A need to re-establish growing backyard veggies, fruits and herbs that are nutritious, sustainable and chemical-free has convinced a couple to launch a new venture.
Riordan and Bethany Butler have established My Veggie Patch, which offers upmarket raised garden beds for homeowners.
Officially launching the business at this weekend’s Queensland Garden Expo in Nambour, the Rosemount duo will provide expertise in bio-organic soil, water preservation, seasonal and site-specific planting plans, and ongoing support and management.
The raised beds are designed in a kitchen-garden style, where the fruit, veggies, herbs and even edible flowers are within easy access to the owner’s kitchen. It’s a style suitable for even the smallest backyards.
“The humble backyard veggie patch used to be such an important and valuable thing in past decades, and we are learning now just how much we seriously miss the benefits of those gardens,” Mr Butler said.
“There are countless fears around these days about the high cost of vegetables, concerns about nutrition and food security, and the problems associated with over-farming, and our organic raised garden beds help to address all those concerns.
“To have a kitchen-garden style garden in your yard provides healthy produce but also convenience, a significant money saving and the satisfaction that you’re looking after yourself and your family.”
My Veggie Patch has utilised a garden bed design from Modbox Raised Garden Beds in Melbourne, constructed from sustainably farmed Australian cypress and naturally termite-resistant.
Their flagship product includes two powder-coated arched trellises, strong enough to support climbing vines like passionfruit, tomatoes, beans and pumpkins.
The couple manages the construction of the beds, which includes nutrient-rich ‘alive soils’ free of chemical fertiliser and pesticides; self-watering wicking bed systems that allow for negligible outside watering; and seasonal, site-specific and sun-related planting scheduling. They also offer ongoing management and advisory support.
“The way that food is farmed on a commercial scale these days is detrimental to the soil and nutrients, and they’re constantly forced to manipulate the soil in an unhealthy and unnatural way to try to get it to the bare minimum to produce,” Mr Butler said.
“If you actually take care of the soil, and you use permaculture and sustainable farming principles and natural quality ingredients, good composting and worm castings – stuff that’s just super-rich – the way that nature has designed, essentially you get this amazingly vibrant food that tastes exceptional and is really good for you. That’s what we want to bring to the world through My Veggie Patch.
“I believe that people will turn back to having control over their own food sources and I think that those that get on the front foot early with that are going to be far better poised for the uncertainty of what the future might hold for us.”
For more about My Veggie Patch click here.
The Queensland Garden Expo will be held at the Nambour Showgrounds from July 7-9. Visit qldgardenexpo.com.au.
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