Food
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It’s time to harvest frost-tender plants
Sandy Scheltema Now that the cool cold nights are here in central Victoria and the frosts are starting, it’s time to pull out frost-tender plants like zucchinis and tomatoes. We had a prolific harvest of tromboncino zucchini this year, an heirloom vegetable common throughout Italy. The plants look beautiful growing over fences and supports with…
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Foodbanks meet changing needs
Foodbanks in Kyneton and Gisborne are preparing to meet the changing needs of Macedon Ranges locals amid the coronavirus pandemic. Kyneton Caring Community’s Kerryn Wildenburg said the Kyneton foodbank experienced a spike at the end of March as many workers were stood down and unable to access basic necessities. Ms Wildenburg anticipates more people will…
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Gain solace from gardening
Sandy Scheltema In these extraordinary times when we must stay at home and cancel everything except our commitment to our common humanity, many of us are finding solace in growing food. To dig the soil, plant seeds, tend to and nurture a garden can bring great joy and calmness, and seeing something growing from what…
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Resurgence in home gardens
Dozens of free veggie seed starter packs are helping Macedon Ranges locals to become self-sufficient. The seed packs will improve the home-grown food supply and it’s just the beginning for the Woodend Seed Library, says its creator Kylie Swain. “Everyone has gone crazy for gardening and I think it’s amazing,” she said. The Woodend local…
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Boost for small agribusinesses
Seven agribusinesses in the Macedon Ranges have received grants through the state government’s Small-Scale and Craft Program to support business growth, create jobs and attract more visitors to enjoy locally made food, beer and spirits. Grants of up to $25,000 have been awarded and will be used to assist businesses in scaling up, expanding their…
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Cheese please! A new venture for Castlemaine
A new artisan cheesemaker and cheese school is being establishing in Castlemaine, adding an additional attraction to the town’s Mill complex and tapping into newly emergent demand. Building work is well underway to develop existing premises in the site’s specialty food and beverage precinct. The Cheese School and artisan cheesemaking enterprise – Long Paddock Cheese…
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Seed library to sprout benefits
The Macedon Ranges community will reap the benefits from growing its own plants as a new initiative gets underway. The Macedon Ranges Seed Library will launch on March 7 in a bid to encourage locals to grow their own food supply and help to protect plant diversity in the region. The idea of the seed…
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Food forest takes root
Kerryn Wildenburg has planted the seed for a permaculture ‘Food Forest’ in Kyneton. She is donating four acres of her own land to provide vulnerable community members with a place where they can learn to grow and cook nutritious food. “Food brings people together. It allows connection, and builds relationships and sustainable change. We want…
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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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Fresh farmers’ fare
Castlemaine district residents and visitors to the region flocked to the launch of the inaugural weekly Castlemaine Farmers Market last Wednesday evening. The new weekly version of the popular monthly market has been developed in response to shopper demand by the highly successful Castlemaine Farmers Market and Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op. Held along the thoroughfare…
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A dash of Latin passion catches hold in Castlemaine
A dash of Latin passion is catching hold in Castlemaine and surrounds. The distinctly Spanish flavour fomenting in some unexpected local hotspots follows a happy convergence of events and people. Take Jose Baena, for example. Jose hails from Andalusia, Spanish Granada and came to Australia in his mid-30s about 15 years ago. Those who know…
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World foodie fame
Bendigo has become the first Australian city to be designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and the wider region stands to benefit.The title puts the region, from the Murray to Macedon Ranges, on the world map for its foodie culture alongside the likes of China’s Chengdu and Parma in Italy. Macedon Ranges mayor Cr Janet…