2011 – now

AND SO NOW we’re 30 and all grown up. And something’s going on in the country. There’s a new energy out there in the regions. This decade has firmly entrenched the words ‘tree-changer’ and ‘sustainability’ into the lexicon. As property prices drive people away from the city, more of us are finding country towns and regions offer a better lifestyle alternative. We meet parents wanting to bring up their children in small communities, with fresh air and freedom. Others ditching city-based careers to get their hands in the soil and grow organic produce or flowers, or ethically raise livestock. Some finding new income streams by sharing their knowledge and creativity with others in workshops and events. Bartering and sharing produce are the ‘new black’. We feature the chefs who design menus around produce that comes out of their restaurant garden each day, or lands on the doorstep from the farmer down the road. We started the schools’ Harvest Table competition to discover what kids are learning about growing and preparing fresh, seasonal food in school kitchen garden programs. Meeting our Harvest Table finalists in their kitchen garden classroom is always a highlight. And we love finding the new creative businesses that are being launched online from remote areas, servicing others in remote regions and beyond. After 30 years of showcasing the country, we know that the more things change in the country, the more they stay the same.

‘Tree-changer’ and ‘sustainability’ have become the buzzwords of the past decade, which has seen people moving to the country as they re-evaluate their lives.