Daniel and Rebeca De Papi’s farm has been in their family since the 1950’s when Daniel’s grandparents immigrated from Italy to Australia. His Nonno and Nonna first grew a variety of crops, including pineapple, cotton, watermelons and peanuts before establishing sugarcane on the 140-hectare property just outside of Bundaberg. Today, the local family are teaching their fourth generation how to care for this parcel of land and have converted 25-hectares to macadamia trees, with more planned over the next few years.
Their diversification into nut farming made sense for many reasons; the harvest cycles didn’t interfere with their sugar cane production, macadamias are well suited to their soil type and growing them is not labour hire intensive. Like Daniel’s grandparents before him, he and his father could continue running the farm together without the need to rely on seasonal workers or external contractors. “We take pride in being self-sufficient, as most of our farming operations are undertaken by us. This allows us to have greater control over the timing and quality of our farming practices,” Daniel explained.
Their refreshing family-oriented approach allows them to enjoy the challenges and the rewards that come with owning and operating their own farm. “I find happiness in harvesting a crop that I have grown from start to finish, and the satisfaction in seeing that all of that hard work has been worthwhile,” Daniel said. As well as managing a large sugarcane and macadamia farm, the young family maintains a good work/life balance, surrounded by picturesque farmland and enjoying time at nearby beaches and rivers.
They are also lucky enough to adjoin a national park, drawing a host of wildlife like kangaroos, echidnas, foxes and hares onto their farm. The proximity to the national park also aids in the pollination of the macadamia flowers during spring, with a large number of native bees living in the preserved native vegetation. Sustainability and soil health is also a key factor in any successful farm, and the De Papi family continually educates themselves to help improve their soil, which in turn improves the tree health and quality of the nuts they produce.
“I see a bright future for all of agriculture – not only in macadamias but in other crops, as there are new markets emerging for crop by-products to be used to replace non-sustainable products in various production industries,” Daniel told us. “I believe that farming is all about trying to find the right balance between working with new technology, and farming practices that have been proven effective over a long period.”
The De Papis have become valued supply partners to Freedom Fresh Australia as they continue their family’s legacy of producing premium food in the Bundaberg region. “They have such a unique product on the market. It is good to be part of a locally owned business that makes a quality product, that we can trace from our farm to a shop in town,” Daniel and Rebecca said. Their three young children have also approved the final product that their mum and dad help to grow. “Our kids love using the key to crack open the flavoured macadamia nuts. They are very easy to open, even our three-year-old can do it.”
