Category Eat

We rent an old three-bedroom Queenslander for our family of six in West End, Brisbane Queensland.

What do you do?

I assist in the running of Food Connect, a business based in Brisbane which turns its back on the supermarket system, brings farmers together and distributes what they grow straight to families (see www.foodconnect.com.au). The business model has branched out to most Australian cities.

How has permaculture influenced what you do?

A lot. The business has many of the twelve principles and the three ethics of permaculture embedded into its strategic planning process and manifesto.

When visiting the Autumn Farm property it’s hard not to feel like you’re in a 1992 SBS screening of a foreign film, set in the heart of a family-run farm, breathing in the warmth of the grass and feeling the rays of the sun on your skin. Just turning in to their driveway and walking down to the house can feel like you’ve walked on to a film set. The romantic setting and visceral vibe from the place is nuanced by the paced buzzing, set by the daily ‘grind’ of the Autumn Farm family.

Autumn Farm is, in fact, not a cinematic dreamscape but the small rural property of Genevieve Derwent, Annie Werner and their delightful offspring Olive and Oscar. The farm is also a picturesque tribute to all things permaculture, organic, ethically sourced and homemade.

The decision to move from inner-western Sydney to the Bega Valley came after first considering Wollongong as a possibility, where commuting to work was still an option for Genevieve. But that didn’t satisfy their itchy feet enough and, because of their past relationships with the far south coast, the decision became obvious.

Genevieve’s dad soon pointed out a property to the ladies and the tree change ensued.