November 9 2009

Once again its been a while since we've updated this site, too much to do and too little time – as they say!

Life on the land is constantly changing, since July it basically stopped raining and the “experts” are telling us we are in an “el nino” event again which means that we should expect less than “normal” rainfall. I really would like someone to tell me what normal rainfall is. Sometimes here it rains and rains and sometimes it doesn't rain for many months – I think that is normal.

I do understand that the people that work for the Bureau of Meteorology want to show that they are worthy of being paid, but this “el nino” or so called ENSO has been held up to be the indicator of coming dry times when it is in fact a rear-view mirror picture of what has been happening for the last six to twelve months for us in Merriwa.

So when we are told that we are in another “el nino” episode it is at a time when we have already de-stocked our farm , sold off any livestock we can to ease the demand on the limited grass we have left, and most probably been to our bank manager once again to say we are in a drought and to throw the budget we prepared carefully just months earlier into the bin.

Gee, that felt good to get that off my chest!

Anyhow guess what? It has been raining in spite of the experts! We had 30 mm about 10 days ago and another 40 mm over the last few days and the grass is jumping out of the ground – so those horoscope people can go jump!

We are currently looking for more retail outlets in the Sydney area as our production is increasing, we will visit the places that some of you guys have recommended we approach, and welcome any other suggestions, so please don't hesitate if you have a likely spot to target, contact here

Thanks again to those that get in touch with us telling us what we are doing well and also what we could do better – we really do respond to your feedback.

The bulls are in with the cows doing what bulls do to cows, the calves are looking good so far, mostly about 12 weeks old now.

We took delivery of 1,000 day old chicks a few days ago and they seem happy. These will be the chooks that begin to lay going into next winter which is the time we find hardest to keep up with demand – demand increases then as people with their own chooks often find that they get less eggs over the winter period.

Stop Press.

We won first prize for “6 brown eggs” at the recent Merriwa Show!

Also Mark's mum was awarded life membership of the Show and was presented with a Certificate by the Governor of NSW Professor Marie Bashir AC, which she was trilled about. Lesley in her speech of acceptance said “It just goes to show if you live long enough anyone can get life membership of the Show” or words to that effect – so it obviously had nothing to do with the fact that she has been active in our local Show for all of the 35 years our family has called Merriwa home!! - such is the humility of the lady.

July 31 2009

Well here it is the last day of July, winter is on the back foot for a while it seems, we are still getting frosts but the days are mostly beautiful, although we haven't seen a lot of sun over the last couple of months.

Our cows are well into their calving on Papanui with probably 70% dropped already. We have received reasonable rain over June and July providing some green feed for the cows which is helping them to give milk for their calves. We are hoping for more rain over the next few months to keep the cows gaining weight ready for the bulls to go in September.

The long awaited increase in egg production has begun, with our new pullets starting to lay over the last week or so. They have been moved out into the paddocks following behind the cattle this week - they are now totally free to roam anywhere, and believe me they do, including onto the back of the ute to be driven around the farm until they are noticed, resulting in a quick dash back to their mates before they decide to disembark miles from home.

P Plated Pullets eggs will be available from the beginning of next week for a limited time - ask your shop-keeper to get some in for you if you want to sample the best eggs we produce. Mostly retailers in Sydney aren't interested in these smaller eggs, but the chefs that use our eggs mostly prefer them - there must be a message in that don't you reckon? Locally pullets eggs sell well to householders, maybe because rural based families have often kept their own chooks and know which eggs they like best. They are smaller than our regular eggs but the quality is superb.

May 14 2009

It has been a long time since an update, we've been a bit too busy here as usual. The season is only just at this stage, winter is fast approaching and there is little green grass, it is there but needs a good fall of rain to get it going properly.

Our next lot of chooks will begin to lay around the end of July, so you will have to ration yourselves until then as demand is strong from our friends with the shops.

We have built another bus for the chooks, this brings the total to 4, with plans to build another 2 over the next year or so to try and keep up with demand.

The big news for us is that we won a Gold Medal at the Vogue Entertaining and Travel Produce Awards last Monday night at a presentation at Etch restaurant. Mark and Di attended the very crowded cocktail party. A copy of the media release follows. Look for this at your favourite shop.

Media Release May 12, 2009

Produce awards – winners and medallists announced

The winners of the 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards were announced last night in a star-studded event held at Justin North’s renowned restaurant, Etch by Bécasse.

Victoria’s Carla Meurs and Anne-Marie Monda, three-time consecutive winners in the dairy category, took out the top award of Producer of the Year for their company Holy Goat.

The complete list of winners and medallists were:

Winner: from the Dairy - Holy Goat La Luna, Vic.

MEDALLISTS: Woodside Cheese Wrights (SA), Ballycroft Barossa Artisan Cheese (SA), Bruny Island Cheese Co (Tas), John Bignall Tasmanian Highland Cheese (Tas), Meredith Dairy (Vic).

Winner: from the earth - daylesford organics heirloom vegetables, Vic

MEDALLISTS: Cuttaway Creek raspberry vinegar (NSW), Darling Mills Farm herbs and salad leaves (NSW), Bunnyconnellen olive products (Qld), Bauer’s Organic Farm sweetcorn (Qld), The Australian Caper Company (SA), Joseph olive oil (SA), Ashbolt olive oil and elderberry products (Tas), Frogmore Creek garlic (Tas), Lentara Grove olive oil (Tas), Murray River Salt (Vic), Thorogoods Cider (SA).

Joint winners: from the sea - pristine oyster farm, sA and spanner crabs noosa, qld

MEDALLISTS: Ferguson Australia lobster products (SA), Woodbridge Smokehouse Smoked Ocean Trout (Tas), Spring Bay Mussels (Tas).

Winner: from the paddock - white rocks veal, WA

MEDALLISTS: Papanui eggs (NSW), Redgate Farm Jurassic Quail (NSW), Macleay Valley Rabbits (NSW), Mayura Station wagyu (SA), Pure Suffolk Lamb (SA), Daylesford Organics eggs (Vic), Sher Wagyu (Vic), Blackmore Wagyu (Vic), Glenloth Free Range squab (Vic), Castricum Brothers lamb (Vic), Green Eggs (Vic).

Winner: producer of the Year - holy goat, Vic

JOINT Winners: the Regional Award - Daylesford MAcedon, ViC, and orange, NSW

Winner: foodHeritage/sustainability Award - spring bay mussels, Tas

Winner: best New Product - redgate FARM jurassic quail, NSWwinner: consistently excellent Product - blackmore wagyu, Vic

Winner: outstanding supplier - australia on a plate, nsw

Winner: Outstanding use of regional produce by a chef -
dan hunter, royal mail hotel, Vic

Winner: outstanding farmers’ market - willunga, SA

Winner: the Maggie Beer Award for an outstanding contribution to australian food - stephanie alexander

The Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards celebrate and uncover the best of Australia’s producers and suppliers, in categories including ‘from the paddock’, ‘from the dairy’, ‘from the earth’ and ‘from the sea’.

“The Awards are dedicated to discovering and celebrating the finest food growers and suppliers in the country. Whether you’re a three-hat chef, or someone who enjoys cooking at home, these are the producers and products you need to know about. This year, the produce was of such a high standard that rather than presenting just one runner-up to each winner, we decided to add a new ‘gold medal’ category,” says Trudi Jenkins, editor-in-chief of Vogue Entertaining + Travel.

“The Awards are not just a celebration of Australia’s fantastic produce; they acknowledge the people who are committed to quality and consistency in what they grow and make, and those who promote small producers through restaurants, providores and markets,” she says.

This year, the national judges were:

Alla Wolf-Tasker (THE LAKE HOUSE, VICTORIA)

Matt Moran (ARIA RESTAURANT, NEW SOUTH WALES)

Cheong Liew (THE GRANGE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA)

Philip Johnson (E’CCO BISTRO, QUEENSLAND)

They were assisted by a new line-up of state judges: Justin North, owner/chef of Bécasse, Sydney; Alex Kearns, chef of Glebe Point Diner, Sydney; Paul Wilson, director of Mr. Wilson Consulting, Melbourne; Matt Wilkinson, head chef of Circa, The Prince, Melbourne; Mathew Goodlet, head chef of Farina Kitchen & Bar, Adelaide; Mark McNamara, executive chef of Appellation, Barossa Valley; Kym Machin, executive chef of Urbane, Brisbane; David Rayner, owner/chef of River House Restaurant, Noosaville; Kate Lamont, owner of Lamont's, Perth; David Coomer, chef of Star Anise, Perth; Annie Parmentier, owner/chef of Dev'Lish, Hobart; Daniel Alps, owner/head chef of Daniel Alps at Strathlynn, Rosevears.

• Vogue Entertaining + Travel congratulates all the winners in the 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards. The complete story and the full list of all winners and medallists for the 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards appear in the June/July 2009 issue of Vogue Entertaining + Travel - on sale 13 May.