SPP Alumni

Tassie Seeds is a 5-acre farm In Bridgenorth, where they grow and sell 400+ vegetable and flower seeds, mostly to home gardeners. They also sell fresh vegetables to locals grown organically using permaculture principles, aiming for no dig after each garden’s first year, using living mulches, worm farms, biochar and compost systems to help nourish their soil.

Hamley is a small farming business currently growing a tomatoes, garlic, a variety of herbs and micro herbs.

Ben and Ellie own and run the farm, with not a lot of farming experience behind them, but a whole lot of drive and effort to put into creating a dream. They set out to have some space around them, a future, a great place to start and raise a family, a place where they could grow their own food ethically and sustainably, be self-sufficient and over time it has evolved into a business.

At Hillwood Fresh Food Co. the main product is gourmet mushrooms. Using farm and industrial byproducts Hillwood creates delicious, healthy, chemical free mushrooms. They are completely off the grid and therefore have to be innovative and grow mushrooms as efficiently as possible.

Josh and Patreena West are the team behind Westbae Pastoral. Having both had a background in farming, it was only fitting that they established a farm of their own to implement their ideas and desired farming practices.

Melissa and Luke are ex Queenslanders who had the dream of moving to Tasmania for 15 years. 4 years ago, this dream became a reality as they moved the family south. Melissa is a Registered Nurse working in primary health while Luke is a diesel fitter by trade who spends his time behind a desk managing vehicle fleets.

Rise and Shine Farm is owned and run by Coral and Nick Warren; keen learners who are passionate about regenerating their property and producing quality food and fibre for Tasmanians.

Old Orchard Farm is a small-scale sustainable market garden in the Huon Valley. On what was a paddock in 2019, stands a wallaby-proof fence protecting a 1300m2 market garden with a range of vegetables and herbs and a polytunnel.

Early Bird Farm is setting down roots in Cygnet, Tasmania on Melukerdee Country, a 45minutes drive South of Hobart. On their leased land of 2 acres the founders and farmers Jenna and Zeb believe that how food is grown is a powerful force for change.

Old Beach Berries is owned and farmed by David and Cathryn. In their other lives David is an Occupational Therapist and Cathryn is a Speech Pathologist. They bought the farm in November 2019 and they say it’s been a whirlwind tour and they are still on a steep learning curve. They also say that their mistakes are intermixed with occasional successes which are becoming more frequent!

Chris has worked as a Health Information System Expert and Monitoring and Evaluation specialist in post-disaster and conflict impacted countries for over 16-years. With limited farming experience, Chris feels she cannot call herself a farmer, however her disease management approach informed the farm’s weed eradication strategy and consequent deep respect, admiration and love for her small herd of weed munching full blood Boer goats.

Libby describes herself as a jack of all trades, but a master of none! She has worked in a variety of areas including as a graphic designer, florist, vet nurse, travel consultant, Product Manager and Product Director; has been involved in start-ups and has Bachelor of Design and Masters of International Business. She moved to Tassie 8 years ago and found her piece of paradise in South Arm about 6 years ago and has been growing on a small-scale ever since, selling her excess produce at local markets and community stalls.