What’s it like living in a region that is known for its fresh local food producers and its clean green image? I’m talking about the Genuinely Southern Forests Region. When you visit us in the Southern Forests you too can get access to freshly picked fruit and vegetables. Here’s how.
I’m lucky. I live on a Farm Stay in the very picturesque Southern Forests- think Pemberton, Manjimup, Walpole, Northcliffe. That in itself is lucky, but for a foodie like me, having access to so much local, farm fresh produce is like being in heaven. Just last week I was out on a local farm picking tomatoes. Warren Grange, a local producer of heirloom vegies had put out the call for people wanting to pick their own tomatoes that weekend. Bring your own bucket and you could pay as little as $2.50 per kilo for hand-picked, sun ripened heirloom tomatoes.
So off I went and spent a glorious hour choosing from a variety of tomatoes (Black Russian, Zebra Striped, Black on Reds just to name a few) that you never see in any supermarket these days. With so many delicious looking and tasting varieties (yes you were encouraged to try before you buy) and so few bottles in which to store my homemade Passata; I had to limit myself. I had help in choosing which tomatoes to pick with the owners on hand to offer help and advice. And the taste! Nothing beats the taste of eating a tomato straight from the vine, warmed by the sun.
It’s not only tomatoes that you’ll find in this area, though. Going from farm gate stalls to the local farmer’s market to whole farm sheds devoted to freshly picked produce you can buy just about anything in this area. Potatoes, avocados, apples, peaches, cherries, cauliflowers, pumpkins, citrus fruit, figs, plums, pears, broccoli, cabbages; who needs to go to the supermarket when everything is so fresh, well priced and readily available. Even the local butcher, Manjimup Meat Mart, stocks locally produced vegies.
So you’re visiting the area and you’re wondering ‘Where are these farms and farm gate stalls? Well here are just a few to try. You can stop in at Guadagnino and Co’s on Seven Day Road, Newton Orchards on Graphite Road, Lyster Orchard on the South Western Highway for everything from cherries to apples to pumpkins; there’s avocados and strawberries along Channybearup Road, heirloom vegies on the corner of the Vasse Highway and the South Western Highway or simply go to the Manjimup Farmer’s Market for a whole range of fresh produce all in one place.
At the moment it’s apple picking season. Now’s the time to be on the look out for new season apples at the Farmers Market; or maybe you would rather stop by a farm gate stall. Either way you know you are going to get apples that have been freshly picked, that are crisp and full of flavour. You just have to know where to look. So when you come and stay with us don’t forget to ask us about all the little farm gate stalls and orchards in the area that you can pick up some amazing fresh produce from and you can have your own foodie experience just like a local.