 |
| It's berry and cherry season at last! |
I called in at a berry farm the other day. True, you can probably buy raspberries for the
same or less in the supermarket, but there were several reasons for getting
them at the source.
For a start, you can be sure of getting fresh fruit – you
can see people picking it, and it’s nice to know where it came from. There were also some of the more unusual berries
such as gooseberries, red currants and Kentish Cherries which you don’t often
see in the shops. The gooseberry fool* I made
afterwards reminded me of summers
past when most families had a backyard,
a Hill’s hoist and a berry patch with at least one or two prickly gooseberry
bushes. * see instructions at the end of this post, also about the origin of the word.
 |
| Looking South East |
Wolfe's Berry Farm lies in a
lush valley beneath Mount Wellington and has been operated by the same family
for over a hundred years. That may not mean much by European or Mediterranean standards,
but in Australia and in these times of
rapid change, the quick buck and globalisation, when our food often comes
from the far corners of the globe, it is
somehow reassuring. Local produce means fewer fuel miles too.
 |
| Some of the traditional architecture on this historic farm |
I loved the buildings almost as much as the berries. You
can see the passage of time in these buildings – humble beginnings, good times and
bad, and how traditionally farmers will never let a good building go to waste.
Former dwellings become pickers’ huts, machinery sheds or storage for hay or
for produce or all those things that might come in handy one day, when the
power’s out, the chainsaw breaks down or you can’t get a plumber for love or
money. These buildings hark back to days of self -sufficiency, practicality and
frugality, with just a slight nod to beautification. The landscape is beautiful
enough, at least on this sunny day and adds to the sweetness of the berries. I
also enjoyed chatting to the owner about the season and the history of the
place. I know some people prefer the anonymity of the supermarket and probably
the quick self -checkout, but I‘m not one of those.
 |
| More |
 |
| You can't have too many sheds |
 | ||||
| Family farmhouse from yesteryear |
 |
| Possibly the one before |
 |
| ...and
even the one before that. At least they have character as my son would
say, although there are several modern buildings on the premises too. |
Near Hobart
Wolfe’s Berry Farm
- Neika, off Leslie Vale Road, near Kingston
-just before Mt. Field – one of
the largest, all kinds of berries
-East of Hobart, also
has peaches and apples
-near Richmond, mostly strawberries
-Cambridge, near Richmond, also sells chocolate,
cheeses, other produce and has a cafe
East Coast
-Swansea
North
-East Tamar, also has blueberries
-Underwood near Lilydale– Mostly cherries,
Cherry Top Accommodation - Cherry Top & Eagle Park
-Near Lilydale, mostly blueberries, some other produce and a host farm
-Near Lilydale, mostly blueberries, some other produce and a host farm
North
Central
-near Ulverstone, has both picked
and uPick, also a restaurant
-(Formerly Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm), near Elizabeth Town. Has
a cafe
This is a big fruit growing region, so no doubt there are plenty of others around Sheffield, Wynyard and Spreyton too, but I haven't been up that way for a while, at least not in berry season
South
-at Lonnavale
*A fool can be made with any tart fruit layered with cream, custard etc. Tougher fruit such as gooseberries should be softened in a saucepan over medium heat with a little hot water first. Read more...
As to the origin of the name "Fool" Elizabeth Rahe's explanation that "fouler" is the French word for crush, seems plausible. Read more...
Comments