Farmer Nicole Dayman is one of the newest members of Byron Farmers Market, having joined the market earlier this year. Her passion for gardening and growing her own food for her young family has evolved into a full-time farming gig where she now feeds the community of Byron.
‘Nic’ as she is known, and her husband, Monty, grow a range of certified organic produce on the family farm at Goonengerry. And while neither of them grew up on a farm, they both have had a love of growing since they were kids.
‘Monty has been growing potatoes since he was a little boy,’ she says. ‘His parents, both teachers, farmed a few acres in Dural in Sydney with a market-style garden, stone fruit, sheep and a milking cow!
‘My parents were both avid gardeners, but we didn’t live on a farm. However, my sister and I were pretty free-range and nature-loving growing up.’
Today, the couple, along with their two children, live and work on their 75-acre property, named Rockwall Farm, where they use a range of organic and regenerative farming practices.
‘We initially had a small market garden growing seasonal vegies, with laying hens, selling via a roadside stall,’ Nic says. ‘Fast forward to now, and we are concentrating our time growing ginger, turmeric, garlic, onions, potatoes, citrus and flowers for the market.
‘We are certified organic, and farm with regenerative practices. We care for the land and encourage biodiversity through our farming practices, planting cover crops to increase organic matter and improve soil fertility, rotating crops and using no chemical inputs.’
Nic says that while they have faced their challenges, the rewards have far outweighed any adversities.
‘We love being out in the paddocks with the animals and the plants, and seeing our kids enjoy the space and freedom that living on a farm allows. There are challenges, of course, mostly climate related, and we are finding, over the years, that good planning can soften the blows that inevitably pop up.
‘Growing clean food for people and our family is a real privilege, as is being available to our kids and watching them grow and learn from nature.’
And it seems the couple’s shared passion for sustainable living has been passed on to their two children.
‘Our youngest daughter has been growing herbs and dehydrating them to make teas for a school project, and our son is working on his tractor driving and slashing skills,’ Nic says.
You can find Nic and her range of certified organic produce, along with dehydrated citrus, rosella tea and the ever-popular immune booster shots, at the Rockwall Farm stall at Byron Farmers Market every Thursday morning.
Byron Farmers Market is held Thursdays from 7 to 11am at Butler St Reserve, and Bangalow Farmers Market is held Saturdays, from 7 to 11am behind the Bangalow pub.
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