FACING numerous challenges over years of unpredictable weather and market irregularities, Elaine and Joe Pantornos reveal their inner resilience and determination to get them through the tough times.
They rightly philosophise: it’s not the events themselves that define us, but rather how we react to them.
Expressing their willingness to adapt, and marked by their strong sense of community, the Pantornos contribution to mountain life has not gone unnoticed by the locals and the prodigious farmers’ markets where they sell their produce.
They are a unifying source to their children, and good buddies as a married couple, and unsurprisingly, one finishes off the sentence of the other, followed by laughter.
Joe’s father brought his Sicilian acuity to the Dandenongs, when he decided to settle in Gembrook, impressed by its rich mountain soil.
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Gembrook is a small town tucked away on the fringe of the Bunyip State Forest; once dwarfed by large eucalyptus trees; cleared for farmers of the future, who would take pride and joy for what their hands could produce.
The region’s cool climate and rich volcanic base provide the perfect conditions for growing high quality potatoes.
The Pantornos full-flavoured potatoes have drawn nigh after centuries of soil enrichment, followed by their own deep love and passion for the land which is evident.
The Pantornos understood the value of sustainable farming practices long before it became a mainstream principle.
Elaine and Joe pride themselves in producing the ‘best brushed potatoes’, growing Nicola, Kipfler, Lady Jane, Dutch cream and Sebago; and a delicious selection of pumpkins.
The root spuds are waxy, starchy and versatile, and dare we say, delicious.
The Irish can pen about fifty words and phrases which corelate to potatoes.
Even the sweet potato gets a life of its own being called a Spaniard; which may be due to the ‘black’ Irish who were forced to settle in Ireland after the Spanish armada sunk to a watery grave; and pratai finding their way to Ireland’s shores.
The Pantoros own 112 acres, planting potatoes and in later years, pumpkins.
They only need four acres of potatoes to match their current market outlook, adjusting the acreage down from 90 acres under till.
They also run beef cattle for the lean times when the price of potatoes takes a nose dive, which has happened ‘too many times’ according to Joe Pantorno.
With thirty breeders calving now, they will transport their cattle to market, on the hoof, but with the Pakenham facility closed down, they are forced to truck to Leongatha, a considerable distance away.
“There is a lot to learn about growing potatoes, not only that which has been passed down through generations.
"There used to be forty-three potato growers in Gembrook but it’s down to three.
"You can’t compete with the supermarkets — our kids have all taken jobs because they don’t like the idea of not having money.
“From one year to another it's unpredictable, due to weather and price drops.
"It’s a struggle.
"We used to sell to a packer and they on sold to Coles but Coles would set the price whether you liked it or not.
"Now that we are about to retire we are selling only through the farmers’ markets."
As they nudge towards octogenarian status, the Pantornos are settled in mind, very proud of their five children and seven grandchildren, who could become fourth generation farmers, as the teen grandchildren begin to show an interest in their family’s business.
“Joe and I met at Gembrook Primary School where we were in the same class.
"After high school we ran into each other at a dance in Ferntree Gully, where Joe was born,” said Elaine.
“We still maintain a tradition of sharing food with the whole family every Thursday night, and we are a close family, but one day we’ll give up the farm and travel.
“We’ve had a lot of lean years, years of drought but we had plenty of water until the springs dried up, leaving only a trickle which won’t keep the dam filled.”
The Pantornos have a ready-made ‘family’ at all their markets, which are located at Churchill Island, Kingston, Warrandyte, Eltham, Whitehorse, Sandringham, Hawthorn and Bentleigh, established by a good reputation.
“We’ve got customers everywhere who want our product, because it is freshly grown in red soil.
"The supermarkets have their own varieties, and they restrict others.
"We’re just plain country people. Joe is happy on the farm – we both feed the cattle every day and grow our own hay bales we leave lying in the paddocks.
"Life is good despite the challenges.”
