farming
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Pick your own looks peachy at Harcourt
The time is ripe for some prime picking at Harcourt’s Tellurian Fruit Farm where the annual Pick Your Own Fruit Fridays are proving popular among those enjoying school holidays. “We’ve found school holidays are the busiest time of year,” Tellurian owner Ant Wilson says. While it’s been a great season for cherries at the local…
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Kyneton Show shines with record crowds
Organisers have declared the 159th Kyneton Show an enormous success with perfect spring weather on Show Day setting new attendance records. Kyneton Agricultural Society secretary Josephine Rutledge said more than 5800 people went through the gates over the two days, well up on the 5000 last year. She said the country-styled parkour obstacle course was…
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Give an old chook a happy retirement
Local award-winning egg producers Ben and Lena Way, of Springfield Pastured Eggs, are offering up their retiring chooks to be re-homed as backyard layers. At 80 weeks old, the hens will go through a three-week moult before laying eggs again, but according to producer Ben Way, the hens can continue to lay eggs for up…
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Free fun at Kyneton Show time
The creative team behind the Kyneton Show has put together two big days of family fun this coming weekend for the 159th show with loads of free farming activities and things to make to take home. See if you can make a whip crack with free lessons and demonstrations on Friday night as Keira Buzza…
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Yandoit beekeeper has something to buzz about
Yandoit beekeeper Craig Terrell reckons he’s onto something. The local apiarist practises what he calls holistic beekeeping to produce resilient bees. “I don’t require antibiotics or supplementary feeding of bees,” says Mr Terrell who use to work as a bricklayer until, about six years ago, he got stung by the beekeeping bug and hasn’t looked…
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It’s go, go, go for the Lancefield Show
The countdown is on to the staging of the 2019 Lancefield Agricultural Show this Sunday. A huge amount of work has gone into organising the show, one of the annual drawcard activities in the Macedon Ranges, and it promises to be a family-friendly something-for-everyone show. “Nearly all the local businesses have been fantastic with sponsorships,…
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Macedon Ranges councillors split on Farm Zone bid
Plans to support a small-scale speckle park cattle breeding pursuit in Woodend North have been knocked back. The application sought to develop a house and large shed at a 6.2-hectare Russells Lane property to manage six cows and their offspring. The plan detailed land management works to rehabilitate the degraded land but ultimately failed in…
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Residents fight Campaspe River discharge plan
Landowners along the Campaspe River are fighting a plan by Coliban Water to amend its EPA licence to allow it to continue releasing wastewater from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the river, but at a reduced dilution ratio. Coliban Water project director Tony Kelly confirmed that Coliban Water had formally requested the EPA approve…
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All things edible grown in the garden
A fascinating collection of 11 edible gardens will be open to the public this coming weekend as part of the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival. Visiting some or all of these gardens is a great way to learn and get motivated for the new growing season. Three schools are participating for the first time this…
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Here’s cheers Harcourt – New venture to showcase regional produce
It was a champagne, cider and canapés event as the new Harcourt Produce and General Store opened on Friday. “Employment, economic development and collaboration,” said owner and chef Annette Larsen Rae when asked about the vision she had for the new venture that will showcase regional produce and wine to visitors. “Everybody has been backing…
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Market joy for Malmsbury
Malmsbury residents have been given the green light to hold a monthly farmers market on the town’s village green. The inaugural market kicks off on September 15 after positive meetings with the council and VicRoads confirmed support for the proposal. The plan had earlier hit a snag when organisers were told a $700 monthly fee…
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Farm venture up for award
Kyneton’s Melissa Connors has been nominated for the Prime Super Agricultural Innovation Award for her initiative This Farm Needs a Farmer. The initiative has become the first point of call for people making a tree-change and pairs retired or semi-retired farmers with people new to working the land to pass on their knowledge as mentors.…