Article for Slow Food's Snail Pace magazine

Slow food producers are wonderful people to hang out with.  Usually they have become a producer of good, clean and fair food as a result of a long-standing fascination for a particular food, or a desire to satisfy their yearning for right livelihood, ecological and/or social integrity.

However, what I like about them is their passion and creativity.  I like that many of them are risk-takers and rugged individualists, with questioning minds and a penchant for challenging the status quo.  I’m attracted to the artistic energy they put into their food and the depth of connection with their raw ingredients, animals, plants or soil.  I love that they live for what they do.  I could go on and on.

What I couldn’t say about Slow Food producers is that I love their ability to accurately fill out forms, balance the books, calculate exactly the amount of tax they owe, or memorise food safety regulations.  For most of my artisanal food producer friends, those aspects of their enterprise are avoided for as long as possible and finally approached with reluctance, even fear.  It’s not that they intentionally set out to break rules; it’s just not in their make-up for them to do paperwork.  I know this intimately because I married one.

My husband and I have been operating a farm in the Sunshine Coast hinterland producing a range of organic dairy products, beef, eggs and poultry.  A driving force of the farm was our quest for the best quality food possible.  So what constitutes the best quality milk and eggs?  And how do you produce it consistently?  And how do you do it in such a way that builds up fertility in the soil, ensures animal well-being, minimises harmful impacts on the environment and still makes a modest living?

Perhaps we were naïve in that we didn’t ask: how do we meet all our statutory obligations and still get seven hours sleep per night?  Followed by: how do we do all of the above and sustain the passion and artistic juices for producing good quality food?

I wonder if the ‘art’ part of artisanal is fully appreciated.  Producing Slow Food is an art.  If that artistic expression were in the form of a beautiful oil painting or marble sculpture, would society still expect so much left-brain activated compliance?  Did Van Gogh do his own books?  I reckon not.

In Australia many small-scale food producers I know complain about the amount of time and energy they must expend on compliance and, in particular:

• unwarranted or disproportionate application of regulations compared with assessed risk;
• pedantic or inconsistent interpretation of regulations;
• overlap (or even contradiction) of requirements from various agencies.

There is a strong feeling that small-scale food production is being regulated out of existence.

Which is why I embarked on a fascinating journey to look at what other countries are doing to support their artisanal and small-scale food producers in relation to their regulatory obligations.

To assist in the journey I was fortunate to be awarded a Fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which funded me to travel this year to a number of Slow Food events in the USA, Ireland and, finally, Terra Madre in Italy, where I joined the Australian delegation (Pat came as an observer).

Other contributors will have waxed lyrical about the awesome event in Turin.  Although I found it overwhelming in its size and scope, I loved meeting producers from other countries and wish I’d stepped out of my comfort zone to initiate more conversations, especially with delegates from non-English speaking countries.  (By the way, a tip for future Terra Madre delegates: make sure you take a small photo album of your enterprise and/or activities in your region – it’s an invaluable tool when conversation is restricted.)  Despite the language barriers, I’ll return home with a sense of international camaraderie.

Meanwhile, my husband and I are questioning how we can continue to make a living out of small-scale farming.  It is not just about sales: like many producers, we know the support is out there and I’m sure our customers – and co-producers – would urge us to continue.  Sales alone might nourish the bottom line but do they nourish the spirit?

I’ll be writing a report on the findings of my Fellowship project, which I hope to share with Slow Food members.  One initiative that appeals immediately is the establishment of Artisanal Food Forums, whereby representatives from various food sectors (e.g. dairy, cured meats, seafood) meet with the key regulatory stakeholders (in particular, food safety) to discuss issues and explore solutions.  The key to the success of this, I imagine, would be appropriate and skilled facilitation, coupled with sound legal and financial advice.

I can’t think of a better way for Slow Food convivia in Australia to actively support their food producers and preserve production of local food that is good, clean and fair.

Comments

[Derek Barrett]

Well done, Julie, Pat and Oliver. We hear you are getting your act together and staying in Ireland with Michael and Ilana's friends who helped them so wonderfully when they were building their Crystal Waters residence. They may possibly remember me and I send them my best wishes.

Soon be time to return to the land of Oz and to the next stage of your journeying into the world of slow food.

We long to see you again.

Much love, Derek and Gwen and all the Conondale Growers.

[Julie Shelton]

Hi Derek and Gwen
Yes, we're staying with Rob & Mairead near Sligo. It's very cold and wet outside but we have two fires in the house and we're staying snug and warm.
Rob & Mairead do remember you well and send their regards.
Oliver turned four on Saturday! We had a low-key celebration because he decided that he doesn't want to grow up and wants to "stay a little boy". He is very tall and skinny at the moment after a recent growth spurt so I doubt his wishes will come true.
If the plans stay as they are, we'll be back mid-January to some warmer weather.
May Conondale Growers continue to grow. Warm wishes for the festive season and Merry Christmas to you both,
- Julie, Pat and Oliver

[annie]

hi you two. hope alls well and happy birthday oliver..time flies. your talk of fires and being snug and warm just made me sweat a little more. we have had good rain and some fantastic lightening storms and of course the grass keeps on keeping on.
chai mamas has turned into quite the little hub and i am enjoying the space.
the garden just keeps on getting greener and fuller and get such a buzz getting all we need minutes before dinner....looking forward to alll the foodies info when youre back.
lots of love annie w

[Julie Shelton]

Hey Annie
Great to hear that Chai Mamas is booming. And so it should! We're preparing for a huge party here tomorrow (Saturday). Theme is The God Squad: Bad Habits. Guests are invited to come as Nuns on the Run, Mad Monks, Men of the Cloth, Mother Superiors, Lay Ministers, Evangelists, Preachers, Priors, Prelates, Abbotesses, Cathechists, Friars, Clerics etc... Don't think we'll be too functional on Sunday.
Oliver says that he hopes it is very quiet at your house. "And for my birthday I got Mr Potato Head and a DVD Cars games and also Snot Rod and Boost from the Cars movie."
Rob & Mairead are great foodies. Right now, as I type, I'm in the middle of a breakfast exploration of various puddings (black and white). I know it's not your thing but they are yummy.
Love to you and Phil and thanks for keeping the shop space warm and cared for.
- Julie