Passion for seasonal produce drives Dapto Community Farm

Dapto Community Farm (DCF) is a barometer of the seasonality of fresh produce in our area. Frank Marzano, the current president and DCF plot renter, is passionate about growing seasonal food for his family and the community.

Frank was an IT business owner but a walking pilgrimage across rural Spain with his sister Cathy proved life changing. He was attracted to the idea of people living off the land, growing food for their families and the tranquillity that surrounded this lifestyle. With his cultural roots in Italy, Frank believes that those living this simple life are often the most content.

When he returned from the trip, he began the search for land near his home in Tarrawanna where he could grow enough food to feed his family of five.

Frank found Dapto Community Farm, rented plots and began work. He estimated he needed about 50 square metres to grow food for his family. As his knowledge and enthusiasm grew, he increased the number of plots and now grows commercially. He sold his IT business in 2020.

The land on which DCF operates has an interesting history. About two hectares and originally part of a dairy farm, it operated as a flower farm in the 1960s. During this time, concrete beds and walkways were built, and this infrastructure remains today. A catastrophic flood in 1984 wiped out the flower farm. The Macedonian Society took over until the 1990s, when it became a community farm run by Illawarra Environmental Enterprises. During this phase the organic certification was achieved. In 2001 the current owner, Lance Carr, set up Mountain Range Nursery, which works alongside Dapto Community Farm.

The farm has 150 members who share in the 268 garden plots, each between eight and 20 metres long and 1.2 metres wide. The membership is diverse, including Italian, Burmese, Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese growers, who produce food reflecting their cultures.

Frank adopted a no-dig garden approach, building up the plots with organic matter rather than digging and turning the soil. He adds organic fertiliser to give the plants the best chance initially but eventually, he says, the soil health takes over. He installed an irrigation system fed by water tanks that collect rainwater and are supplemented by the local creek, Mullet Creek. This system allows him to control the amount of water the crops receive.

Frank began growing at Mountain Range in 2019 and was off to a good start before the wet conditions of the past year or so made their impact. He reports there has been a metre of rain above what is considered average for this period of time. Rain compacts the soil, and so further organic matter and forking is needed to maintain nutrients and improve soil aeration.

The farm has flooded several times this year. The conditions were too wet for growth for many months earlier this year and remained too wet to replant for months. In the past few weeks, conditions have dried out enough to prepare beds, plant seedlings and begin harvesting. Frank’s crops include fennel, cos lettuce, Scalora (Italian endive), leeks, cabbage, beetroot, Tuscan kale, shallots and parsley.

Frank says produce grown in season is the tastiest. Growing plants such as tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers out of season is possible with glasshouses and other interventions but Frank believes that the best flavour is achieved when they're grown within their preferred seasonal conditions, ripened by the sun as nature intended.

There are other impediments to growing produce at Dapto. Feral deer can decimate a veggie patch overnight so a deer fence has been constructed. Cabbage white butterfly is also damaging to the produce so needs to be controlled using methods that are approved for use under organic certification.

Frank sells his produce at the farm gate every Monday morning and at Kiama Markets on Wednesdays. Jose Jones Restaurant and Bar in Thirroul and La Terra Mia in Wollongong use Frank's produce. Flame Tree Co-op gets a twice weekly delivery, with lettuce and other goodies arriving in the shop soon after they are harvested.

Other DCF growers sell through Heart and Sol in Kiama. When Frank has an oversupply of produce he sells to Sydney veg box suppliers. This allows him to recoup some of the considerable expenses associated with growing good food organically.

By growing in season, nurturing the soil, providing the correct amount of water, rotating crop beds and leaving beds to rest, Frank has created ideal conditions for abundance. He has been able to employ a couple of part-time market gardeners, which will give him time to enjoy the fruits of his labour and to do more travelling, no doubt learning as he goes.

Frank’s activities also include paddock to plate tours, with meals prepared using freshly picked produce from the farm. He would love to see more urban farms developed on unused plots of land.

Frank shared this Scalora recipe.

Dapto Community Farm is at 29 Darkes Road, Dapto. Farm gate markets are held on Monday mornings, visit the website for more information.