When Britnie Hocking moved to South Australia’s Riverland a decade ago she found it hard to access fresh vegetables, despite the region growing food and vegetables in abundance.

Key points:

  • A cooperative based in the Adelaide Hills has expanded to include the Riverland 
  • It involves volunteers coming together to pack and deliver boxes of vegetables
  • The in-season produce is appreciated by people accustomed to sourcing it from markets

“I’m from the border of New South Wales and Victoria, where there was always fresh fruit and veggie markets,” she said.

“I would love to shop as ethically and as as locally as possible but sometimes you just have to go through a bigger chain to be able to put food on the table.”

The mother of three said she has found that vegetables from major supermarkets did not last as long, and did not present as much value for money as market produce.

Ms Hocking (left) and partner Sam use the produce to make healthy meals for three picky children.(Supplied: Britnie Hocking)

“They just seem to go floppy and sad pretty quick,” Ms Hocking said. 

“Whereas I was using beetroot that I bought from a market well over two weeks later.”

Ms Hocking has started ordering boxes of organic produce through a cooperative.

Ms Hocking said she adds finely chopped veggies into meals to get the kids eating them.(Supplied: Vanessa Comley)

“As much as I love picking the vegetables myself, having all of it put into a box is just brilliant because it’s really convenient,” she said.

“And I find I use every ounce of it because it’s just part of my weekly routine.”

Self-inspired success 

Adelaide Hills farmer Vanessa Comley said she had been inundated with interest for her organic produce cooperative since expanding it to the Riverland last month.

“People are saying they’re inspired about food again,” she said.

Ms Comley says the coop has created a community of volunteers who help with everything from weeding, to packing and delivery.(Supplied: Vanessa Comley)

Ms Comley said she started selling produce boxes through her business, Organics SA, about 15 years ago because of her own health issues.

Since then she has scaled up, building her own cold room at her farm in the Adelaide Hills town of Gumeracha, and buying a farm in the Riverland.

“We predominantly grow our own food, but order some produce like bananas from interstate,” Ms Comley said.

She said the co-op had created a community, with volunteers getting together to pack and deliver boxes, and people exchanging recipe ideas on social media.

“It’s a bit like a challenge, finding different meals to cook based on what is in the box and then sharing your discoveries,” Ms Comley said.

“One lady had never tried fennel before, but she thought, ‘Oh, I’ll pop it through my juicer’, and she said it was just amazing with carrots and celery.”

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