Our People
We meet some of the people behind the scenes who keep the almond industry going during one of its busiest periods at harvest .
Brian Gillett
While most growers will be dreaming of a quiet period after harvest to roll out the caravan or motorhome for a getaway , for Brian and his wife it ’ s harvest that draws them to Loxton . The pair , from Lennox Head in NSW , returned to CMV Farms this year for the third season to work during harvest – and they ’ re not the only ones . CMV Farms established its own onsite caravan park ( pictured right ) three years ago for harvest workers like Brian . They can set up the motorhome or caravan for the duration of harvest – and access power and amenities for free – and in turn they ’ re only asked to maintain their site and mow their patch of lawn . It ’ s the ideal arrangement for the couple , who have been travelling Australia in their fully self-contained motorhome for the past 16 years . The almond harvest in the Riverland in SA is just one of their regular seasonal jobs – they ’ ve also worked across wheat , sugarcane and tomatoes in growing regions around Australia . The regular work and the diversity of jobs keeps them coming back .
“ I like to keep busy and enjoy doing things and harvest time in the agriculture industry is an opportunity to learn something new ."
20 In A Nutshell - Winter 2022 Vol 23 Issue 2