David and Lorraine Huxtable run the island’s only commercial hydroponics operation, growing lettuce, herbs, watercress and spring onions at their Springs Road farm after moving away from traditional grazing.

KI Fresh has been up and running seriously for just over a year after a few false starts due to injury, financial and technical obstacles and plans over the next year are to almost double the 13 growing tables in place and increase the range of products.

The Huxtables are among the island’s young innovative farmers and have found a ready market for their daily delivery of freshly picked lettuce to many of the island’s restaurants.

They previously grew chickens but now have moved to geese, with a flock of 300-400 free-ranging across their property. Having sold several hundred geese to the Adelaide and Sydney markets last year and a dozen to Southern Ocean Lodge for their Christmas menu, Mr Huxtable is confident there is a ready market for his more unusual poultry.

As for many young farming families, each day is a long one.

“Lorraine works hardest of all,” Mr Huxtable said.

The pair rises at 3-4am to pick and pack lettuce. Ms Huxtable then prepares their four children – Robbie, Justin, Aidan and Shaylee – for school and heads to work at Kildea Pharmacy. When she gets home they exercise their race horses at Emu Bay and then head home to cook dinner.

“And then mum goes to sleep,” Shaylee said. Indeed. Shauna Black