FOUR generations of the Bauer family have farmed the nutrient-rich fields at Mt Sylvia, Queensland with the former dairy farm now proudly producing high quality organic vegetables.
“My great-grandparents settled the original farm back in 1885. They were of German and Irish decent, and my father grew up there and I grew up there and my kids and now their kids,” Rob said, adding it was fairly uncommon to have so many generations on one farm.
“Not a lot of families are still in the area and the farms have gone by the wayside. Where people could make their living off 80 acres years ago milking cows, well they can’t now.”
Rob said growing up on the farm had taught him the true value of living cleanly, growing his own food and being mindful of the way he produced food for others.
“If we stayed in the chemical world I would never have asked my children to stay on and work the farm.
“I knew what we were doing in the chemical world and it wasn’t good for longevity and that’s why I made the move into organic about 30 years ago.”
After witnessing a number of his neighbours succumb to illness, Rob decided to go back to pre-chemical production methods.
“I thought about how grandma and grandpa farmed before the war and it was organically. I really questioned the push towards chemicals and ended up saying ‘no’ to it.
“We’ve got some of the most fertile soils in the world. Some say it’s in the top 10 in the world and I believe it; we can grow whatever we want naturally.”
With two parent blocks in the Lockyer Valley, Rob said his favourite thing to grow
and eat was simply potatoes and carrots.
“Our carrots taste so good, beautiful and sweet and, I think, when you’re reared on
good food, it seems to stay with you.
“It’s really important that we get our kids to taste good food when they’re
young and that’s one of the most satisfying things about growing food that tastes so
good.”
Making an organic comeback in an industry bent on doubling production
hasn’t been easy for Rob but it hasn’t deterred him from his vision to see the entire
country organically certified.
“It would be great to see but we can’t get to that stage unless we get enough customers who are convinced they should be eating clean food.
“It’s happening slowly. When I started 30 years ago, we were selling a couple of bags of beetroot or potatoes a week – there was no market – and now we’re sending out truckloads full.”
With their produce available around the country and internationally, the Bauer clan are currently growing a bevy of potatoes, celery, broccoli, sweet potato, ginger and kale for the market.
“We also offer a home delivery service for people living in south-east Queensland and we’ve been hosting open days and farm tours every couple of months to show people how we farm the vegetables.
“The last one we held had up to 60 people come along and we were able to show them harvesting methods and give them some samples of the veges and the kids could dig out their own potatoes.
“It’s a lot of fun.”
Keeping the land sustainable is close to the heart of the Bauer operation, with Rob adding that he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
“I love being able to go home and be on 1000 acres that hasn’t seen poison for 30
years.
“It’s an escape – with clean tank water and beautiful food.”
