New Roots
Venetia Scott is a true gem in the Northern Rivers farming community. A renowned local grower, facilitator and agroecologist, she has regenerated not only her own identity, but the land and community that she nurtures. Having spent over a decade studying and practicing law in Sydney, Venetia threw in the corporate towel in 2017 and made the long-awaited move to the Northern Rivers to pursue a life in permaculture.
During the winter months of 2021 I spent my Wednesday mornings alongside Venetia at The Farm in Byron Bay; a weekly staple for volunteers like myself who want to get their hands dirty, learn about the land and leave with hand-picked, spray-free veggies.
Venetia is a warm, intelligent and unpretentious host; able to support a diverse group of volunteers - some new, some veterans - sharing her knowledge of the soil, the seasons and the incredible food that grows in this fertile corner of the world. Despite her busy schedule, I was lucky enough to catch up with her outside of our Wednesday morning ritual to learn about her path, her present and her future in farming.
Growing up in Brisbane, Venetia struggled with a clear vision for her future. Though passionate about time in nature and the environment - scouts, hiking and adventuring with her dad were regular occurrences - she ultimately pursued an education in business and then law, following the path of perceived success.
“I've always been really attuned to inequality and social justice issues; I thought law was going to be the path through which I could address those issues most meaningfully. but I just found it to be this gruelling, competitive slog.”
“You can see how unhealthy and depressed so many people in that profession are; I knew that's exactly what would happen to me if I stayed in it. I always felt like a naturally light-hearted and optimistic person, but by the time I was 30 I was starting to get gripped by depression and anxiety.”
Venetia was living in Sydney at the time; relying heavily on adventures out of the big smoke to sustain her; hiking, travelling and immersing herself in nature as much as she could before returning to the office.
“I recognised that I had quite intentionally remained unattached to the responsibilities of a mortgage, of parenting or a long-term partner: I was aware that if I made any of those big commitments I was just going to be stuck, that my health would suffer so seriously that it would impact my ability to be in a relationship or to parent. It really felt like I had to get out of it all just to survive.”
“I made all these decisions at a time when, as a woman, it was my last guaranteed window to have children and have a family. I remember going on a big hike by myself to process it all... I either put my energy into establishing a stable path in life - finding a partner and having children - or to transform myself into something radically different. I knew I'd have to retrain, get new skills, make new connections, all that stuff, and it takes a lot of energy; but that's what I did. I chose the latter, went back to uni and studied permaculture.”
Venetia pursued a Graduate Certificate of Permaculture from Central Queensland University, a course well aligned to regenerative food systems. She studied online while working full-time in Sydney.
“That course was really like a paradigm shift for me. It was a real deep dive into systems thinking and ecological philosophy; it exposed me to so many different ways of looking and being in the world which I thought was really progressive for a university”
After graduating, Venetia left law for good and began the hunt for work outside of the city. Although it was a struggle to find an internship, echoing the struggles of many with little connections to land, farmers or food production, Venetia used her knowledge of networking and reached out wherever she could. She eventually began volunteering on the patch at The Farm in Byron Bay, before moving up for a permanent role in May 2019. Venetia has rooted and remained caring for this patch ever since.
“It's such an honour to work somewhere like this... I feel like I can engage with people who don't typically come to farms, who don't typically think about where their food comes from, who don't typically want to get into gardens or think about regenerative agriculture. I can reach those people here and have really meaningful interactions and conversations. I think it’s important that we can start to meet people where they're at, and then encourage them to come along for the journey.”
“A lot of people, when I left law, asked me if I missed the intellectual stimulation of that work, because I suppose they assumed that farming is manual labour and so not intellectually engaging... I find farming to be much more engaging and intellectually demanding than law ever was. There are things you have to be aware of and plan for, from year to year, season to season. Working with an ecosystem is one of the most complex systems you can engage with.”
In addition to her depth of knowledge, Venetia is a phenomenal caregiver; to her friends, to her community and to the land. Her weeks are bursting with life and engagement. In addition to the weekly volunteer programme, Venetia also facilitates the Earth to Birth group with Dani Wolff and Oni Blecher, a gardening group that provides a safe place for pregnant women to connect with each other and learn new skills, so that they can grow food for their families, nurture their children and the land that they live on.
“I think the magic of this particular garden is the accessibility of it. It's a place for people to meet and gather as they are, to be their true selves, to engage with the natural world and their food, and to feel connected to it all.”
Farming is often thought to be solitary work, but Venetia has managed to transform this corner of the world into a hub of energy and education, “folding people into farming in a way that is meaningful for both them and for the planet.” Her hope is to encourage and empower more people, of all ages and abilities, to have an experience working in the food system.
“Growing food is my expression of defiance against a ruinous corporate food system, and an act of love for myself, my community and the life and earth on my little farm.”