Since 2006, AUSVEG has recognised fresh produce growers and future leaders in horticulture with the Young Grower of the Year award.

Winners of this award have championed the success of the industry and continue to show a commitment to innovation to help inspire the next generation of growers.

Erika Watson received the award in 2015. In this column, Erika shares what has changed since she received his award, what she is doing today, and her plans for the future.

Erika Watson and her partner Hayden Druce started Epicurean Harvest in October 2013 in the New South Wales Blue Mountains region. It was humble beginnings, with the couple establishing a business in their own backyard. Erika and Hayden then went on to lease an acre nearby where they worked as full-time market gardeners.

In 2015, Erika received the Young Grower of the Year award at the National Horticulture Convention for her business innovation.

“It was an honour to be recognised as a new business for cropping vegetables in an organic poly-culture, no tilling of permanent beds, in situ composting, growing unusual plants, celebrating the value in the entire crop (edible leaves, flowers and fruit of a plant) and selling direct to high-end customers and community,” Erika says.

Fast forward to 2020, and the couple own a 50-hectare property in Hartley, which is located on the NSW Central Tablelands. Epicurean Harvest holistically grazes a small herd of cattle and grows organic produce for direct sale to restaurant and local market through a community supported agriculture (CSA) scheme. Erika’s role is widely varied on- and off-farm: she manages the business’ accounts to crop plans and rotations; community events and workshops; post-harvest management; and more.

Over the past five years, Erika has gained a deeper insight into the vegetable industry.

“I have learnt about drought, water and land management, business risk management, diversification, adaptation and pivoting to remain operational,” she says.

Erika has also recognised the need to maintain a work-life balance.

“There is always a job to do on-farm, but sometimes you need to play to survive.”

Erika enjoys growing a wide variety of fresh, top-quality organic vegetables, and she reaps the on-farm rewards.

“One of my proudest achievements is managing challenging soils – those with low fertility and poor drainage – and turning them into well-functioning ecosystems that produce amazing tasting organic vegetables,” she says.

“I also love the idea of making the vegetable area I grow in accountable to the land resources I use. This is always difficult, but highly rewarding.”

Looking ahead, Erika is hoping to maintain that sense of community within her business.

“We’d like to continue a CSA model for local community, which we have only recently trialled, and maintain our relationships with the restaurants/chefs we work with,” she says.

Click on each name to read the stories of five other previous Young Grower of the Year award winners: Andrew Bulmer, Danny Trandos, Daniel Hoffmann and Chris McLoghlin. 

This article features in the spring 2020 edition of Vegetables Australia. Click here to read the full publication. 

Find out more

Hort Connections 2021 will be held from 7-9 June 2021 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

More details around next year’s Hort Connections will be released in the coming months, with registrations due to open in early 2021. For more information, please visit the Hort Connections website.