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Location: Quarry Hill Farm is located at Kingston, 16km west of Daylesford, Victoria. The farm straddles ranges close to Mt Kooroocheang, the highest point between Melbourne and Adelaide.
History: Quarry Hill Farm has been in the Preston family for four generations, and looks certain to continue for at least another generation. In 1851, Ben Preston, the son of a Suffix farmer, arrived in Victoria with other English hopefuls looking for gold. Ben struck it lucky and purchased the land where Quarry Hill Farm now sits. After clearing the giant blackwoods, (trees known to grow in the best soils) he planted cereals, potatoes, and peas. Now Ben Preston’s great grandson, Maurice Preston, his wife Debbie, their three children, and Maurice’s parents Bill and Annie, continue to grow vegetables at Quarry Hill Farm.
Products: Broccoli, lettuce, brussell sprouts, and cauliflower are produced at Quarry Hill Farm. Sheep and cattle are also found on the farm, as are yabbies, which may become a business venture for Maurice and Debbie in the future.
Certification: From the time when Ben Preston cleared the land, Quarry Hill Farm has always grown to an organic regime. Maurice and Debbie were certified organic in 1987 by NASAA.
Soil and Water: Local volcanoes (now extinct) provided the area with rich, dark, volcanic soil. Water is sourced from natural springs on the farm, and is supplemented with water bores and rainwater.
Sustainability: Aside from a dairy farming period with Maurice’s father, Bill, Quarry Hill Farm has been growing according to the ‘Four Field System’ or ‘Four Year System’ since 1851. This is a growing system in which three areas of land grow commercial crops while the fourth is growing a manure crop to be turned into the soil.
Certified commercial fertilisers are also used to provide nutrients.
The farm is almost pest free except during the warmer months when white butterflies are controlled with certified biological sprays.
Produce Quality: When grading produce for the marketplace, there is a high regard for the customer. “When in doubt, throw it out!” is the Quarry Hill Farm philosophy. “Because we have a fairly large volume of produce, we are able to grade to a high standard” Maurice says. “We get a kick out of hearing that the customer is happy with our produce, it shows the hard work is paying off, and we feel satisfied.”
Short and long term goals: “To continually enjoy what we are doing is what we strive to achieve,” said Maurice and Debbie. The couple also hopes to leave the farm in the capable hands of their children one day.
Dear Customer,
The philosophy of Quarry Hill Farms says it all…combining farming practices of yesteryear to sustainably produce the organic product of today.
Growing Organically: For goodness sake
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