Kane van Diermen and partner, Richard Chatterton, are flipping conventional farming on its head.
The pair have been heavily focused on more regenerative farming practices to help rejuvenate the land and grow their business, Riverside Farm.
Located only five minutes from the main street of Lyndoch, in the Barossa Valley, Riverside Farm covers a thousand acres of green pastures, a bed and breakfast farm-stay and some amazing SA produce.
Established in 1848, the farm has been in Richard’s family for six generations. The couple turned their relationship into a business partnership when they saw an opportunity for change in the family’s farming practices.
Kane tells us that one of their strength lies in their differences. That is being gay and Indigenous in a predominately straight and non-Indigenous industry.
They believe that their life experiences have have helped shape their business into one that is conscientious, as well as socially and environmentally responsible.
Kane explains that through one of their new regenerative techniques, they rotate their hens around paddocks to encourage pasture growth. The chickens help turn the soil as they graze and subsequently fertilise it with their droppings.
At Riverside, their hens graze in much the same way sheep and cattle do. Making the hens much happier, produce higher quality eggs and help rejuvenate the land by enriching the biodome of the soil.
As well as pastured eggs, the farm also produces garlic, artisanal pasta, prime lamb, wool, and wine grapes. Richard’s sister, Ellen, also has a sheep dairy on the farm where she produces yoghurt, halloumi, and feta.
Kane, who is of Western Arrernte and Yawarrawarrka background, has worked collaboratively with the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation Australia.
The corporation supports Indigenous businesses develop and prosper on Indigenous held land. This collaboration led to the constructions of a processing and packing shed on Kane’s nearby property.
Kane and Richard have been fortunate enough to work with Indigenous Land and Sea Corporaion from the ideas stage through to implementation.
The pair supports the community where they can, through employment for Indigenous Australians.
Kane believes that Australian businesses have an important role in employing Indigenous Australians to help close the health and economic gaps between them and non-Indigenous Australians.
COVID-19 saw Kane and Richard reassess their priorities. The sudden halt of the hospitality industry took a toll on their income as they supply produce to many SA restaurants, who were forced to temporarily shut doors.
To overcome this issue, they started offering their produce through online purchase, where locals could pick up their items straight from the farm gate.
The silver lining of the pandemic was that it showed the couple just how great the community around them is. They are thankful for everyone who came and helped them in their time of need.
However, the COVID-19 impact is still lingering and the farm needs support to keep surviving and to continue paying their employees.
For those keen to explore the Barossa and to support this duo, Riverside Farm have an adorable cottage for guests to stay in.
Bask in the countryside in the secluded cottage that overlooks the North Para River. The cottage sleeps four and is the perfect basecamp for a Barossa weekend away.
Guest can choose to discover the surrounds by foot or venture into the valley to explore all the Barossa has to offer. To book your visit click here.
Kane suggests that shopping at your local farmers market on the weekend is a great way to show your support for the industry. While you’re there you can meet the farmers, learn about where your produce is coming from and get your hands on the incredibly fresh food they have to sell.
Kane is also the captain of the Adelaide University Sharks Team, the first gay all-inclusive rugby union team in SA. The team is celebrating their first season since forming last year.
The Sharks is a celebration of LGBTIQ+ people and aims to dismantle the hypermasculine stereotypes of Australian sports. The club wants to give people who may identify as gay, bi or trans the ability to partake in activities that test their limits in a safe, inclusive environment.
Support Riverside Farm by purchasing their products in a range of supermarkets across Adelaide. Click here to see their stockists.
When people buy Riverside Farm products they are directly supporting the LGBTIQ+ and Aboriginal communities of South Australia.
For more information about Riverside Farm click here.
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