Hayley Lewis
Fernside Microfarm is a family-run operation where Hayley Lewis, one of the company’s founders, often wears different hats of responsibility, juggling roles as a grower, packer, harvester, bookkeeper, delivery driver, marketing assistant, and researcher.
The family has long been interested in sustainable living and food security, growing and foraging their food integral to Lewis's family life.
"I grew up in a Māori community where living sustainably from the land and sea and sharing food was an important custom, so it felt like a natural step to move into growing delicious and nutritious food for our local market," said Lewis.
Fernside Microfarm centres its growing values on mindfulness towards protecting the environment. Vertical farming became a natural choice for the family due to the reduced water and land required to produce nutrient-dense food without chemicals or fertilisers. As the family are passionate about maintaining sustainability, consistency, and quality of the microgreens they produce and sell, they mostly grow to order, reducing waste. They were also committed to maintaining the business to a size where it could be operated by the family from their property. Lewis said it has become even more significant with the next generation growing up.
"Keeping Summer involved in our daily tasks is important, although sometimes challenging, especially with a two-year-old who loves to get dirty. We want to instil in her the values of hard work and viewing life through a lens of sustainability and respect for the environment."
Lewis continued that she believed there is untapped potential and a promising future for vertical farming in New Zealand, particularly with climate change resulting in unpredictable weather events, which directly impact the produce industry supply and demand.
Vertical farming allows the grower to control the environment around the produce while isolating it from pests and bugs. It is a win-win for the future of food.
Lewis also works full-time in a corporate environment, and her partner cares for their child and their growing operation during the day. In the evenings, the family begins their maintenance cycle of the microgreens, which varies daily. Two nights of the week, Lewis will harvest and pack microgreens.
One harvest caters primarily to its Wholesale customers, including restaurants, cafés, wineries, and retail, and the other harvest caters to the local farmer's markets and their regular subscribers.
Harvest and packing can take up to six hours depending on how many orders Lewis has and the season for Farmers Markets, which the family manages with the help of a part-time employee and also with the help of her partner's mother.
Three nights a week, the family will plant their microgreens, different varieties growing at different rates, so we need them all ready for harvest at the same time.
It takes two days to clean, sanitise and reset the growing operation.
"Our growing trays are cleaned and dried, our growing medium is prepped, and a full clean of the growing and packing area is completed."
The family also does several weekly delivery runs, with one big run on a Wednesday to dozens of cafes, restaurants and wholesalers in Christchurch City and north of Rangiora, where they live.
On the weekends, Lewis' partner attends three Farmers Markets, and she attends one on a Saturday morning. Farmer's Markets have been crucial to Fernside Microfarm's growth as a business. Meeting local people and making business connections has all stemmed from regular attendance at these markets, rain, hail or shine.
Lewis continued that the family assumed that winter would be their quiet season. Despite this, due to the family's vertical farming methods, winter tends to be a season where there is a higher uptake of their produce, as wholesalers have a variety of produce available year-round that is usually only available in summer or spring when grown outside.
Microgreen growers tend to grow three to four popular varieties of microgreens, particularly the ones that are hardy and easy to grow. Fernside Microfarm has a diverse range of about a dozen varieties. Amaranth, Kohlrabi, Bok Choy, and Cilantro Micro are lesser-known varieties they grow and supply.
Some varieties are more challenging to grow than others. Lewis explained that some tend to be far more sensitive to the slightest change in water temperature, airflow, and location in the grow room. Broccoli is one of these varieties, but the nutritional value of broccoli and other brassica like Bok Choy and Kohlrabi make them incredibly popular with customers. Hence, the family works extra hard to hand-hold these through to harvest.
"We also supply live trays of wheatgrass for customers who are into juicing and raw food diets."
Lewis hopes to run a fully solar set-up by the end of 2024. Additionally, she would like to purchase an EV for the business to reduce its carbon footprint during deliveries.
In the long term, the family would love to be able to supply small solar grow pods for homes, schools and Marae and educate people on how to farm vertically for their whanau and community.
"Access to affordable, fresh, delicious produce and the knowledge and benefits of different varieties is key to the future of health and wellbeing for our children and grandchildren."
