Joe Herron from Marydowns Honey

Q: Tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m an old fella who’s lived at Conondale all my life and love it. Originally a dairy and pig farmer who wasn’t prepared to continue after our Dairy marketing arrangements were deregulated. 

Q: How did you become a honey producer?

 I tried growing flowers and didn’t like it. Tried growing red claw crayfish but found it more demanding than dairying. Then my son bought a hive of bees and I helped him with them. As time went by it seemed that I had to do the work because he had too much other stuff to do. Somehow or another one hive grew to forty and now I seem to have lots of honey. 

Q: Why do you like to share your produce at the Co-op?

 I have more than I can eat. I find the co-op an excellent avenue to shed my excess. My pumpkins and watermelons are also simply excess to what I can eat. 

Q: Any final tips? 

I love growing my own food and I encourage people to try it!