Ralph Wilson, who has been growing apples near Batlow for over 30 years, has seen plenty of changes in his time.
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On Batlow Road, where he runs Wilgro Orchard with his wife, Judy, there used to be 13 family growers in the high, cool country. Now there's only two left.
The Canberra Times travelled through Eden-Monaro last week to take the electorate's political pulse before the federal election on May 18.
From the mountains to the coast, people were dissatisfied with politics, felt they had been ignored and were left behind by major parties.
At every stop, people felt that politicians had lost touch with the realities of life beyond the cycle of policy announcements and election campaigns.
Orchardists like Mr Wilson have had to move with the times, branching out into cider and vinegar. "If I planted an orchard now, I'd be 85 before I started making money out of it," he said.
The cost of apple growing had hardly changed but the profit margin had been whittled away as orchards became companies rather than family businesses, Mr Wilson said.
He has been left frustrated by government. "We sort of feel, talking to a few other growers and friends, most of us feel let down by government, that we've had a few wins but very few."
He said the political conversation focused on the right-wing fringes rather than what was taking place in the real world.
"The real world is that we live in an environment that we're destroying," he said.
"There's a big picture out there that we've just lost. ... We're looking at little things that are nowhere near as important as food, as climate change and those sort of things."
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Mr Wilson thought the current member, Labor's Mike Kelly, had done a good job but was considering voting for an independent.
Independent candidate Dave Sheldon lives near Tumut and has a good profile in the electorate's west and joins eight other candidates on the ballot paper.
Mr Wilson said that Mr Sheldon would be better placed to speak to the experience of people in and around Batlow in parliament.
"I just think that both the parties and especially the incumbent at the moment have lost the plot a bit."
- A battle for votes is being fought in town and cities all around the nation. To understand the issues resonating in regional Australia this federal election sign up to receive a daily email with curated stories of people and places from all around Australia.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
