You can tell that Harvest is a shop for those who want the healthiest fruit and vegetables possible. There are no frills here. It’s almost like a chapel in its humble surroundings, its quaint,  decorated hanging metal lanterns, natural lighting and plain cardboard boxes with handwritten labels for the produce. No streamlined shelving or barcode stickers here.  Only fresh produce, that is free of chemicals and sprays, some organic and some not, changing as the seasons change.  But all of it will be gone by the end of the 3 days trading on Saturdays. 

Harvest  can be found in the Mill precinct in Castlemaine. When not at the shop, its owners, Rowan Skewes and his partner Jo, work on their land in Glenluce. They were drawn to the area in 2020, intending to grow food on the plot they’d bought with friends. It has has a rich volcanic soil running through it, as well as a river winding its way along; perfect for growing fruit and vegetables. They want to grow as much as possible on the farm and build up networks across many related enterprises over the coming years. Currently they are growing garlic, tomatoes and zucchinis, beans and various greens and herbs. ‘ The fresher it is, the tastier it is, ‘ Rowan says.  

He reflects on how, in many areas, the loss of topsoil has degraded the quality of what we can buy and consume. Their farming methods focus on building the soil.  He and Jo use cover crops which they dig in at maturity so they release their carbon into the soil, which nurtures it, making it even better for the next growing season

 Rowan explains that he had no intention whatsoever of running a shop and when he heard about Harvest being for sale he was sceptical about the concept at first.  But after visiting and meeting with the then owner, Rob Kirby, and seeing the enthusiasm of the crew working there, he was inspired to take it on. Many of the staff have stayed and are really engaged and switched on. 

 Where possible they source the produce from local producers, for example, Wombat Forest Organics in Daylesford. About 50% of the local producers drop off their fruit and vegetables while Rowan and Jo collect the rest. Once a week, as well, they head to the wholesale market in Epping to buy a truckload of produce for the week.

The energy load of the shop is reduced as they have the advantage of the many solar panels the owner of the Mill, Phil McConachy, has installed on the roof. But this only covers around half of the total energy costs because the cool room, an essential part of the fresh food business, runs 24/7. The cool room is really one giant fridge. There are also 2 display fridges in the shop to keep the temperature down for such things as greens and fresh herbs,  And of course for customers to help themselves. 

There is minimal waste in this business.  They avoid produce sold in plastic wrapping, except for plastic liners which they reuse.  They return any soft plastic and polystyrene to the wholesale market, where they are recycled.  There are no plastic bags provided for customers. Instead, brown paper bags are available and all the customers bring their own shopping bags. Customers reuse the cardboard boxes too, for getting their produce home.

There is very little food that is turfed at the end of trading on Saturday. That’s because they try and order in only what they think will sell. What is not viable at the end of the 3 days, they donate to Sprout Bakery for its delicious soups and they divvy up what’s left for the staff. They also give  away kitchen scraps  to customers for their chickens. 

Their vision for the future is to extend the shop and incorporate preserves, stocks and other delicacies from their own produce. Jo is in the process of working towards this goal, networking with others in the food industry.

We wish them luck in their ventures as they contribute to a sustainable future for the Shire.