ABOUT US: Our Story
ROB BAUER is one of the pioneers of the organic industry, having started growing organically over 35 years ago, just as his ancestors did on the family farm at Mount Sylvia back in 1885. He grew up on his family's farm and right from a young age just 'wanted to be a farmer'.
Bauer's Organic Farm is made up of two certified organic properties located in the extremely fertile Mount Sylvia & Upper Tenthill areas of the Lockyer Valley. The properties total approx 340 acres with 150 acres being cultivated for cropping. About half the farm is devoted to organic cropping, with the remainder of the 'hilly' treed country and creek areas providing habitat for our wildlife and our good organic-farm-critters. We have been registered as a Land For Wildlife Property for many years and helped pioneer the Landcare Movement in Australia.
We grow using organic and biodynamic principles and enjoy producing yummy, healthy food for our customers. The Bauer’s have farmed the land here at Mt Sylvia for over 130 years now and have fed many thousands of customers with quality organic produce. From all historical information, the property is as healthy now as it was back then. You can’t get more sustainable than that!
2016 heralded a new era for Bauer's Organic Farm with a major change to the business structure in February 2016. Rob is now working the farms in conjunction with his two business partners ..... his long term working colleagues, Trudy Townson and his son, Phil Bauer. He is enjoying going back to his roots a little more by once again being in closer contact with his valued organic customers. Both Phil and Trude had been working for the farm for many, many years. 1 April 2016 (Yes, April Fools Day, hee hee) saw the official formation of "Bauer's Organic Farm Pty Ltd", with Rob, Phil and Trude as joint Managing Directors.
BELOW: Over the years Rob and Trude enjoyed exhibiting at many Foodie Shows - meeting customers and giving out samples of delicious vegies. We have had great support from our organic wholesalers, retailers and customers and we can't thank you enough for enabling us to continue to do what we enjoy!! :-)
PHIL BAUER also grew up on the family farm and gained his qualifications as a Deisel Mechanic at Tilly's Crawler Parts in Toowoomba. He worked there for many years before coming back to work on the family farm at Mount Sylvia many years ago. He and his family live on their nearby property and enjoy all the fun things that a rural lifestyle offers their 3 children. Phil enjoys cricket and after very successfully playing for many years, now coaches youngsters in the local competition as well. He does a great job of manufacturing some very useful bits of equipment, sometimes out of things laying around on the farm. As they say "necessity is the mother of invention" which is often so true on a farm! Phil is our Produce Sales Manager and organises the workers on a daily basis.
TRUDY TOWNSON also grew up on a farm, further up the same creek. She completed an Associate Diploma in Rural Techniques, specialising in Grazing Animals, at the (then) Queensland Agricultural College. She gained her A.D. With Distinction along with 2 special awards .... one for Animal Husbandry and the other for The Most Competant Student at Handling Stock. Trude successfully competed in all sorts of Equestrian sports for over 35 years, including Showjumping and Hacking up to Royal Show level and winning many Pony Club High Point trophies and Feature Barrel Racing trophies. She became Queensland's first Landcare Co-ordinator in 1985 and started working with Rob on Landcare projects on his farm, before joining the farm years many ago as the Public Relations Co-ordinator. Trude and her family live on their certified organic farm, just down the road, which is worked in conjunction with the main Bauer Home Farm.
