Meet Penelope Swales—a professional musician-turned-lawyer-turned-micro farmer/market gardener. Quite the resume! So, what’s her origin story, and how did she manage to pivot so seamlessly from one career to another to eventually land in her role of a lifetime?
Penelope Swales manning her fruit and veg stall at the Fish Creek markets.
A childhood split between two iconic, environmentally-rich locations in Victoria—Raymond Island and the Dandenong Ranges—sparked Penelope’s love for all things gardening. However, it wasn’t enough to plant her permanently in the field, at least not right away.
“I was a professional musician in my 20s and 30s, before going to uni and qualifying as a lawyer in 2014,” Penelope explained.
“I came back to Gippsland in 2016 for work, and I got somewhat burnt out with juggling lawyering and caring for two family members with terminal illnesses. In 2019, I took some time out from law and got a job on an organic farm. I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a Certificate III in Horticulture at TAFE Gippsland.”
Many people dream of growing their own vegetables and living sustainably, but Penelope turned that dream into her livelihood. After completing her gardening course, she decided to start her own micro farm. She began small, taking on a few clients to test the waters and see if she had what it took to pursue permaculture professionally. And thus, Piggery Road Permaculture was born—a one-woman micro farm serving the Latrobe Valley.
“I just took on six customers, thought, ‘See if I can get around a whole year giving them a consistent product every week,’ and since then I’ve just been gradually building up. Now, I’ve got about 20 people on my books,” Penelope said.
“I supply approximately 15 veggie box customers a week, a bit less in winter. I use no-till agricultural techniques as promoted by No-Till Growers, an ecological farming movement from the U.S. I am not certified organic, but I use organic inputs and pest control methods. I have about a third of an acre under intensive cultivation, which is about as much as I can manage.”
No stranger to study, Penelope found her horticulture course "pretty cruisy," receiving plenty of support from her teachers and even taking home more plants than she had room for. But the highlight?
“Learning how to drive a tractor!” Penelope said.
“So useful! I’ve been able to manage my property with a lot more confidence than I would have otherwise.”
The highlight of Penelope's horticulture studies was learning how to drive a tractor!
While Penelope is a one-woman show, she’s eager to hear from anyone interested in small-scale agriculture who might want to volunteer their time and get a feel for life at Piggery Road.
“Many people dream of growing veggies, but there’s no substitute for trying it out and seeing if you enjoy the work,” Penelope said.
“Volunteers are always welcome! In fact, if you’re interested in small-scale agriculture and its potential to feed communities, I’d love to hear from you.”
Interested in volunteering? Check out Penelope’s Facebook page.
Interested in studying horticulture or agriculture? Check out our website.