The recognition celebrates the farm’s commitment to sustainable, regenerative farming practices and its dedication to providing locally grown, seasonal flowers.
“We are truly honoured to receive this award,” Jamie Adams, co-owner of The Olde Creamery, said
Moira Shire Council chair administrator Graeme Emonson said the awards were an opportunity for the community to recognise businesses that had developed innovative ways to attract and retain customers.
Over 500 nominations were received for the 11 award categories that were presented on the evening.
Winners were selected through a community voting process, where the community had the opportunity to vote for the businesses they felt were most deserving of acknowledgement.
The Olde Creamery is a three-acre hobby farm on Rendells Rd, Numurkah, in the heart of dairy country.
“We offer an immersive farm stay experience, while also producing a boutique range of condiments and pantry items that showcase the best of local ingredients,” Jamie said.
“As a specialist dahlia farm and nursery, we grow nearly 500 different cultivars of dahlias.
“We prioritise soil health, integrated pest management and a regenerative approach to farming to ensure that our flowers are as sustainable as they are beautiful, it’s these ethics which we feel have contributed greatly to our winning of this award”.
“This award isn’t just about us, it’s a win for all small-scale businesses, especially those in the farmer-florist community.
“In today’s climate, where carbon footprints and sustainability are at the forefront, it’s crucial that customers and consumers alike consider the true cost of the flowers they buy.
“With over 60 per cent of Australia’s flowers imported and chemically treated, we must ask ourselves: how can we support local, environmentally-friendly growers?”
“While The Olde Creamery does not identify as strictly organic, the farm practices a regenerative approach to soil health and employs integrated pest management, using natural predators to keep pests at bay and protect their flowers. On the farm we have incorporated no till processes, growing cover crops and use solarisation to assist in weed management versus broad chemical control.”
Gareth and Jamie Adams started the business in 2018 as a sideline income and it has gradually grown from there.