Virginia Farms Produce, SA

Since he was eight‐years‐old, with a little influence from his 'Popa', Zack Hartshorne, Kangaringa Station Farm Manager, knew he was destined for a life as a grower. "As a young fella I spent a lot of time in my Popa's vegetable garden, where I dreamed of becoming a market gardener. My Popa would teach me about how to maintain the vegetables, with the most important ingredient being love", says Zack.

Now that Zack is all grown‐up, he finds himself working in his dream job, and naturally he loves it. For two and a half years Zack has been at Kangaringa Station, working for Virginia Farm Produce. Formed in 1956 by Jack Farmer (whose surname suggests he was also destined for this industry), Virginia Farm Produce is a proudly run family‐owned business, growing onions and potatoes.

Being approximately 230 kilometres east‐southeast of Adelaide, which Zack describes as the 'middle of nowhere', makes Kangaringa Station one of the easternmost homesteads in South Australia. It's this remoteness of the 55,000 acre Kangaringa Station that contributes to some of the challenges that Zack, and his more than 50 employees sometimes face.

Zack explains, "Being in the middle of nowhere means we face all sorts of elements. We can have frosts in winter, impacting when we plant the potatoes, then in summer we might have some 40+ degree days, which can affect our onions."

Leading up to the seeds being sown, a careful eye is cast over each paddock during the intensive preparation of the soil. Another by‐product of Kangaringa Station's isolation is the very sandy soil that exists. To overcome this obstacle, a layer of clay is applied to the ground, which then allows for the water and nutrients to cultivate a healthy output of produce. Approximately 1.3 tonne of seed is used per acre, which then produces approximately 16 tonnes of potatoes.

Zack gets great satisfaction being a part of an industry that keeps Australians fed with high‐quality and healthy produce, something Woolworths is in complete agreement about. And the care and attention their produce receives can't be faulted, as Kangaringa Station is unique in that they are one of a few growers who can grade, pack and store all their produce on site.

Kangaringa Stations' association with Woolies dates back nearly thirty years, to 1986, when they started supplying potatoes to us indirectly. And in 1992 they started indirectly supplying onions. But for the last two years they've become one of our many direct suppliers. This is a relationship we both hope to harvest ‐ just like their onions and potatoes ‐ for a very long time yet.

When it comes to selecting the best potatoes for you and your family, Zack recommends finding ones that look clean, smooth, and firm, ideally with no cuts, bruises or discolouration. Once you have your perfect potatoes, Zack relays the importance of storing them correctly, so you can experience them at their optimal best. This can be achieved by keeping them in a well‐ventilated area, ideally somewhere with a temperature between 8 and 12 degrees.

And while managing Kangaringa Station keeps Zack very busy, come winter, when he has a bit more free time on his hands, he likes nothing but to pull on the roller blades, and go for a spin. He's yet to combine managing a 55,000 acre station with rollerblading, but who knows what the future holds with this passionate grower.

One thing is certain, his Popa would be proud of how far he's come since his young days looking after the veggies in his grandfather's backyard.

"I love my job, and my farm, and I wouldn't have it any other way."