Quest for a New Eden, Backstories of Innovation #1
The New England has a remarkable history of food and fibre production, from opium to wheat and now to cannabis, tomatoes and other high value food and beverage. In a one hour deep dive, community members heard from three businesses driving innovative food and beverage in New England - framed with the back story of food production in New England.
‘The Quest for a New Eden’ was the first ‘Back Stories of Innovation’ event, held at NOVA on 14 March. Conversation and guest speakers were facilitated by well-known local historian and UNE Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Bill Oates.
Tom Croft is co-founder of The Welders Dog, which commenced craft beer production in Armidale in 2014 and over the last eight years has grown to build a unique and in-demand boutique bar in Tamworth and Inverell. The Welders Dog sources high quality barley regionally from Wee Waa, and continues to inspire others to look to create a unique beverage in a fast growing consumer good market.
Jim Cameron, is the General Manager of Australian Natural Therapeutics Group (ANTG) and has combined his love of growing plants for commercial production, his technical talent and capacity to build a strong and reliable team to manage now 80 staff growing high quality medicinal cannabis within the Armidale region. ANTG exports from Armidale to Germany and is now regarded as one of Australia’s leading providers of cannabis for medical consumption.
Charlie Perry, Trent Bridge Wagyu (and winner of the 2022 Zanda McDonald Award) is combining a data driven perspective on livestock performance and efficiency to meet climate and supply chain opportunities, whilst also taking a leadership role through the Wagyu Association to build a research and development agenda not only for his own business but the whole beef industry. The result is a globally recognised brand of beef that is sustainable and delivering excellence for consumers.
Bill Oates holds a treasure trove of stories and artefacts, photos, video and other archival information that delights and helps community to make sense of how our history has shaped our current practices and behaviours. As an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New England, records manager for Regional NSW, and as our historian to lead ‘The Quest for a New Eden in New England’, the stories of crops of opium and pyrethrum being farmed by the Women in Agricultural Services in the 1940’s set the scene for a food bowl that was highly experimental and innovative.
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