growing community, growing business

1600 1066 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

The Farm
Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay, NSW 2481

thefarmbyron.com.au

Visit Byron Bay Northern Rivers-01
growing community, growing business

It’s a typical Saturday morning at The Farm, on the outskirts of Byron Bay. Families line up for freshly made pastry and coffee. Every table in the award-winning Three Blue Ducks restaurant is full. Kids and their parents mill around the play park, and wander through avenues of herbs, leafy greens and cosmos. Later, they’ll pop down to see the shaggy Scottish Highland cattle.

There’s lots happening, and a continual flow of people at The Farm. But the vibe is relaxed.

“This is 80 acres of working farmland,” says co-founder Tom Lane. “We are home to growers, producers, eateries, and educators who share a passion for growing food using traditional, sustainable methods that are 100% spray and chemical free. Together, we are working towards improving the health and wellness of our community, from the ground up.”

‘Grow, feed, educate’ underpins everything that goes on here at The Farm. It’s about kneeling in the dirt to feel the top of a carrot, then later tasting pickled carrots in the restaurant. Maybe you’ll do a vegetable-pickling workshop at The Farm.

“For the many Byron locals, day trippers and holiday-makers who visit every week, The Farm is about experiencing and appreciating food, from start to finish, and learning how to live a healthier life,” Tom says.

And this concept has been embraced by the local community. Since opening its doors in 2015, The Farm has grown rapidly. “I think it’s a lot to do with our strong ethic,” says co-founder, Emma Lane. “The community responds well to what we do here.”

“It takes a family to raise a child and The Farm is the same philosophy”

As well as feeding, growing and educating, The Farm boosts the local economy through employment. “We employ 102 people on a full-time and casual basis. Over 80% of our employees live locally, which means we put $3.5 million in wages back into the community every year,” Emma says.

To run such a big operation, you need a strong foundation, and a strong team. “It takes a family to raise a child and The Farm is the same philosophy,” says Tom. “This is not about us but about the collective of like-minded people all striving for the same goals. We are lucky enough to help facilitate it.”

Share this story

Read more stories

Spoiled stays for special pets

 2560 1600 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Skye Park Pet Resort
In 2014, a long-held aspiration finally came to fruition for Helen and Ian MacGregor when they purchased an existing pet boarding facility in bucolic Clarenza, with the dream of making it their own.

Southern Cross University Lismore

partners with industry, partners with community

 2000 1048 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Southern Cross University
Celebrating a silver anniversary is a significant milestone, 25 years of developing your relationship, exploring and accepting your strengths…

putting the business into ‘show business’

 2560 1709 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Brainstorm Productions
You might think that COVID-19 would rattle a business that delivers educational theatre into schools. But the “show must go on” mentality runs deep for Brainstorm Productions’ founder and artistic director Jenny Johnson…

Delivering top service, come hospital or high water

 870 652 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

McLeans Freight Service
When Leisa Blok’s father, Laurie McLean, began running urgent nighttime blood deliveries from Lismore airport in 1992, he mightn’t have expected the one-man gig to expand into a 50-vehicle courier fleet, delivering across the entire northern NSW region.

Northern Co-operative Meat Company

collaboration and cooperative capital

 1600 1066 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Northern Cooperative Meat Company
It comes as little surprise that one of the largest employers on the Northern Rivers is a co-operative, and with Casino being the beef capital of…

oatten and hoffman kyogle 002

revving up the community engine

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Oaten and Hoffman
In 2015 Tim Hoffman was riding the high on business success, and had no clue about the blow that was awaiting him….

A community cornerstone bouncing forward

 2048 1260 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Coraki Post Office
For all that has been thrown at the small town of Coraki in recent times, the owners of the town’s post office are rolling with the punches.

yaru water tweed

building bridges with water

 1600 1067 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Yaru Water
“This unique partnership between an Indigenous family and a non-Indigenous family enabled Yaru Water to start changing the way the procurement…

northern_lights _ballina_northern_rivers_001

let there be light

 2000 1333 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Northern Light
“I eat a pot of honey every day and I’ve been stung more than 70,000 times,” says Jeffrey Gibbs, founder of Northern Light, an organic beeswax…

Cool to be kind and cans it

 957 1277 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

The Kind Coffee Co.
The KIND Coffee Co, reflects its name in everything it does.

nimbin valley dairy 003

love, peace and artisan cheese

 666 500 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Nimbin Valley Dairy
Not every goat in Australia has its own nutritionist and its own vet. But the goats at Nimbin Valley Dairy definitely do. Bill, the nutritionist…

building a good reputation

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Brett Harley
When the only pub in town burns to the ground, it’s a big responsibility being the one chosen to rebuild it. The success of Uki’s new Mt Warning…

tripadeal_byron_bay

fastest growing, remains humble and local

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

TripADeal
For TripADeal, the figures speak for themselves: revenue in excess of $100million for 2017; 75,000 travellers sent to various…

In Ventura we trust

 2500 1667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Ventura Brewing
Ventura is a symbol of luck, chance and good fortune – and while Ventura Brewing’s two founders have had a good dose of all three – it’s mostly been a lot of hard work and focus to launch this craft kombucha brewery amid a global pandemic.

OConnors carriers tweed 001

community keeps on carrying on

 1920 1288 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

O’Connors Carrying Service
Friday 30 March 2017 is a day Paul and Sue O’Connor won’t forget. The owners of O’Connors Carrying Service left their depot in Murwillumbah…

mara_seeds_northern_rivers_business_feature_image_001

organic, sustainable and a local legend

 800 800 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mara Seeds
The farmer and owner of Mara Seeds knows what can happen when you don’t – his 8000-acre station 50km to the west of Casino has seen worse…

lights, camera, action in ballina shire

 2560 1750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Byron Studios
Northern Rivers has long been a hub for film makers and a popular backdrop for film and television productions. But there has been one thing missing to tie it all together…

A collaborator at heart

 940 627 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Table Under A Tree
Georgina Inwood credits the evolution of her business, Table Under a Tree, to her ability to “take stock while still running at a million miles an hour”.

A planet of business diversity

 2016 1512 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Tropical Fruit World
It’s been almost 50 years since Robert and Valorie Brinsmead bought the 200-acre farm in Murwillumbah.

Osteria Casaurina Tweed Coast

overtures of romance and style

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Osteria
Mark Wilson, Lia Mason and Lee Middendorf all met when the three of them were working in hospitality jobs at The Sandbar …

Start Typing

X