watson said.
I'll be Damned: Farm Resilience Fundraiser, is on November 4 starting at 10.30am. It will include a farm tour, picnic lunch, panel discussion and raffle, with prizes donated by Blue Mountains artisans and creatives.
The lunch is a combined effort from chefs from Fred and Quay in Sydney, and Jacinta Carmichael-Parissi from Lyttleton Stores. Costa Georgiadis from ABC’s Gardening Australia will also be part of the panel discussion. Tickets at www.epicureanharvest.com.au.
