Westbrook business bringing region's produce to your plate

EVERY day, Indea Weisfelt and Damon Atkinson travel around the district, collecting fresh produce from the region’s farms for their latest venture

EVERY day, Indea Weisfelt and Damon Atkinson travel around the district, collecting fresh produce from the region's farms for their latest venture - The Farm Shop Toowoomba.

Tomatoes from Flagstone Creek, celery and silverbeet from Stanthorpe, eggs from Mount Rascal, cauliflower and kale from across the road; it all comes together to be sold at the couple's on-property store at Westbrook.

Open for two months now, Ms Weisfelt said the reception so far had been "really positive".

"We've had a big influx of social media interest, a lot of new people coming in every day, so it's growing each week, and that's all we can really hope for at the moment," she said.

"A lot of the local community has been very supportive of this initiative and really excited about what they can (buy)."

Damon Atkinson and Indea Weisfelt, pictured with their son Heath Atkinson, run The Farm Shop Toowoomba, selling locally produced fresh produce to the community from their Westbrook property, Friday, August 3, 2018. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The seeds of the enterprise were planted around seven years ago, when Mr Atkinson started growing baby leaf salads and selling them at the farmers markets on the Gold Coast.

Slowly, other growers in the area allowed Mr Atkinson to take their produce along for sale as well.

"This was just a way for us to have (all the produce) available for our neighbours and the local community to try as well," Ms Weisfelt said.

The paddock to plate movement has been growing steadily across the Darling Downs in recent years, and it's something Mr Atkinson firmly believes in.

Mr Atkinson said his shop was a "great avenue for smaller growers".

"Where traditionally the smaller grower went to the central markets, they generally don't get paid very well. Being a small grower, they don't have the economies of scale, so this is an avenue for the growers to go directly to the end consumer," he said.

"The end consumer wants to go direct to the grower because it's taking mileage off the produce, they're getting a fresher product. It's a win-win."

The shop, at 4 Rowbotham Rd, Westbrook, is open 2.30-5.30pm weekdays, and 9am-12 noon on Saturdays.

Ms Weisfelt said they were also looking at putting together vegetable boxes - for busy people to order in advance online or over the phone, and are also eager to supply produce in bulk to restaurants and cafes.

For more information phone [phone] or contact the shop on Facebook.

Originally published as Westbrook business bringing region's produce to your plate