Twin Apple Packhouse, WA

From gold to apples ‐ the journey of Western Australian town Donnybrook has been a fruitful one (pun intended).

Now heralded as the apple capital of the south, its former prospecting days have been long relegated to a footnote in history. A short distance from the town's plentiful display of English oak trees is the family farm of Jason Jarvis, owner and manager of Twin Apple Packhouse, situated in the heart of the Geographe fruit-growing region.

Established in 1939, the Jarvis family farm has grown considerably since its humble beginnings when Grandfather Jarvis first cleared the land, felling trees with his cross cut saw. Now the farm sits upon 300 ha of fertile land, surrounded by native bush land, and an abundance of birds and wildlife.

The farm produces a wide range of certified organic produce: apples (of course), pears, plums, peaches, nashi, organic free-range eggs and beef. There's something for everyone to enjoy, and Jason makes sure he's one of the first in line to sample the wares of all their passion and hard work. He calls it 'quality control' (or 'yum'). And for that extra personal touch, Jason's mother Joy manages the packhouse, where all their fruit and eggs are graded for quality and their different markets.

Jason doesn't take his life on the farm for granted. He knows he lives a fortunate life where he gets to wake up every day surrounded by incredible beauty. "I've always loved living on the farm, and that's one of the reasons why I knew I'd always remain here, to retain that connection. And it's pretty great that I get to get up, and I can walk out the back door and I'm at work ‐ no traffic jams anywhere", says Jason.

And for those that are used to leaning on the car horn on their way into work, they could maybe take a leaf out of Jason's book, as patience is one of the necessary ingredients to be a competent farmer. "From planting, harvesting and then selling our produce, that can be a four year plan in the making."

While Jason reaps the rewards of all his hard work, like with so many farmers, he isn't without his challenges. The weather being a constant reminder that you can be as organised and prepared as you like, but ultimately too much rain, or not enough can dictate your immediate future. He's seen other challenges come at an exponential rate in the last ten years. Every packhouse in Jason's surrounding area has either changed hands, or gone into receivership. With his never give up attitude, Jason's supremely confident this will never happen to his family business, but he's not one to rest on his laurels either. "You take the good with the bad, but happily it's mostly good here, actually, mostly great, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."

Educating people about where food comes from is important to the Jarvis family, with them subscribing to the paddock to plate philosophy. Jason believes it's especially important for children to realise that food just doesn't magically appear on the supermarket shelves. He thinks instilling this awareness can be aided by families planting their own vegetable garden together, watching it grow, and then literally reaping what they sow.