Tinaberries is a household name in the Bundaberg Region during strawberry season but the family farm also produces hundreds of tonnes of passionfruit each year.
Run by husband and wife team Bruce and Tina McPherson the “niche grower” sells delicious strawberry punnets locally and interstate.
Bruce said they also produce 200 tonnes of passionfruit each year on their Coral Cove farm.
“Maybe even more depending on the year,” Bruce said.
“We bought a farm growing passionfruit and we replanted them here.”
Planting starts in September and the fruit can grow all year round, although the two distinct seasons were winter and summer.
Course focus on soil nutrition
Bruce has been awarded a scholarship to study a Passionfruit Australia soil nutrients course, sponsored by Samson’s.
With a degree in agriculture and years of experience in the industry, he said he was looking forward to furthering his knowledge with the NTS Certificate in Nutrition Farming.
The course focuses on soil health and a holistic view of nutrition.
“What we have learnt over time is that soil is very complex,” Bruce said.
“We are learning all the time to understand soil nutrition.
“There is no point putting stuff on for the sake of it, you have got to try and understand what you’re dealing with.”
- For more about Bruce and Tinaberries, check out our big read on Sunday morning that delves into his lifetime spent farming.
- Read more local agriculture stories.
