297. Lisa Johnston on Market Garden & Orchard Care in Alpine New Zealand

The Thriving Farmer Podcast

How does a family farm in alpine New Zealand use a diverse range of income streams to thrive?

On this episode we’re joined by Lisa Johnston, operator of Frog Song Farm, located in Wanaka, New Zealand. Lisa is a farmer who wears many hats, juggling both an organic market garden and orchard pruning business. She also roasts and sells chestnuts at events and markets through her side business Village Nuts.

Frog Song Farm’s mission is one of regeneration and revegetation. For years Lisa and her family have studied and explored natural farming, permaculture, terraquaculture and traditional farming of the Asia Pacific. They are convinced that the farming systems of New Zealand need to undergo a paradigm shift from farming dehydrated grassed landscapes to farming diverse polycultures in hydrated, treed landscapes. From industrial farming to artisan farming. Growing better, not bigger.

As the farm emerges from this phase of intensive development, Frog Song is looking forward to welcoming more people to the land, as WWOOFers, interns, guests and visitors. Because, ultimately, it's all about the people and creating great things together. Take a vicarious tour of farming in New Zealand on this episode!

Episode Highlights:

• Alpine Farming: What is farming in Wanaka, New Zealand like? [2:40]
• Diversifying Income: How is the space on the farm split into their enterprises? [6:00]
• Orchard Care: What is Frog Song doing with orchards? [11:25]
• Veggie Crops: What does Frog Song’s season look like for the market garden? [29:14]
• Economic Challenges: What have been the biggest challenges running a market garden in New Zealand? [34:36]
• Sustainability Challenges: What is the New Zealander’s chemical bias? [38:18]
• Building a Team: How is the Frog Song team managed? [45:26]
• Takeaways: What is Lisa’s advice for someone looking to get started in market farming? [49:39]

About the Guest:

Lisa, her partner Greg and daughter Awa are the family behind Frog Song Farm, a 20-acre farm near the alpine township of Wanaka, New Zealand. The farm has an organic artisan market garden serving veggies and herbs to local restaurants and specialty shops, and has young orchards, nut groves, woodlots, and an apiary under development. The family also runs a successful side hustle harvesting, and selling roasted chestnuts, walnuts and hazelnuts as Village Nuts. The couple has honed their entrepreneurial and horticultural skills over the years, providing professional services in orchard care (pruning), landscaping, and compost toilet education. The family's mission is to change the farming paradigm in their community by creating a living example of regenerative rural livelihood.

Connect Online!

Website: https://www.frogsongfarm.co.nz/

Facebook: @frongsongfarmnz

Instagram: @frongsongfarmer

Village Nuts:

Facebook: @VillageNuts

Instagram: @villagenutslisa

Join the upcoming event:

This year's Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day, organized by Sam Tilton, is September 11th in Lafayette Indiana at Purdue University! Listen to the episode for more details. This is THE event to see weeding tools and machinery for farms of all sizes for vegetables and row crops (hand tools, two-wheel tractors, up to camera-guided row crop cultivators). The event includes a trade show, educational sessions, and field demonstrations.

Click here to register!

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