About
OUR STORY
Jamie and Lara McCall have been farming organically for twenty four years. They have three young adult sons. They offer a genuine agritourism experience. A love of the Margaret River Region and ongoing lived experience in viticulture, wine making, organic farming and surfing equips them both to inspire you and help make long lasting memories of your Margaret River visit.
Jamie’s background includes sailing, pearl diving, furniture making, building and working at The West Australian as a journalist. From a young boy he always kept chickens and wanted to be a farmer. Inspired by his fathers farming family and friends. Jamie also enjoys teaching Permaculture at nearby Fair Harvest.
Lara previously worked as an economist and stockbroker. She has a Polish heritage and it was her grandmother and mother that gave her the skills and love of growing food and cooking. She inherited a passion for the ocean from her surfing father. Lara’s father built a shack at his favourite nearby beach over 50 years ago. It was their second home. A place with a simple routine. Surf or swim all day, explore in nature, simple food and cold showers. And the rest is history as Lara and Jamie made their home on a farm just 10 minutes from this original shack. Lara and Jamie love to surf, swim, dive, walk and spend time outdoors. Wine, cooking, self-sufficiency, animal husbandry and nutrition are also interests. They are also enjoying being involved with community groups; Nature Conservation, Local Bush Fire Brigade and Edible Gardens Festival. Mentoring as volunteers in areas of small scale farming, Biodynamics, maket gardening and agritourism allows them to share ideas and mistakes.
THE JOURNEY TO ORGANICS AND GROWING
From the very beginning when planting the first vineyard Jamie and Lara decided to start the organic certification process, as their young sons played in the dirt. They have found it challenging at times but not difficult, just a different way of doing things. Patience, observation, working with nature and using animals in the systems are the key to their success.
THE FUTURE
Burnside Organic Farm’s vision for the future lies in inspiring others to produce their own food, sharing their ideas about resilience for future sustainable living, and helping and encouraging others to create their own story. Building strong communities that are prepared for economic, social and environmental change
