You could call it the effects of long COVID. After battling economic conditions and harsh weather - especially for farmers - the successful small business duo of Elle Brown and Dylan Abdoo, who trade as Newcastle Greens, have finally asked for help. Newcastle Greens grow more than 40 lines of microgreens, edible flowers, and vegetables from premises in Cooranbong.
In 10 years of business they have become recognized as national award-winning growers, with their Calvin Lamborn varietal peas Rare Variety Leaves, plus other lines, served in the finest restaurants in NSW, including Muse in Pokolbin and Quay in Sydney.
The couple built their success on importing and growing unique seed lines, which quickly caught the attention of leading restaurants. They grow plants like siber frill kale, bare necessities kale, puntarelle chicory. Hungarian wax peppers, shishito peppers, biquinho peppers, cucumber flowers, ice plants and much more.
"In the last two years we've had drought, then COVID, now rain. You just can't win," Brown said. Last week the business pair set up a Go Fund Me page, trying to raise $15,000 just to keep them going.
Read the complete article at www.farmonline.com.au.