National Organic Week has just finished – Australia’s annual celebration of certified organic food and farming hosted by the Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE) – but North Byron Farmers Markets (Mullumbimby and New Brighton) are proud to offer organic produce year-round from their 12 certified organic producers. These include: The Organic Avocado, Glenyce Creighton, Organic Forrest, Sunny Times Honey, Summit Organics, ‘Shroom Brothers, Hanging Rock Farm, Energetic Greens, Seedlings Organic, McMahons Organic Apples, Misty Creek Farm, and Mount Chowan. Each is committed to sustainable farming, free from synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, bringing safe, nourishing food to our community.

The North Byron Farmers Markets’ newest certified organic stall is Hanging Rock Farm, owned and run by Lani and Jake.

Based in Barkers Vale, on the edge of the Border Ranges National Park, their farm spans nearly 200 acres, with two-and-a-half acres dedicated to vegetables. Surrounded by forest and birdsong, it’s a private, biodiverse haven where their four sons are growing up alongside rows of fresh produce.

Neither Lani or Jake came from farming families – Jake trained as a mechanic and Lani worked in hospitality and fruit-picking – but both grew up in the Northern Rivers, where organics and good food were part of everyday life. That influence inspired their farming journey, now 15 years strong.

In winter and spring, Hanging Rock Farm produces close to 50 types of vegetables. As certified organic farmers, they avoid all chemicals, instead using ‘good bugs’ such as lady beetles, lacewings, parasitic wasps and nematodes to manage pests. Flowers like dill, fennel, coriander, parsley, and even roses, provide nectar to sustain these beneficial insects year-round.

The path hasn’t been easy. Since Cyclone Debbie in 2017, the farm has faced hail, drought and devastating floods, forcing them to rip out and replant crops repeatedly. ‘There were times we thought we couldn’t continue,’ they admit, ‘but we couldn’t imagine doing anything else.’

Now in their second week at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market, Lani and Jake are settling in, meeting locals and sharing their passion. As Jake says, the best advice for new gardeners is simple: ‘Just start. Put on your hat and boots, and plant.’

Find them at Mullumbimby Farmers Market every Friday from 7am to 11am.