Volcano Produce -Tower Hill

20/10/2026

Love this....

Good food brings good people together! 💚

From the farmers who nurture our food to the folks who bring it home, we’re all part of the same growing story. 🌻

When we support our local organic farmers, we’re doing more than filling our fridges - we’re building connections, supporting good people, and helping our community grow.

So let’s keep our friends close, our farmers closer, and good food at the heart of it all! 🥕🍎

Healthy people, healthy planet. That’s the Collective way. 🌏

20/10/2026

Our weight loss coaches Sonia and Warren Turner will be walking on the Koroit Rail Trail from the crossing near Bega on Sunday Morning - see flyer for details. We will be there! Great opportunity to come along for a chat while doing something active. Remember - if we can do it so can you!! Hope you see you there!

Hi everyone…we are having a short community walk on Sunday morning. You are all welcome…feel free to share this post or bring friends and family too…looking forward to seeing you there 🤩⭐️

20/10/2026

40 KG WEIGHT LOSS MISSION — DAY 42

Starting weight: 120 kg
Current weight: 107.5 kg
Total lost: 12.5 kg

We are getting this weight loss thing done!! Well on the way now! After 6 weeks our weight loss journey has become normalised. And it feels wonderful!

Meet Rohan Watson. He’s the bloke beside me in the photo who’s been getting me moving at the Koroit Exercise Group.

It took my neighbour Ross to drag me along to that first session. Thanks, Ross. I owe you a (zero carb) b**r.

Now, unbelievably, I actually look forward to going. Never saw that coming!

Rohan runs the sessions at the Koroit Theatre. They’re fast moving but well paced, and by the time he’s finished with you, there’s no doubt you’ve done some decent exercise.

But underneath the puffing and the questionable coordination, something pretty special is happening.

Together with our daily walking, these sessions have made an AMAZING difference to my fitness. I can feel myself getting stronger and more capable. Things that felt hard a few weeks ago are getting so much easier.

And that has done wonders for my confidence.

It’s easy to start thinking about everything you can’t do. Getting out there and discovering what you CAN do again is a bloody good feeling.

I’m still a work in progress. I’ve got plenty of weight left to lose. But I’m turning up. I’m improving. And I’m enjoying it.

You don’t have to arrive fit. That’s what you’re coming for.

Sessions cost $10. I go on Wednesdays at 6.30 am, but there are plenty of sessions to choose from, catering for all ages and abilities. Check out the Koroit Exercise Group page for the options. https://www.facebook.com/koroitexercisegroup

I cannot recommend it enough. Thanks, Rohan, for the encouragement and for helping me find my feet again. Even when they’re not always going in the right direction.

And with the help of Sonia Turner (our weight loss coach) this whole mission has become so much easier. Both Sarah and I are feeling better than we have in decades and the scales are telling the same story. Feel free to shoot Sonia a message if you want to know more or to see if the program is right for you. Or have a look at her Weight Loss page https://www.facebook.com/p/Team-Turn-61595240016845/

If I can get started, commit, and shed the weight then so can you. Grab a neighbour if you need to. See you there!

16/10/2026

11/10/2026

40 KG WEIGHT LOSS MISSION - DAY 33
Starting weight: 120 kg
Current weight: 108.9 kg
Total lost: 11.1 kg

This one’s a bit hard to write.

I’m fairly comfortable talking about spuds, rainfall and what’s eating the cauliflowers. Talking about what’s going on inside my own head takes a bit more effort.

But here goes.

Before starting this journey, I’d reached a point where I didn’t like myself much anymore.

In my head, I was still a slim, athletic bloke. I wanted to work hard, enjoy the farm and get on with life.

But my body wasn’t keeping up.

My back hurt. My knees hurt. My hips hurt. Jobs I once took in my stride were wearing me out.

I kept pushing through, but I was wondering how much longer I could do it. Looking at everything Sarah and I had worked to build and thinking, “I don’t know if I’ve got this in me anymore.”

That hurt more than the sore joints.

I’d have a yarn, crack a joke and put on a positive front. Underneath, I was pretty broken.

I didn’t like what I’d become. My everyday outlook was negative. The dark thoughts were taking hold, and I couldn’t see how to get out of it.

Sarah and I had tried dieting before. We’d start well, struggle to stick with it, then slide back into old habits.

Each time, I lost a bit more faith in myself.

Then came the blood tests.

My doctor was concerned. The results had been getting worse, and she told me I needed to lose weight urgently or I will be in for a rough time. Not just a bit of weight. I needed to loose 40kg to get my health back to normal.

I walked out feeling flattened and despondent. I felt hopeless. I felt like a failure.

And I went straight to KFC.

I wish that was a joke.

KFC was the one place I felt comforted.

There I sat, eating an upsized Zinger Box and contemplating my future. But, as always, the comfort didn’t last. I still had the same worries, now with an extra helping of guilt.

It sounds funny now. But at the time, it was miserable.

I knew I needed to change. I was scared of what would happen if I didn’t. I just didn't know how.

A couple days later, one of our customers (Tanya) told me about the weight she’d lost.

I wanted to know how. The poor thing came in for veggies and got a thorough interrogation.

That conversation led me to Sonia Turner, Tanya's weight loss coach.

I made that first move. I asked for help.

I didn’t suddenly become more disciplined or wake up with a new set of knees. I started with the same aches, the same doubts and the same bloke looking back at me in the mirror.

But this time was different. This time, I had support, a plan and someone helping me stick with it.

Sonia has been there with advice and encouragement all the way. And almost five weeks later, I’m 11 kg lighter.

I’ve cut out junk food and sugar. Alcohol is down to once or twice a week. I’m drinking more water, sleeping better and getting fitter.

I feel about 20 years younger.

The dark thoughts I was experiencing have gone. I have hope. I’m enjoying the farm again and beginning to trust myself.

I can look towards the future with enthusiasm.

A few weeks ago, I was wondering what I’d have to give up. Now I’m thinking about new possibilities for the farm.

That’s an extraordinary change for a bloke who’d almost stopped believing things could get better.

Sonia’s accountability has made an enormous difference. Having Sarah alongside me means so much. And the support from all of you has been unbelievable.

Thank you. To everyone. You’ve helped us more than you know.

I want to make this clear: I’m no special case. I love food and a b**r. I’ve got sore joints, a busy farm and plenty of previous attempts that went nowhere.

I started this feeling pretty broken.

So when I say, “If I can do this, anyone can,” I mean you don’t have to start confident, fit or full of motivation. You can start discouraged, doubtful and unsure of yourself, like I did.

Everyone’s road will be different. But please don’t count yourself out because you’ve struggled before.

You are worth looking after now, before you lose a single kilo.

And if dark thoughts are getting hold of you, tell someone you trust and speak with your GP. You need to find help with those too.

I’ve still got a fair way to go. I know there’ll be hard days. But now I believe I can reach my goal, and I’m so keen to see what life looks like when I get there.

For me, the turning point was making that first move and seeking help. The work followed, one day at a time.

And if you’ve lost belief in yourself. If you’re standing where I was. I hope this gives you a bit of encouragement.

I just want you to know that this weight loss journey is changing my life.

I’m beginning to like the bloke I see in the mirror again. And I’m excited about his future.

11/10/2026

GOOD FOOD. LOCAL FARMERS. DELIVERED WITH CARE.

Every meal you put on the table is a chance to nourish the people you love. At Volcano Produce, we work hard to give you fresh, flavour-filled produce you can feel good about serving.

Recent testing by Pesticide Action Australia found pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables purchased from major supermarkets. It was a limited snapshot, but it reinforces the value of knowing who grows your food and how they grow it.

Here is our promise: we do not use pesticides or herbicides on anything we grow.

On our family farm at Illowa, we put in the work to grow seasonal produce in our rich volcanic soils. When you buy our farm-grown veggies, you buy directly from the people who plant, tend and harvest them.

🥕 Freshness you can taste. Locally grown, seasonal produce with a short journey from our paddocks to your kitchen.

🌱 Growing practices you can ask us about. Real farmers, clear answers and a commitment to growing without pesticide or herbicide applications.

❤️ Your money supports your community. Every order helps a local family farm keep growing, employing local people and supplying our region.

🚚 More convenience, less running around. Order online and let us bring the harvest closer to you.

This week, our service includes Hamilton, Portland, Macarthur and Penshurst, alongside our regular weekly home delivery area. Check the website for delivery and collection arrangements in your town.

🍓 Our strawberries are starting another season and looking amazing, summer planting is keeping us busy, and this week’s bargain is HALF-PRICE BROCCOLI! Outstanding quality, we simply have an outstanding amount ready to pick!

You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with your next box of fruit and veggies. Choose freshness, know your growers and make local food part of your family’s everyday life.

We would love to grow for your family.

Order at www.volcanoproduce.com.au

Thank you for helping us turn hard work in the paddock into good food on your table.

— Ben, Sarah and the Volcano Produce team

09/10/2026

We are at the Port Fairy community Market till 1:00 p.m. today. Certified organic and local spray-free produce. See you there!!

06/10/2026

40 KG WEIGHT LOSS MISSION - UPDATE WEEK 4

Starting weight: 120 kg
Current weight: 109.5 kg
Total lost: 10.5 kg

Measurements so far:
Chest: 129 → 119 cm — 10 cm gone
Waist: 122 → 113 cm — 9 cm gone
Hips: 119 → 113 cm — 6 cm gone

What would you love to be able to do comfortably again? Sleep through the night? Get up off the floor? Finish a busy day with some energy left?

A month ago, those things felt a long way off for me.

At night, I’d wake every 20 minutes to shift position because my knees, hips or lower back hurt. During the day, I pushed through the tiredness and discomfort because the farm needed me. I thought that was simply what life had become.

This week, with summer planting keeping us flat out, I’ve realised how much has changed.

The swelling in my knees has gone. The pain in my knees, hips and lower back has reduced so much that it barely affects my day and rarely interrupts my nights.

I can sleep. Proper sleep. Deep uninterrupted sleep.

If you’ve spent years waking in pain, you’ll understand what that means. I had forgotten how good it feels to wake up rested.

I’m breathing more easily. Getting off the floor takes less effort. Sitting in a chair, driving the car and moving around the farm are more comfortable. My clothes are telling the same story as the tape measure.

I’ve lost 10.5 kg, and I’m discovering how many ordinary moments that extra weight was making harder.

Then there’s the change in my head. This has been the most significant change this week.

I feel alert again. The fog has lifted. I have energy to get stuck into the day instead of wondering how I’m going to get through it.

For the first time in a long time, I’m thinking about what I want to do next. And feeling ready to do it.

We haven’t put our lives on hold. Sarah and I still head to Duke's Commercial Hotel Koroit for Tuesday trivia, a pint, and a feed. We won tonight! YAY!! Go the Pork Bellies!!

We’ve changed how we eat, cut out sugary foods and made room for exercise. We’re learning how to make better choices while still enjoying our lives.

And we have Sonia Turner, our weight loss coach, helping us turn those choices into habits.

She gives us answers when we’re unsure, encouragement when we need it and accountability when enthusiasm alone won’t get the job done. She understands that we’re real people with busy lives and difficult days.

Thank you, Sonia. Your amazing support has made an enormous difference.

If you’ve tried to loose weight before and given up, I’ve been there. At least a dozen times in the past few years. Starting again can feel like setting yourself up for another disappointment.

But a previous attempt doesn’t decide what happens next.

If you are serious about loosing some weight, give yourself a reason to begin that matters to you. Perhaps it’s less discomfort, more energy, keeping up with your family or feeling comfortable in your clothes.

Then get some support. A coach can help you work through the moments when you’d normally give up. You don’t have to rely on willpower every day or figure everything out yourself.

Please remember that everyone’s progress will look different. These are the changes I’m noticing, and they’ve given me more hope than I expected in just four weeks.

I still have plenty of weight to lose. Getting below 100 kg will be a huge milestone. And I cannot wait!

I’m already enjoying the rewards of starting. You deserve the chance to discover yours too.

06/10/2026

Portland people - Have a look at this wonderful display of fresh and local seafood!!