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
mountain blue 001 copy

true blue locals making a difference

 1920 1280 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mountain Blue
Mountain Blue is the definition of a twenty-first century business. Not only have owners Ridley and Mieke Bell expanded their blueberry production…

bennett construction lismore 003

back to the future with new inspiration

 1920 781 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Bennett Construction
It would be fair to say that Bennett Construction and Ballina High School have come full circle with each other. It sounds like a back to the future…

grafton_physio_business_story_001

let’s get physical

 2000 1165 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Grafton Physio + Sport
You know you’re in good hands when you visit your physiotherapist and she turns out to be a world-class athlete. That’s the case for those who…

Position, people, poached eggs and a president

 2560 1920 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Caperberry and Flinders Rose
What makes an entire family move from three different cities to live together in a quiet coastal town? Great coffee.

Feeding Pets with a Passion for Purpose

 1947 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Frontier Pets
Diana Scott was more than a bit annoyed at being unable to find a premium quality food for her dogs that was also ethically produced, so she did what all great entrepreneurs do – she created it.

biggy pop sings support for matilda

 2048 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital
In 2020, Iggy Pop received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys; in the same year his pet cockatoo, named Biggy Pop, became the founding patron of Byron Wildlife Hospital…

Alternative. Accessible. Affordable.

 2560 2553 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Nimbin Apothecary
Nimbin Apothecary is a herbal medicine dispensary providing acute over-the-counter consulting for herbal medicine prescriptions.

From trauma to business transformation

 1620 1080 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Our Cow
For Casino-based meat providers Our Cow, the last three years have seen remarkable, game-changing growth.

all the best fine foods casino 001

our kitchen rules in the heart of beef country

 1000 664 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

All The Best Fine Foods
From little things big thing grow, goes the saying, and Casino-based business All The Best Fine Foods is certainly proof that humble….

Clean green superfood team

 768 1024 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Foods That Love You Back
Health activist Erle Astrup founded Foods That Love You Back in January 2021, and her business – which has created the world’s first affordable, alkaline shot of concentrated microgreens – is infused with the passion she has for driving it.

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 …

Flexing the entrepreneurial muscle

 2560 1707 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Summit Sport & Fitness
Like many Northern Rivers businesses, Summit Sport & Fitness has undergone immense change in 2022 – except, rather than being buffeted by floods or pandemic, these changes are positive, and mark a new chapter for owner Matthew George.

edmonds conveyancing ballina 001

home is where the heart is

 1920 847 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Edmonds Conveyancing
The legal aspects of buying and selling a property are not normally associated with having a laugh and even singing, but the Edmonds Conveyancing…

Art of Glass

 541 817 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Tweed Coast Glass
Anyone who lives between the Gold Coast and Ballina with even a passing involvement in the building trade will be familiar with Tweed Coast Glass.

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…

Farmers in the fields

 2048 1366 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Norco Primex
Bruce Wright has made his career by bringing together and supporting many of the region’s farmers and primary producers.

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…

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…

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.

Creativity takes flight

 2560 2560 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Honey Hunt Style
Jules Hunt moved to Byron Bay with her family 15 years ago because she wanted to raise her children with a strong sense of community. It was by chance that this move led to the flourishing of her artistic career – and more recently to her turn as a successful business woman.

Start Typing

X