Manna Farms

David Keens ‐ Direct & General Manager

David Keens didn't always want to be a farmer. In fact, his parents still like to rip him with stories of how he'd try to avoid farm work when he was young. "Apparently (and I beg to differ), ‐ every time I was sent to do a job I would find an excuse to take a rest, ask for a drink or take a toilet break. How things have changed!"

Still, David knew he wanted to come back to the farm eventually and join the family business. After working in Melbourne for more than fifteen years David and his wife packed up and moved back to the land.

Keens & Keens was started by David's dad, Ian, in 1969 and at first he concentrated on growing Valencia Oranges. The farm expanded steadily throughout the decades and in 1989 became the first local grower to farm organically. The move towards organic growing wasn't based on trends says David, it was simply his Dad's love for growing quality organic produce, "Dad has always loved what he does and that's always shown in the quality of produce that he grew."

The Keens' family business is now one of the largest biodynamic horticultural businesses in Australia, growing almonds, citrus, avocados and vegetables near Mildura in northwest Victoria.

The great care they take in farming means Keens & Keens have higher labour costs, but that means they employ more staff than traditional farms, meaning greater benefit to the community.

Like any parent, David has spent plenty of time convincing his kids to eat their fruit and veg, his expert advice is to "make it fun and most importantly, get them out onto a farm and show them where all this wonderful stuff comes from. Kids love to be involved, and if you let them it's the best way to teach them about eating healthy."

More than most people, David knows the tremendous health benefits of eating fruit, "Fresh citrus and 100 percent citrus juices are nutrient‐rich foods, and they can help you meet fruit intake recommendations. A piece of fruit or 125mL of 100% juice provides one serving of fruit. Dietary guidelines recommend eating two serves of fruit daily. Nutrition benefits include vitamin C and fibre in fresh fruit, as well as calcium and vitamin D in fortified citrus juice. Fruit also contains minimal to no fat and is a great healthy snack, when eaten in the right portions each day."

As for his avocados he says, "Just like other fruits, avocados are high in water (75%) but remain nutrient dense. They're rich in fibre and healthy fats and provide a source of niacin, folate and vitamins B5, B7, C and E."

"My father has always told me that it's not what's on the outside but on the inside. These days, people really need to judge all produce on flavour and not appearance. It's often the fruit that looks the worst that tastes the best. When it comes to fruit, bigger is not always better." ‐ David Keen