I have known Alan Eagle for some time in his capacity as a Board Member for Hawkesbury Harvest. I took the opportunity to talk to him for the purposes of this blog whilst we were out and about on the Farm Gate Trail.
Whilst Alan is not a farmer himself , he spends his days helping farmers along the Trail. From fruit orchards to wineries, from chestnuts, Christmas trees and flower growers to farmers markets, his knowledge of agriculture in the Sydney food basin is both broad and intimate.
Alan first joined Hawkesbury Harvest as a project manager in 2003, working one day a week. He joined the Board some time later and works, on a voluntary basis, as the interface between the local councils and the producers themselves, to ensure the smooth running of the Farm Gate Trail and the Farmers Markets. He is assisted in this by his fellow hardworking Board Members.
The markets are held at Rouse Hill, Castle Hill, Penrith and Richmond, a similar catchment area to the schools who are taking part in this year's Archibull Prize.
The Farm Gate Trail connects producers to the general public so that people can travel along the Trail (or attend a market in their area) and not only get the freshest produce possible but also talk to the producers themselves, thereby gaining a glimpse into the hard work involved in farming.
Alan has long studied the notion of living your life by a value system. His own core values are service, education and community.
These values, which Alan lives every day, ensure that he is a wonderful choice to be a mentor for students taking part in the Archibull Prize.
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