Episode: Delish Food Bowl Special
Title: Mundilya Farm
Broadcast: December 2nd 2017
Presenter: Scotty Taylor

Sometimes we wonder when the TV cameras aren’t here, and these farmers aren’t on their best behavior, is there a rivalry between the growers here in Carnarvon? Today Scott is about to meet a bloke who is apparently firmly in one camp!

• Chris Collins is a former school teacher turned farmer that grows are range of deliciousness here on his 50-hectare property and it’s bananas he loves the most!!
• It doesn’t get much more Carnarvon than rows and rows of banana plants and everyone in WA knows that Carnarvon bananas are the best.
• The bananas are sweeter up here because really high densities are grown, which makes them grow really slowly. They have to be planted this close together because in summer it’s really hot and dry so they need to make their own micro-climate. This blows out their cycle time and the starch is converted to sugar.
• The ’Sweeter Banana’ Co-operative is a group of 20 odd farming families in Carnarvon. They weren’t getting any money for the bananas because they couldn’t compete with the size of Queensland bananas- the Co-operative has kept the industry going.
• Chris’ farm is smack bang in the middle of some of the most spectacular country anywhere on the planet but it’s not just about those sweet, sweet bananas here on this farm, Chris is also growing onions!
• This is a relatively new industry for Carnarvon. The key difference with onions grown here is that they are the opposite season of everywhere else, they are grown in WA. So when Carnarvon onions are in season they are fresh and tasty and they replace imports from overseas and interstate.
• Grown very differently from the usual onion- utilising drip irrigation to maximize yield and water use efficiency. Everywhere else onions are grown using sprinkler method, which results in higher and less targeted water use. The state of the art irrigation system here ensures that onions get exactly the right amount of water that they need for perfect crunch, flavour and sweetness.
• Chris also gives Scott a try of a delicious Carnarvon watermelon. Conditions here are just right for watermelon and just going into Christmas they grow really well in Carnarvon- just the right temperature and sunlight.

This episode of Delish was presented to you by The Gascoyne Food Council
W: https://www.gascoynefood.com.au