Christine Ballinger is the farm manager of The Falls Farm, a human-scale horticultural farm made up of small market gardens in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Christine became the farm manager of The Falls Farm soon after her son and daughter-in-law purchased it in 2013. She has a science and plant physiology background and had been growing vegetables in her backyard for decades, but at the time, she had no commercial farming experience.
Her inexperience didn't discourage her, and after enlisting the help of soil, land care and wildlife experts and a steep learning curve, a productive and healthy farm was underway.
Over the last decade, Christine has become a veritable walking encyclopaedia on regenerative and human-scale farming principles. She manages the farm's market gardens with no-till principles, leaving root systems in the ground to preserve soil integrity. They are constantly working on their soil health with regular testing and amendment programs. They frequently apply a compost mix made of mushroom compost, rock dust, and vegetable offcuts. She also runs a green manure program, green manuring each market garden at least once a year. As a result of this minimal approach to soil disturbance, the farm's soil has a healthy biome and good structure.
Christine also has a passion for working with local chefs. 'Our produce is the palate with which a chef can create their art,' she explains. Chefs often visit the farm to see what exciting new fruits and vegetables are growing and to start planning the delicious dishes they will create with The Falls Farm produce.
