AHF Member named Rural Woman of the Year
By Caitlin Carey (The Mt Barker Courier)
Ulli Spranz, the State’s Rural Woman of the Year and Adelaide Hills biodynamic farmer, said she never considered running a “conventional” farm. Instead, her passion lies in the organic industry.
Mrs Spranz and her husband Helmut run B.-d. Farm Paris Creek, which manufactures biodynamic/organic milk, yogurt and cheese products.
“My parents and also Helmut’s parents were very conscious about what we ate and so organic food was what we grew up with,” she said. “We came from a culture where the best quality food was an important part of life.
“Therefore conventional farming was never a consideration.”Mrs Spranz was presented the award last month by the Minister for the Status of Women, Gail Gago.
“It feels pretty good, I feel acknowledged for the hard work I put into supporting the organic and especially the biodynamic industry,” she said.
“We are used to working very hard to achieve our goals and a lot of consideration has gone into setting up a business like ours.”
Minister Gago also presented Mrs Spranz with a $10,000 bursary to help her continue her work in promoting biodynamic and organic farming practices.
She plans to further develop courses and workshops to raise community awareness of the health and environmental benefits of biodynamic farming.
“I would say that we never finish learning, whether that’s in processing, or in farming, or in anything in life,” she said.
Mrs Spranz and her husband started their business in 1988 and never imagined it would create nation-wide and even international demand for their products.
“Of course we planned to grow the business but … to see that there’s demand for the product domestically and internationally – that’s just absolutely mind-blowing for a small company like ours,” she said.
She said much of their success came down to hard work.
Healthy food
She also attributed an open mind for new developments and trust in biodynamic farming as the best way to support a healthy environment and reduce the carbon footprint as other reasons behind the successful enterprise.
“Everybody in food production should do their absolute best to deliver the most healthy food, as well as caring for the environment and supporting country life, because that’s where the producers live,” she said.
“We need to make sure that people can stay in the country, and can also work there, and have a good quality basis for their growing families.”
As the SA winner, Mrs Spranz is now in the running for the national award which will be announced in Canberra in May.
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