Each week, we will bring our readers a primary producer on the South Coast in our feature ‘Producing The Goods’. By doing this, we hope consumers find it easier to source locally grown produce across the region.
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At an industry dinner held at The Pavilion Kiama recently, guest speaker and renowned food expert Lyndey Milan, spoke of the need for local restaurants to showcase locally sourced ingredients.
Silica in Kiama, is doing just that.
This week we profile owners, Kate Liehr and Luke Basic.
What do you produce?
We have a bed at Dapto Community Farm where we grow produce that we feature in our dishes at our restaurant in Kiama.
What we grow depends on the season, what is available and what we choose to showcase.
Currently we are growing winter vegetables including kale, various lettuce varieties, spring onion, leek and beetroot. These will all serve as side dishes, accompaniments and specials once harvested.
Our business partner John Cappellin and his family also have a bed at the farm and we use their produce too.
How long have you been in operation?
We have always had an interest in gardening and growing our own food, so when we moved to Kanahooka a year ago we were excited to learn of Dapto Community Farm. There we began growing organic vegetables for our family and friends. We opened our restaurant Silica, three months ago and we have based our menu on locally sourced ingredients, however have been able to feature produce from the farm.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced?
Opening our restaurant took a lot of time and effort, and we found it challenging being able to juggle the farm and the restaurant at the same time. It has been a learning experience, but we are surrounded by very supportive friends and family that have helped us along the way.
Most of our knowledge has come from other people at Dapto Community Farm. We found the best way to learn about growing produce is to physically do it. We have made mistakes and have a lot to learnt, but we have also come along way.
Why did you choose this pathway into primary production?
Every time we harvest a crop and take it home for the kids to eat, that feels like a success.
Being able to teach our kids about where their food comes from, and for them to have the opportunity to plant a seedling, water them and watch them grow has been a big driving point for us.
Our biggest success has been the opportunity to open our own restaurant and showcase our own produce.
We decided to get a bed at the farm to learn more about growing and gardening. All the produce at the farm is organic and it is something we wanted to introduce our kids to. The kids love spending time down there, and love eating the food they have grown themselves.
It has always been a dream to open our own restaurant, and to have the opportunity to serve our own produce is a bonus for us.
What are the long-term goals for your business?
Our goal is to continue to expand our knowledge of organic growing and increase our number of beds at the farm, so we are able to use more of our own produce at Silica. We also want to source more produce from growers at the farm.
How many people do you employ?
We employ approximately eight people at the restaurant.
My partner Kate and I tend to the farm ourselves with help from the kids. Some of the people at the farm are happy to lend a hand when we need too.
Where can people buy your product?
Our restaurant is at 72 Manning Street, Kiama.
Would you like to find out more about Dapto Community Garden? Click HERE.
