Tom Macindoe - The Mandarin Bend
Who are you?
Tom Macindoe, I’m a 30 year old environmental science trained turned small-scale organic farmer.
Where and what do you farm ?
My partner Kaycee Simuong & I run a 160ha property we dubbed The Mandarin Bend near the tiny locale of Girralong on the NSW Mid North Coast. You’ll find us about 30 minutes upstream of Bowraville on the North Arm of the Nambucca River. Originally the farm grew beef cattle, mandarins (hence the name) & timber…we still produce beef cattle using holistic grazing principles but our main income stream is derived from about 1.5 acres of Certified Organic mixed vegetable production & a 1tone garlic cash crop. ‘
How did you start your farming journey / what led you to it?
Farming has been in the family, however I grew up in the city. It was through trips to the family farm & being in the bush generally that steered me in the direction towards agriculture. I have always been at my happiest when my hands are in the soil. I studied components of ecological ag at CSU Uni in Orange, then worked in the rural industry but became fairly jaded with the dominant conventional ag rhetoric. Over 18 months in 2014-15 I took a sabbatical & went WWOOFing around the globe. Volunteering on a pioneering biodynamic CSA farm in Northern Japan was really my catalyst in heading down the organic veg-growing path. On returning from my travels, I turned my hand to establishing a forest garden on my parent’s farm, spurred-on by my interest in permaculture. I soon met my now partner Kaycee, who was market gardening up the road. Seeing Kaycee making a more ‘sustainable’ income from market farming I convinced myself that’s the direction I needed to go. My father had bought the property where we currently reside, & Kaycee & I opted to join-up & start market farming on the new property.
Is it what you expected ?
Not really. I’ve always known farming to be an occupation for those that enjoy rewarding physical work; but it’s the planning, marketing, strategy etc. that really gets you over the line at the end of the day. And I’m super thankful for Kaycee from that perspective…as I’m more in love with the hard work & hands-on aspects of farming. So we make a good team because although it’s a great lifestyle, farming is relentless.
Biggest learning curve so far ?
The devil is in the detail…longevity in this game all comes down to strong planning. I haven’t been so strong in this aspect in the past, & it’s always come back to bite. Planning has also allowed us to map-out a period in the year to get off the farm & rest. It’s easy to burn out & become stale otherwise when you’re so immersed in what you do.
Who / what / why inspired you to get farming?
Who: my uncle & grandfather (who was a Nuffield Scholar). And so many of the personalities I met on my WWOOFing journey.
What: despair over the current state of the environment globally, especially soil degradation.
Why: farmers are the direct stewards of the land. If a farmer destroys their environs, it’s on their terms. But regeneration also occurs on their terms. For me to have the most significant positive impact on my environment in a truly regenerative manner, it was only logical to farm.
What is your biggest milestone so far ?
To see our soils respond positively to our management (our soil organic matter levels have increased significantly); to see our creek banks regenerate, water flow clear, & groundcover diversify & improve; to be seen as valuable contributors to our local community; & derive a real income from solar dollars outside the damaging realms of the current economic machine.
What is the dream ?
To keep farming; growing soil & good food that nourishes our local community until my body doesn’t let me anymore.