The Tamworth Taste Festival, held from the 10th to 19th April 2014, was a hugely successful celebration of regional food, wine and produce. This festival grows bigger and better each year, and heaps of community events were held throughout the 10-day festival including Taste in the Park, a food-filled day out for the whole family, and the Laneway Pop Up Bar, a fun night out featuring beer, wine and canapés – all sourced from the Liverpool Plains region. Guest celebrity chef Hayden Quinn (MasterChef) debuted his new book ‘Dish It Up’ and shared recipes and stories at the festival, and outstanding chefs and cooks from all over the region hosted The Long Lunch under the trees in Bicentennial Park, Tamworth.
A highlight of the festival was a country camp oven lunch held at ‘Temi’, Wallabadah on 12th April. The event was a sell-out success, featuring four delicious courses; local cheese and nibbles on arrival, mango mousse for dessert and the star of the show – camp oven roasted lamb, pork and vegetables. The property is 4WD access only with lunch served on the verandah of a bush hut, making the day a true Aussie country experience!
As an extension of the festival action in Tamworth, the Farm Gate Trail invited locals and tourists to take a self drive tour of farms in the region, to meet the producers then taste and purchase cheese, microbrew beers, meat, seafood and other fantastic local produce. This years’ trail stretched from Barraba and Uralla in the north down to Murrurundi and Muswellbrook in the south and gave people a chance to see the diversity and quality of products coming out of our wider region – download the map for more info.
Local Quirindi yabby farmer Gary Squire, of The Yabby Guys, featured on the Farm Gate Trail. Gary led guided tours of the property, allowing curious visitors to see the yabby ponds where they breed, and get up close and personal with a yabby! The Yabby Guys’ little freshwater crayfish are in hot demand from restaurants and fishers.
Another local Farm Gate Trail star was The Conscious Farmer Grassfed Beef, between Caroona and Spring Ridge on Blomfield’s Road. Derek and Kirrily Blomfield run their property with sustainable production systems, low stress handling techniques and happy cattle! The family served morning and afternoon tea during the festival while visitors learned about the health benefits of grassfed beef and the way the Blomfields care for their cattle and manage the land. This family business is new but growing, as more and more Australians care about sustainable living and want to know where their food comes from. Supporting local producers is so important – visit Conscious Farmer Grassfed Beef online to find out more and place an order.
Tamworth is 70km north of Quirindi via the New England Highway. The Tamworth Taste Festival is on every year, and in 2015 we hope to see even more of our local farmers around the Quirindi area represented! Check out the website and Facebook for more information, as well as details of next years’ event which will be held between 10th – 19th April 2015.
We’ve got so much to offer here in Quirindi – so if you’re looking to buy, rent or sell property in the area, why not come and visit us at Ray White Rural Quirindi? Our friendly team is sure to be able to find a home that’s just right for you and your family.
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