Episode 15 – Building a local food market

Today’s episode is with father and son, Bob and Ian Congdon from Organic Woodstock Farm and Flour in Berrigan, NSW. Ian and his wife Courtney met at the University of Melbourne while they were studying landscape management and geography. They both had a passion for agriculture and local food markets and saw farming as a means for environmental restoration and building healthy communities. Being young adults that were not in the thick of busy farming and were able to do their own market research. Together they built an innovative business milling and selling direct Ian’s dads organic grain. In 2016 they purchased a New American Stone Mill. They now are the sole buyers of Woodstock grain and sell the milled flour to bakers, restaurants, shops and families in the local region and across Melbourne. Their flour is as soft as baby’s powder and a delight to bake with. Their marketing strategy is simple and effective and their packaging is stylish and sustainable. The farm is now moving beyond organic and trialling regenerative pasture cropping. In past episodes we have talked about closing profit margins and commodity market restraints. These restrains can limit farmers from operating a value driven farming system that is good for the farmer, the consumer and the planet. This is a great story to get you thinking….but how could we? www.woodstockflour.com.au