Castello, VIC

In a small country town called Thorpdale near the edge of Victoria's Gippsland, John Castello works the soil growing Dutch Cream potatoes. He has done so all his life and wouldn't have it any other way. A man of few words but high standards, John was born into a potato growing family. The responsibility of farming was in his blood. Even as a boy he continually looked out for his family and community ‐ making him seem older and wiser than his years.

As such, his interest in upholding the family tradition came easily. He loved working the land and learning as much as he could from his father about farming the region's rich volcanic soil.

Of course, farming wasn't the easiest path to take. Back then as now, the challenges of drought, flood and long hours were a regular part of John's life. But to him, being able to produce a crop every season facing up to these challenges helps make Thorpdale the best part of Australia to live in.

What John loves about growing is simple ‐ producing a good quality, good tasting potato, regardless of the conditions. It takes 120 days from planting to harvesting and he loves the job so much he can't see himself doing anything else.

He has plenty of opportunity to show that love too. While the family have been growing potatoes for over 50 years, it was in 1990 things stepped up a gear:"Woolworths buyers saw our good quality potatoes and asked us to be a part of their food chain."

Since then the connection has grown to the point that Catello & Sons now supply Woolworths stores 1600 tones of potatoes annually.

This long-standing partnership with Woolworths is proof to John that he is reaching his goals: "Being your own boss and working to succeed in the business I have chosen and to produce the best, good-tasting potato."

For a man so passionate about his spuds, it's no surprise John's never seriously considered anything but potato farming ‐ or even a different variety to Dutch Cream. But when pushed, he suggests he could have been a builder or engineer in another life. He loves working with his hands ‐ and builds kids play tables and chairs as a hobby.

Apart from that, John spends his spare time how you'd expect a salt of the earth type to ‐ watching the footy, looking after his daughters, and taking a couple of weeks holiday each year with his family.

Of course, someone who loves growing potatoes so much is going to have good ideas about how to cook them. For John, simple is best: "Add Dutch Cream potatoes to cold water and bring to boil for 10 mins, drain and dry. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in roasting dish, add potatoes, cook for 45mins or until brown and then sprinkle sea salt and sage, or any herbs you like."

If you like sliced potatoes, he suggests much the same approach: "Slice and arrange them in neat rows on baking paper. Sprinkle with virgin olive oil and cook until brown then sprinkle with sea salt and sage or herbs."

Why the Dutch Cream? To John they're great for everything. Roasting, baking, warm potato salads ‐ they're also ideal for vegetarian dishes as they don't break down during cooking. John is an absolute believer in fresh is best ‐ they taste and look better and can be stored for longer. Speaking of which, John recommends taking potatoes out of the bag as soon as you're home and storing them in a dark, dry place.

Then there's the nutritional value of the fresh tattie. Like all vegetables they are naturally free from saturated fats and cholesterol and also a valuable source of complex carbohydrate and dietary fibre. Potatoes also contain Vitamin C and potassium ‐ both important for a range of bodily functions such as energy production, muscle contraction and immune support.

With this in mind, John finds it easy to get kids to eat their vegetables. He tells them you'll be healthy with strong bones ‐ absolute pre-requisites of farm life. Another pre-requisite for farm life must be a dry sense of humour. When asked what growers do when they're not farming, John pauses for a second before giving his answer, "Retire". A quick smile, then back to work on the farm.

Castello and Sons' Dutch Cream potatoes are in season January to July.