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Location: Ray and Mary Duke along with their 5 children live on 380 acres, 35 km west of Bundaberg in Queensland. Of the 380 acres, 120 acres is arable land and the remainder is native forest.
Products: The warmer climate of the north along with the soil type of the area enable the Dukes to specialise in growing tomatoes, sweetcorn, some Japanese pumpkin, passionfruit, and mangoes. Cattle are also kept on the property and are an important part of the farm’s sustainability.
History: The property has been in the family for two generations. Ray’s father previously owned and cleared the property 30 years ago. Ray and Mary converted to farming organically in 1989. They were upgraded to level A status in 1994. Ray says that he converted to growing organically for soil sustainability reasons. “Experience showed that chemical farming slowly erodes and deteriorates the fertility of the soil,” he explained. “When I was using toxic chemicals I always had the impression that I was poisoning the land.”
Water and soil: All water used comes from dams on the property. The soil, common to that found in open eucalypt forests, is a brown volcanic and grey forest soil.
Sustainability: Ray and Mary use composting, cover cropping, and crop rotation techniques to achieve the fertile soils needed to grow their products.
Composting: Green leafy waste from the farm is mixed with on-farm manure to produce compost for the farm. Other additives that Ray and Mary use include certified Dynamic lifter, seaweed products, and rock dust which is used as a mineral fertility supplement.
Cover cropping: In summer Ray and Mary use a mix of sorghum and peas, while in winter a mix of oats, turnips, and vetch are used for cover cropping. These crops are ploughed into the ground to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
Crop rotation: Crops are rotated in conjunction with cattle grazing. The tomato crops are rotated approximately every three years. Rotation of the sweetcorn is not as necessary and instead Ray and Mary use an under-sowing technique.
Ray and Mary regularly conduct tissue tests. The tests help Ray and Mary determine what the soil requires to ensure that a full range of nutrients is present.
Pest control: Predatory wasps and mites are welcomed on the farm to control unwanted pests. When extra measures are required, certified bacterial sprays are used.
Short term: Ray and Mary aim to keep doing what they are doing with the aim to always do it better the next time.
Long term: To always strive for better quality and flavour from an organic regime is the long term goal for Ray and Mary.
Dear Customer,
Thank you for supporting our sustainable industry. We are growing organically not only so you can enjoy our flavoursome produce, but also so our future generations are left with healthy soils, enabling them to do the same. Look for Ray and Mary Duke’s tomatoes, sweet corn, Japanese pumpkin, passionfruit, and mangoes when you’re wanting to stock up on tasty organic fruit and vegetables.
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