I took the family out on the weekend to meet Paul, one of our local Myrtle growers in The Channon. Paul has been supplying us with his stunning botanicals for 17 years! A meander through the lush, green rolling hills of the hinterland and the town of Nimbin, we came to Paul's plantation.
After a cup of tea and yarn with Paul and his wife Jenny chatting about their previous life in the film industry in Sydney, we took a tour of their plantation. The sun was shining, there was a gentle breeze and the energy was high. His trees are a vibrant green- lush, bushy, tall and with the most amazing scent that would waft with the breeze. We were all mesmerised as we listened to Paul tell his tales about the trials and tribulations of tending to these beautiful trees.
He follows the principles of organic and biodynamic farming which I sense is along the lines of alchemy. It's a system of farming that follows a sustainable, holistic approach which uses only organic, usually locally sourced materials for fertilizing and soil conditioning. Furthermore, it views the farm as a closed, diversified ecosystem, and often bases farming activities on lunar cycles. It was just fascinating to hear his knowledge, passion and love for these plants and nature as a whole. The great care they take to tend to their trees is obvious when we receive the final product that they supply us. We enjoyed our ride home with the car filled with the stunning scents of Myrtle on board.
