I truly believe the seemingly little things can end up making the biggest impact, so my ideas of change start with the things we feel we can maintain on a daily basis; introducing vegetable gardening into our daily lives, keeping a couple of chooks, and relying on Farmer’s Markets to help re establish our connection to the provenance of what sits on our plates. Plant a fruit tree; the notion of greening our planet by planting more trees is one I whole-heartedly agree with but even better perhaps would be to make that tree of a fruit bearing kind. Our entire garden was created with the conviction that we would only plant what could be eaten and it has returned our efforts tenfold. Imagine if all the trees used in town planning were fruit trees? How wonderful to have fresh fruit within everyone’s reach. Read the rest...
We have always been aware of just how precious water is to all aspects of our business, having a hand in every stage of production from growing the fruit, to processing it, to distributing it and retailing it. 30 odd years ago we knew then how important water would be to our livelihood and so we put the infrastructure in dams; metered bores and huge rainwater thanks in place to not only preserve water as much as we could for our orchards, vineyards and olive groves, but of course I’m always looking for more ways to conserve this most fundamental of life’s building blocks. Even the smallest things count. We have a bucket in our shower that collects the run of water while the right temperature of the shower is being reached, and you’d be amazed at just how much water this saves each day, that can then be put onto the garden or potplants. Read the rest...
Having a vegetable garden within 20 metres of my kitchen door certainly leaves a very soft footprint in an environmental sense. It also allows the opportunity to recycle food scraps to our chooks and worm farm in order to use their manure in our compost. A mini eco system without any need for a car being driven or plastic bags being filled. I love wandering out into the orchard in the early morning to choose fruit for breakfast or into the kitchen garden to pick asparagus or artichokes that will go in to the pot within minutes, such a luxury in these busy times but one the most satisfying ways to add more fresh produce to your diet. Growing your own produce would have to be my best health tip ever, even if that means a tomato plant in a pot, or some herbs in a planter box on an inner city balcony, it will make all the difference to your cooking. And that’s without mentioning the delight of tending to living plants as you grow your harvest. Read the rest...
It was the luckiest accident of my life that Colin and I settled in the Barossa Valley because it very surely began my passion for seasonal produce, and in turn, the recipe fieldwork and sharing that led me to my total immersion in the world of cooking. I guess the path chose me, in that it was a necessity that turned into serendipity. Read the rest...
Established over a century ago, Maggie’s Barossa orchard is made up of a collection of 2000 trees including heirloom apples and pears, all bursting with the kind of flavour many of us might remember from our childhood; real flavour - and in combination with hand-tended Adelaide Hills fruit of the very same character - that’s exactly what you’ll find filling each of her Apple and Pear Cider bottles. Read the rest...
