Hawkesbury's Stix Farm grows organic produce for top Sydney restaurants

The Cumberland Reach land, in the Hawkesbury district north west of Sydney, on the river bank captured his imagination and he bought it almost straight away. This is where he created Stix Farm, a certified-organic farm that grows vegetables for top chefs around the city.

Mr Allison had been schooled at an agricultural boarding school, which is where his love of the land was cultivated.

"Around 20 years ago when I was working flat out as a chef caterer, my friend bought a property on the Hawkesbury River," Mr Allison told the Gazette.

"It was so relaxing, beautiful, and close to Sydney, an untapped and unadvertised gem. I was water skiing one day and I saw a For Sale sign on the bank."

The rest is history.

Stix Farm uses regenerative agricultural techniques and is committed to improving how hospitality industry suppliers farm and what they farm.

Stix Farm supplies to restaurants including Bennelong, Otto Sydney and Brisbane, and Quay, and its produce is also served-up at Stix Cafe in Marrickville, and is used in the Stix Events and Catering arm.

"We have a development application in for a restaurant, and we'll be starting-up farm tours hopefully before Christmas," Mr Allison said.

It's a passion of Mr Allison's to grow organic, because "the flavour, texture, colour, the whole product is superior to normal vegetables," he said.

"I'm not a greenie but I'm really keen to source good products, artisan products, and support local and seasonal. I know it's the catch word but we like to be sustainable - it's something I've been interested in since I was quite young."

The farm relies on permaculture principles including having chickens for eggs and meat, and they also run a piggery which produces piglets.

"All of our green waste and food waste from our catering and cafe in Sydney and the coffee grinds as well, all goes back to the farm for composting. We've got full vans and trucks going to the Hawkesbury with compost and coming back with veggies and eggs," Mr Allison said.

The farm was affected by the recent floods but once it is running at capacity again, the team plans to sell vegetables and produce through the farm gate.

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Mr Allison said it made sense to grow closer to the city - rather than out west which would increase transport and water costs.

"The Hawkesbury River was our food basin many years ago. It's an alluvial soil basin, and great for seasonal vegetables. It has a good microclimate of rain, and we have a water licence to irrigate," he said.

Mr Allison said the Hawkesbury needed "a bit of a push" to make it onto the foodies' travel map again - and if people started to visit the area, house prices would increase, businesses would become more efficient and have better profits.

"We need more good restaurants and accommodation and then the potential is unlimited," he said.