ABC Open Great Southern WA
Aard Brink
For Aard the answer to growing nutritious food lies in the soil.
In 1984, while still working as an engineer in the oil industry, Aard and his wife Eve, bought an investment property in Lowlands.
Remembering his childhood growing up on the family farm in Holland, Aard had half an idea that he'd eventually like to grow vegetables, but it wasn't until 1995 they moved into the Lowlands property.
Aard was eager to learn.
He began by getting NASAA (National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia) accreditation in order to grow chillies for another grower's organic products, and later took over production of their pasta sauce.
Meanwhile he and Eve were growing vegetables for themselves and their two young sons, and selling the surplus.
A turning point for Aard was adopting the Albrecht method of soil fertility management. The idea behind the method is to create a balanced system in the soil that contains the right nutrients in the correct proportions to support healthy plants, which then provide nutritious food for people.
The logic of this appealed to Aard, the engineer.
Using regular soil test results, he adds minerals and trace elements to encourage the growth of worms, bacteria and fungi, which he says then make it easier for the plants to take up the minerals from the soil. He also grows a nitrogen-rich green manure of peas, oats and vetch.
Aard was involved in the early discussions about a Farmers' Market in Albany with Jane Adams who had researched farmers' markets in Canada, US and the UK. He was enthusiastic about the concept she presented. The 'grow it sell it' concept, commitment to quality, accountability and independence all appealed to Aard, and he has been the chairman of the Albany Farmers Market Committee for several years.
Today he grows and sells a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in order to meet the demand from customers who eat only organic produce.
Aard believes eating nutritious food is an investment in your health.
Photograph and interview by Meg Hannington.
Aard Brink
For Aard the answer to growing nutritious food lies in the soil.
In 1984, while still working as an engineer in the oil industry, Aard and his wife Eve, bought an investment property in Lowlands.
Remembering his childhood growing up on the family farm in Holland, Aard had half an idea that he'd eventually like to grow vegetables, but it wasn't until 1995 they moved into the Lowlands property.
Aard was eager to learn.
He began by getting NASAA (National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia) accreditation in order to grow chillies for another grower's organic products, and later took over production of their pasta sauce.
Meanwhile he and Eve were growing vegetables for themselves and their two young sons, and selling the surplus.
A turning point for Aard was adopting the Albrecht method of soil fertility management. The idea behind the method is to create a balanced system in the soil that contains the right nutrients in the correct proportions to support healthy plants, which then provide nutritious food for people.
The logic of this appealed to Aard, the engineer.
Using regular soil test results, he adds minerals and trace elements to encourage the growth of worms, bacteria and fungi, which he says then make it easier for the plants to take up the minerals from the soil. He also grows a nitrogen-rich green manure of peas, oats and vetch.
Aard was involved in the early discussions about a Farmers' Market in Albany with Jane Adams who had researched farmers' markets in Canada, US and the UK. He was enthusiastic about the concept she presented. The 'grow it sell it' concept, commitment to quality, accountability and independence all appealed to Aard, and he has been the chairman of the Albany Farmers Market Committee for several years.
Today he grows and sells a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in order to meet the demand from customers who eat only organic produce.
Aard believes eating nutritious food is an investment in your health.
Photograph and interview by Meg Hannington.