Blueberries straight from Corinella

NESTLED in Corinella on 40 acres, Scott and Allison Carter have set about turning a once dilapidated property into a world class blueberry farm – White Cloud Farms.
Hidden under five acres of 132 tunnels the blueberry plants have been maturing for 14 months and Scott is keen for the season ahead.
“My first summer at university I worked for a guy that grew strawberries and berries,” Scott explained.
“My flatmate was selling fruit around town – nectarines, peaches, so the next summer I brought fruit off my old boss and started selling them.”
Tauranga, New Zealand, was home and where Scott first honed his farming skills.
“I did that for a few years, travelled to America where I met Allison, and then moved to Australia.
“I started working for Mecrus doing glasshouse strawberries, that’s where I learnt hydroponics, and we set up a glasshouse in Shady Creek.
“Then I worked as general manager on a 50-hectare farm in the Yarra Valley for Sunny Ridge.”
Wanting his young family to grown up on a farm, the pair found their current property three years ago, whilst living in a small cottage in Menzies Creek.
“The dream was always to have land and have a farm. We’d been looking for quite a while and found this space. The South Gippsland climate is perfect for growing plants, not too hot in the summer, and not too cold in the winter, which also makes for a great place to live.
“The house was okay, but the land required a lot of work – old grow bags, posts, wire, grass up to the waist, blackberries up to the chest… We had a major clean up job. 
“But it’s become a productive, sustainable site, which is good for the community.”
Utilising sustainable growing practises, the tunnels are built in such a way as to scatter diffused light evenly and allow for hydroponic growing practices.
“The tunnels are designed to also catch the rain through the gutters and flow the water back through to the dams, which are then used in a sustainably circular manner – a closed circuit.
“It also allows us to monitor how much water and nutrients are going into the plants and ensure they are at the optimal level.”
And whilst picking was finished by New Year’s Eve last season, Scott is looking forwards to a full crop that will take picking into January next year as the plants mature further.
“We are growing a premium quality blueberry and sell it fresh straightaway. It has a crunch and pop to it.
“Our crops go to Harris Farms in Sydney, and also to Coles in the Eureka Punnet.”
After many years spent in the industry, Scott knew he had to set up the farm properly from the start, which is why he partnered with Mountain Blue Orchard (MBO).
Mountain Blue’s vision is concise – to be the leading global producer of exception berries, through premium genetics, cutting-edge nurseries and holistic marketing services. They are also family owned and operated.
It’s the reason Scott partnered with them.
“Their products are premium grade, and they are strict on quality. They have a world class genetic breeding program and because their varieties are so good, and they do a phenomenal job marketing, they’ve really got an amazing product and they are getting the premium for the growers.
“And the other side of working with them is that they’re a privately owned Australian company with a lot of young professionals who are passionate, good people.”
The support provided by MBO is second to none.
“Often farmers take all the risk. They put up the capital, endure the weather risks, do a lot of the work and put everything into growing the fruit, but everyone else makes the money.
“Australia no longer has the grower co-operatives like in other parts of the world – where growers are collaborating and growing better systems and profitability for all. In Australia there is competition everywhere…
“That’s why I like MBO, they are farmers themselves and they want farmers to succeed – they’re a good partner for us.”
Splitting his time between farm work and administration, including compliance, it is not unusual to see a few little helpers pitching in.
“It’s quite cute. (The kids) helped plant the tiny little plants – scooping up the soil, putting them in. 
“It’s good to be on a farm, but it really is hard work at times. The heat can be punishing especially when the hard, physical labour is required, which is the case at the moment.
“But the upside is that the kids see the hard work and they get to learn work ethic.”
And whilst setting up a farm may be a challenging task; Scott couldn’t speak more highly of the Regional Investment Corporation AgriStarter Loan.
“Helping young people get started and established – it is a massive support; and keeping land being productive and ensuring future food supply in Australia.”