Kindred Spirits

A family-operated organic farm in an historic part of Tasmania has made growing quinoa an essential part of its success story.

- Jennifer Stackhouse

It was a cold, blustery day when I visited the Damen family at their small organic farm in Tasmania’s northwest. Lauran Damen quickly ushered me into the large old country kitchen where it was warm, comfortable and pleasantly fragrant with home baking.

As I settled at the wooden kitchen table, Henriette appeared with offers of tea and home-baked quinoa and apricot muffins. Lauran and Henriette’s eldest son, Peter, who had been working in the paddocks, joined us. The 23-year-old has completed an agriculture degree at the University of Tasmania in Hobart and now works full-time on the farm.

“He’s in charge of growing our crops,” Lauran explained.

Peter reported that his brother John, 21, an engineering student, was busy in one of the sheds tinkering with some equipment but said he’d join us later to walk around the property.

HISTORIC LINKS

Kindred Organics is a family concern and the quaint two-storey heritage home is the heart of the business. The old house dates back to 1885 and comes with an interesting history.

Like the Damens, the house was relocated to its current site. It once sat on an adjacent property four kilometres away but was moved to its new location some 25 years ago. Despite being uprooted, the timber house is in good condition.

“It’s not heritage listed,” said Lauran, “but we look after it and it looks after us.”

The house, sheds and silos where the Damens’ produce is processed and stored sit on top of one of the rolling hills of this picturesque and fertile part of northwest Tasmania. Not just a snappy name for a family business, Kindred is the name of this farming community about 20 minutes southwest of Devonport.