About Us

Field to Feast Farm started in 2008 when Farmer’s Markets were relatively new to Sydney, and good quality organic produce was hard to find.

Hapi, the farmer, grew up farming in Tonga alongside his father and grandfather, so it was only natural for him to farm in Australia the Tongan way.

Cath, the farmer’s wife, is a terrible farmer, but has a great love of food - thank goodness! – and cooking.

Together Hapi and Cath have created a boutique farm, growing a wide variety of fruit, herbs and vegetables, using traditional dryland farming techniques.

 

How We Farm - Dryland Farming

Long before the commercialisation of farming, most cultures could not afford irrigation or chemical inputs. The Tongans are still to this day subsistence farmers, meaning they grow food to feed their families. Relying only on rainfall and hard work, Hapi uses the same techniques at Field to Feast Farm.

The farm is located in Catherine Field, an area of Sydney that does not receive a lot of rainfall. Set on a clay base, the ground holds water for the new crops in composted vegetation and leaf matter. During the summer the surface of the soil tends to harden which helps to retain moisture in the beds. Our produce grows slower, which allows time for the natural sugars to develop. The slower growth also lends itself to more tender stems, as there is no need for the plant to send out ‘scaffolding’ to handle the rapid growth.

 

4 Oct 2014 - Costa tours the Field To Feast Farm and learns about our dryland farming technique.

 

Where Does Our Produce Come From?

Farming five acres in South West Sydney allows us to grow a wide range of greens, vegetables and herbs, along with a small range of fruit. Five acres may seem to be a lot of land, but in truth it is not. To cover our weekly needs we rely on sourcing produce from local farms, the organic wholesalers and Flemington growers. We are lucky that the climate in Australia is diverse, extending growing seasons throughout the year, just by shifting supply from one state to another.

As it is not possible for one farm to grow everything due to season’s change, we also source from the larger wholesale markets in Sydney. You’ll find we have a mixture of produce ranging from Certified Organic to Local Spray Free in our boxes. Our first stop are the organic wholesalers to ensure we have maximum organic produce on our shelves and in our Bargain Boxes. Then depending on shortages we seek alternatives starting with spray free, chemical free and clean15 lines. By using our knowledge of local agriculture, and through talking with farmers and suppliers, we supplement our range with the best options known to have the lowest pesticide residues. This not only increases variety, it also saves our customers when it comes to budget.

Here are the terms we use:

Certified Organic: This produce comes direct from the organic wholesale market and comes from all over Australia depending on the season.

Organic: Our farm is organic without certification. We do not use any sprays, fertilisers, chemicals or pesticides at our farm. We have regular Farm Open Days giving you an opportunity to view our farm in person.

Spray Free: Some local farmers grow spray free for us, meaning they don’t spray their crops with chemicals, which reduces chemical residues in the produce.

Clean15: You may have heard of the Dirty Dozen, a list of produce that you really should consume organic if possible. Then there is a list called Clean15, which generally has low levels of chemical residues when grown conventionally. Using our knowledge of Australian farming we determine what are the best buying options to help save on your budget.

Market Fresh: Sometimes we don’t know the farmer, or have knowledge of how an produce is grown, so we list these lines as Market Fresh.

 

Testimonials

We know our organic produce is one of the best in Sydney, but don't just take our word for it.

 

Here is what our customers are saying...