Planting starts at Indigenous-run Northern Territory tomato farm
NT Country Hour By Daniel Fitzgerald
Posted 29 Apr 2016, 7:54amFri 29 Apr 2016, 7:54am
Planting is underway at the Indigenous-run Kalano Community Farm, the Northern Territory's largest tomato farm.
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Audio: Dennis Arnold and Chris Cronin speak about tomato planting at Kalano Community Farm (ABC Rural)
About 1.4 hectares of tomatoes are being planted at the farm on the outskirts of Katherine, with plans to diversify into other fruit and vegetables.
Farm supervisor Dennis Arnold said the tomatoes were looking good, despite a poor start to planting.
"When we got them they didn't look too good. They were a bit dried up and looked like they were going to die," he said.
"But once we put them in the ground they seemed to pick up pretty well."
The tomato plants had to be 'hardened up' and acclimatised to the Top End climate before they were planted out.
Chris Cronin took over management of the farm earlier this year.
He said the cooler weather brought on by the approaching dry season had started to slow the growth of the plants.
"The first rows are pumping away, but it is quite noticeable the growth has slowed down the further we get into the seedlings," he said.
"But hopefully they will catch up and it will be a profitable crop for the community.
"To produce a good product there is a hell of a lot of work that goes into it. It might be on a small scale, but it is very labour intensive and you have to be right on everything."
Photo: Kalano Community Farm will plant about 1.4 hectares of tomatoes this year. (ABC Rural: Daniel Fitzgerald)
Plans to diversify into vegetables
Mr Cronin said he planned for the farm to branch out from tomatoes into cabbages and zucchinis.
"We might also grow some watermelon and sweet potato, maybe some butternut pumpkins as well," he said,
"You can grow anything you like on this land. It is some of the best land I have seen in my life.
"[There is] soil, water on tap and a good work crew, so you can grow anything you like."
Mr Arnold, a stalwart worker of the farm for the past three years, said he was proud to see the tomatoes in the ground.
"It is good to see something like this happen in the community. It shows that we can do it. Anyone can do it if they try," he said.
