Nine Mile Fresh

James Ryan ‐ General Manager

James Ryan hadn't originally set out to be General Manager of a grower that supplies nearly 10,000 tonnes of apples to Woolworths each year. He wanted to play cricket for Australia. But when the call up didn't come, his stepfather Michael Ajani inspired his interest in farming and then, over time, it developed into a passion.

Nine Mile Fresh was a long‐established family business by the time James was on the scene. Having originally migrated from Como in Italy in 1891, the Ajani family established their first market garden business in Ballarat soon after.

They then purchased a site in Wantirna South, developing the land into an apple and pear orchard. By the 1950s the family were supplying under the name 'Bonview Orchards', and by the 1970s they became a Woolworths supplier.

For the last 80 years the business has been about growing apples. They've also been supplying Woolworths for over 50 years, and still do from their orchards at Officer and Garfield in the foothills of the Dandenong's & West Gippsland, South East of Melbourne.

James and the team are kept on their toes 365 days a year growing Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Jonathon and Sundowner apples. Growing season starts at Apple Blossom in Spring ‐ around AFL Grand Final day, while harvesting commences at the end of January and runs through to late May or early June, depending on variety.

The rest of the time, everyone's kept busy with preparation of the high‐density orchards. It's never‐ending, but James finds it incredibly rewarding:

"I just love the whole cycle of watching apples grow and knowing the combined efforts put in by those involved ‐ satisfaction of a team effort." ‐ James Ryan

While that team effort is important when things are going well, it's even more so when conditions turn against them. On Australia Day weekend 1998, a massive hailstorm destroyed every apple and most of the trees at Officer Orchard.

For James and the team it was a definite 'kick in the guts'. But after the initial and immediate hardships, it simply became a case of head down, bum up. With so many customers to look after and their own livelihoods at stake, they weren't going to just give up.

For someone who learned on the job, James is a big believer in a horticulture‐based education for people wanting to get into agriculture these days. And when the learning in the classroom is done, the weather, marketplace and customer tastes mean there'll always be more to learn. That on‐going part of a farmer's education happens by making mistakes, looking at what others are doing, or sometimes just listening to other people's advice.

One nugget he follows is that if you're going to be a grower, then grow quality, quality, quality. It has helped inspire James and the whole organisation to keep investing back in the farm so they can consistently deliver quality at the right price.

James has some simple tips to maximise that enjoyment of apples. Buy them firm and shiny. Store them in the fridge. Eat them as they are, in a salad, or bake, stew or fry till your heart's content. (Try baking them in tinfoil with cinnamon).