The Food Forest

What The Food Forest does

The Food Forest is a family-owned, certified organic permaculture farm and learning centre located on a 15-20 hectare property at 80 Clifford Rd, Hillier, South Australia, operated by co-owners Graham and Annemarie Brookman since 1986. The business integrates commercial organic food production, permaculture education, sustainable-building demonstrations, and environmental restoration on a single site, growing over 160 varieties of fruit, nuts, grains, vegetables and timber. Core revenue streams include direct-to-consumer sales of certified organic produce (pistachios, pecans, macadamias, wine, honey, free-range eggs) through the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market (where it is a foundation stallholder) and an online shop; an internationally-recognised 10-day Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course co-taught by David Holmgren (co-originator of permaculture) plus short courses on straw-bale building, organic vegetables and poultry; farm tours and twice-yearly open days; and a media catalogue of educational DVDs and a cookbook sold via its e-commerce storefront. The technology platform is agronomic and place-based — floodable forest design, a SA Health-approved reedbed wastewater treatment system, aquifer recharge from the Gawler River, straw-bale construction across multiple structures, near 7 kW and 26 kW photovoltaic systems, and a small-scale pistachio processing line (Australian-made dehuller, Greek spindle grader, Sicilian sheller). Customers include Adelaide market shoppers, top Adelaide restaurants and chocolatiers (for pistachios), domestic and international PDC students, school groups, agricultural bureaux, landcare groups, and other small-scale pistachio growers using the farm's processing facility. Marketing is predominantly organic — a quarterly newsletter, a Facebook page, a YouTube channel (Food Forest TV with 30 micro-movies), open days, and earned media (ABC Gardening Australia, Radio National, WOMADelaide, PIP Magazine) — with no disclosed paid acquisition channels. The operation is privately held with no external investment, subsidiaries, or parent company, and runs on a small team supplemented by the founders.

Name

The Food Forest

Legal name

The Food Forest

Website

https://foodforest.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Food Forest is a family-owned, certified organic permaculture farm and learning centre in South Australia, founded in 1986 by Graham and Annemarie Brookman, producing over 160 varieties of organic food and running internationally-recognised Permaculture Design Certificate courses co-taught by David Holmgren.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Permaculture Farm and Education

NAICS

Tree Nut Farming (111335), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Fruit & Tree Nut Farming (Orchards) (AFAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Tree Nut Orchards (Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Hazelnuts, Macadamias) (AFAGACAE)

Keywords

• Permaculture education
• Certified organic farming
• Sustainable agriculture
• Farm produce sales
• Permaculture design courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillier

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Farm Produce Sales: Certified organic produce sold direct to consumers at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market (attended every alternate Sunday) and through the online shop. Produce includes pistachios, pecans, macadamias, cereals, vegetables, honey, carob beans, free-range eggs, livestock, nursery plants, timber, and wine. Most produce is sold at the Adelaide Farmers Market.
2. Educational Courses: Revenue from Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) courses (10-day intensive format with David Holmgren as principal tutor), short courses on topics including straw bale building, organic vegetables, poultry, sustainable house design, and introduction to permaculture. Course fees include meals, notes, and field trip entry fees. Payment plans available.
3. Farm Tours: Revenue from guided tours of the permaculture property, tailored for small groups, agricultural bureaux, landcare groups, garden clubs, environmental groups, and school groups. Tours are by appointment and priced reasonably.
4. DVDs and Media Sales: Sale of educational DVDs produced by Food Forest TV, including 'Design for Life' documentary ($29.50), 'Repairing Our Rivers' ($24.50), 'Pistachio Harvesting & Processing' ('Small is Beautiful'), and 'The Making of a Sustainable Farmers Market'. DVDs include supplementary PDF toolkits and guides.
5. Book Sales: Sale of 'Food for Living' cookbook by Chef Cherise Vallet ($27), capturing recipes used at PDC courses.
6. Wine Sales: Organic wines sold online and at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market. No fining is used so wines are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Available in 3, 6, or 12 packs via Australia Post or collected at the farmers market.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Food Forest operates a certified organic permaculture farm and learning centre on a 15-20 hectare property in Gawler, South Australia. It produces and sells organic pistachios, nuts, wine, vegetables, and honey directly to consumers via the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market and an online shop, while running internationally-recognised Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) courses, short courses, farm tours, and producing documentary DVDs and books on permaculture and sustainable farming.

Product overview

The Food Forest is a certified organic permaculture farm and learning center offering a diverse portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include: certified organic farm produce (pistachios, wine, fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs); educational programs including the internationally-recognized Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) and short practical courses; and media products including documentary DVDs and cookbooks. Additional offerings include farm tours, consultancy services, and merchandise like nutcrackers. The company operates primarily from its 20-hectare property in Gawler, South Australia, with most produce sold at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market and via their online shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Food Forest TV: YouTube channel featuring 30 micro movies with practical how-to videos on permaculture techniques including straw bale building, pest control, and watercourse restoration.

Products and services

• Farm Produce Certified organic produce including pistachios, pecans, macadamias, fruits, vegetables, cereals, honey, carob beans, free-range eggs, livestock, nursery plants, timber, and wine, grown at the 15-20 hectare permaculture farm and sold direct to consumers via the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market and online shop.
• Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) An internationally-recognised 10-day intensive permaculture design course taught by David Holmgren and the Brookmans. Covers permaculture ethics and principles, reading landscape, site mapping, architecture, sustainable energy, soil, and a major design project. Successful completion qualifies participants to practice or teach permaculture commercially and may count toward VET Certificate IV in Permaculture.
• Short Courses Practical workshops on topics including organic vegetables, free-range poultry, sustainable house design, introduction to permaculture, and building with straw bales. Complements the PDC program.
• Farm Tours Guided tours of the permaculture farm by appointment (minimum 2 hours). Can be tailored to specific interests such as straw bale building, orchards, and sustainable living. Welcomes small groups, agricultural bureaux, landcare groups, garden clubs, and school groups.
• Design for Life DVD A 68-minute documentary telling the story of Graham and Annemarie Brookman's transformation of a bare paddock into one of Australia's iconic permaculture farms, including a 25-minute virtual tour of the property. Described by David Holmgren as 'one of the world's best permaculture DVDs'.
• Repairing Our Rivers DVD A 54-minute film (16 chapters) covering community building, erosion control, floodway revegetation, and techniques for river restoration. Includes PDF toolkit.
• Pistachio Harvesting & Processing - 'Small is Beautiful' DVD A documentary showing small-scale mechanisation of pistachio harvesting and processing, demonstrating how family farms can use village-scale machinery from Sicily and Greece to process and market their crops.
• The Making of a Sustainable Farmers' Market DVD A 26-minute film with seven case studies showing how to create and run a successful farmers market. Includes PDF toolkit for starting or managing a market.
• Food for Living Cookbook A cookbook by Chef Cherise Vallet capturing recipes used at permaculture courses, featuring fresh, anti-oxidant rich dishes made from seasonal produce.
• Nutcrackers Handcrafted nut-cracking devices including cup-style, bolt-action, and macca crackers available for purchase in the shop.
• Wine Certified organic wines produced at The Food Forest. No fining is used, making all wines vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Available in 3, 6, or 12 packs via Australia Post or collected at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market.
• Consultancy Service Permaculture design and sustainable farming consultancy services offered by The Food Forest team, helping clients design sustainable homes, businesses, and properties.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Gawler River flood (2005) caused $40M in crop damage on the Adelaide Plain; The Food Forest's permaculture design withstood the flood with only one tree acquiring a permanent lean.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EcodynamicsminorOthers · 1 January 2013Local nursery Ecodynamics, operated by Operations Manager Ashley Spain (PDC 2010 graduate), donated ecodynamic plants for the river repair project. The nursery propagates a wide range of locally indigenous species capable of coping with both inundation and drought. This partnership enabled the planting of 2,600 plants across ~20 species for the Gawler River restoration.
• Gawler River Riparian Restoration (GRRR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRRR is a sub-group of the Gawler Regional Natural Resource Centre that coordinates river restoration efforts along the Gawler River. The Food Forest (via Graham Brookman) has played a central role in GRRR's activities, including river repair, film production ('Repairing Our Rivers'), and community education. GRRR's revegetation systems have been adopted by other groups and the SA Parliament has heard about GRRR's contributions.
• Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner in river repair projects, earthworks, and environmental restoration. Supported the production of 'Repairing Our Rivers' film and continues to facilitate environmental flows and restoration along the Gawler River corridor. Collaboration has been praised in SA Parliament.
• Gawler Regional Natural Resource CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Food Forest and GRRR to produce the 'Repairing Our Rivers' film and coordinate community river restoration activities. Coordinator Emily Griffiths worked closely with Graham Brookman on restoration projects and film premiere.
• Gawler CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on river bank stabilisation projects and the Gawler Urban Rivers project including low-level bridges and bike paths along river corridors.
• Riverdell Spiritual CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeighbour to The Food Forest offering accommodation including camping from $30/night and well-appointed homes, within 5 minutes walking distance. Recommended by The Food Forest for PDC course participants requiring accommodation. Contact: Justin Martin at Riverdell Spiritual Centre.
• PIRSA (Primary Industry & Regions SA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Food Forest to present a public workshop on growing Carob beans and Jujubes (Chinese dates) as climate-adapted crops for Southern Australia. The workshop included international speakers covering growing, pest control, harvesting, manufacturing, and industry development.
• Carobs AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Food Forest and PIRSA for the public workshop on growing Carob beans and Jujubes, facilitating industry development for these climate-adapted tree crops.
• Perry's NurseryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Food Forest and PIRSA for the public workshop on Carob beans and Jujubes, contributing to the facilitation of growing these crops in Southern Australia.
• ABC Gardening AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured The Food Forest in a 7-minute permaculture segment (Episode 10, farming special) on June 2, 2012, providing significant public broadcast visibility.
• WOMADelaideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured The Food Forest imagery through Craig Walsh's 'Monuments' installation at WOMADelaide 2020, and hosted a panel on food security and sustainability with Graham Brookman at The Planet Talks tent in 2013.
• PIP MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustralia's permaculture magazine (11+ years publishing). Issue 31 featured an article about The Food Forest with Annemarie on the front cover. A free copy is provided to all PDC course participants as a gift.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nangiloc-Colignan Pistachio Farms: Large Australian commercial pistachio grower based in Victoria/NSW. Comparable as a direct pistachio producer competing in the same product category as The Food Forest's pistachio line, though at substantially larger scale and without the permaculture/education angle.
• Permaculture Research Institute: Founded by Geoff Lawton, PRI is a global permaculture education and demonstration organisation offering PDCs, online courses, and farm sites. Directly comparable to The Food Forest as a permaculture education provider but at significantly larger global scale.
• Milkwood Permaculture: Australian permaculture education platform founded by Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar, offering PDCs, short courses, and online content. Comparable as a permaculture educator serving similar Australian and global audiences but with a more digital-led delivery model.
• Melliodora (David Holmgren): David Holmgren's own permaculture demonstration property in Hepburn, Australia. Most directly comparable peer because Holmgren personally teaches at The Food Forest's PDC and Melliodora runs parallel design courses and tours; both pair a working permaculture farm with permaculture thought-leadership.
• Ridgedale Permaculture: Sweden-based permaculture farm and PDC training site run by Richard Perkins. Highly comparable business model: working farm delivering PDCs, short courses, and on-site tours to international students — competing for the same niche of fee-paying PDC participants.
• Verge Permaculture: Canadian permaculture design and education company offering PDCs and design consultancy. Comparable in that it bundles permaculture training with design services; differs from The Food Forest by being consultancy-led rather than farm-led.
• Very Edible Gardens: Australian permaculture design and education consultancy offering PDCs, workshops, and design services. Comparable in education focus and target customer (aspiring permaculture practitioners) but lacks The Food Forest's integrated commercial farm component.
• Purple Pear Farm: Certified organic permaculture farm in NSW, Australia, run by Mark and Naiomi. Comparable as an Australian permaculture demonstration farm offering PDC courses, open days, and on-site education with similar biological-diversity focus.
• Wheaton Labs: US-based permaculture research and education site offering PDCs, internships, and a 'woofing'-style volunteer programme. Comparable in the permaculture education / demonstration farm niche and in relying on volunteer and fee-paying participant revenue, though in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Select Harvests: ASX-listed Australian almond and horticultural producer operating at industrial scale. Comparable only on the tree-nut production side of The Food Forest's business; not a permaculture or education peer, but the closest publicly visible Australian tree-nut operator.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheFoodForest
• Facebookfacebook.com/151159498248228
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-food-forest

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Food Forest