By Shelby Brooks
For many young adults living with disabilities in the south east, Sages Cottage Farm in Baxter is where they find a sense of belonging.
Working on projects five days a week to help maintain and run the 34 acres of farm and gardens, Wallara’s participants are not afraid of working hard and getting dirty.
Aiming to one day be Australia’s most inclusive farm, Sages Cottage in Baxter hosts a range of training opportunities five days a week for young adults with different abilities.
Owned and operated by Wallara, Dandenong’s leading disability support not-for-profit organisation, the farm allows opportunity for clients to gain skills in hospitality, retail, horticulture and animal care.
Other Wallara programs that teach outdoor skills are also run in Pakenham and Keysborough, however a lot of participants will travel from across Cardinia and Casey to participate at Sages.
Farm lead Michael Eden oversees the 34 acres of heritage listed farm, as well as animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, goats and ponies.
“We see it as the client’s farm. They come here and look after it. We are just here to coach and support them to maintain their farm,” Michael said.
At the moment, the farm is quite wet and muddy.
“We’re at the bottom of Mount Eliza so we get all the run off from the hill so all the water makes its way naturally across this land,” Michael said.
Between 40 to 50 clients a day attend the farm, which is able to continue operations during lockdowns.
There is also an extensive waiting list of eager participants.
“With the NDIS, the participants get a lot more choice with what they do with their funding,” Michael said.
“With a day service, they get a sense of belonging and there is a real social aspect.
“You see them in their high vis- they love it. They tell their family and friends they’re going to work at the farm.”
Michael said the farm gives participants a real sense of purpose.
“They don’t miss a day,” he said.
“We had 12 vaccinated on Thursday and they were all here the next day.”
Wallara subleases to wedding company Baxter Barns for weekend use, however their contact expires at the end of 2022 and it hasn’t been renewed.
“We are hoping to extend the trade with the Harvest Café into seven days a week,“ Michael said.
“The cafe is an opportunity for clients of Wallara to learn skills in hospitality.“
The cafe has a seasonal menu, tries to be zero waste and showcases produce grown at the farm.
Wallara also has plans to build a new 30 metre communal working area for the clients.
It was supposed to be complete in June 2020 but they are still in process of trying to get connected to mains rather than rely on septics, Michael said.
Wallara’s coaches run hands on programs for clients including woodworking, aquaponics and garden maintenance.
“We don’t look for your typical disability support workers,” Michael said.
“We like to look for people with a specific skill set and then mould them into coaches.
“Some coaches have a background horticulture, aquaponics or building and wanted a career change. They’ve got all these great skills to pass onto our clients.”
One coach had a background in apiary, so now Sages Cottage has bees.
“Everyone brings their own skill set,” Michael said.
“It’s a great place to work.”
One of the specialised coaches is Rohan, who worked at Bunnings when he decided he wanted a career change.
He built the aquaponics system at Sages Cottage from scratch with the clients.
His team were releasing gold fish into the sumps when the Gazette stopped by.
As client Ethan put it, aquaponics is “growing plants in a different way”.
“The thing missing is soil,” he said.
The team is growing all natural, leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, strawberries, cucumbers, and lettuce.
Coach Rohan said a key part of aquaponics are the grow beds where bacteria is fostered.
“Bacteria is essential because it converts the fish waste into a form called nitrates that the plants can actually use,” he said.
“Plants use those nitrates to filter the water for the fish. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
“All we have to do is feed the fish.”
Grassbusters is another program that is run out of Sages Cottage, as well as locations in Keysborough and Pakenham, and is a popular starting point for many clients.
“Grassbusters is for clients to start at the very beginner stage, they will learn their basic lawn mowing, whipper snipping skills as well as OHS safety,” Michael said.
“From there they go onto an offsite Grassbusters where we go into the community and help less fortunate people.
“Then from there if they are capable, able or willing, we try to get them into supportive employment which we run out of our head office at Keysborough.”
Michael said the Grassbusters program allowed participants to feel a sense of pride.
“A lot of the guys pride themselves in their ability to mow dead straight lines and keep things really neat,” he said.
Paula, from Cranbourne, has been a participant at Sages Cottage Farm for five years.
“I like being outdoors,” she said.
