When you drive around the Scenic Rim you’ll see plenty of lush, fertile paddocks growing all kinds of crops.
But it’s only when you get an insider tour that you fully understand what you’re seeing.
And that’s the philosophy behind the Taste of the Scenic Rim Tour on Thursday June 30.
Brisbane food consultant Alison Alexander has teamed up with Brisbane café owner Caroline Jones, to compile a full day of farm touring and eating.
The pair will meet their guests at Caroline’s Graceville Café, Three Girls Skipping, at 8am for an early morning tea before the bus leaves bound for the Scenic Rim.
During the day the tour will call in on at least seven farms and local cafes to see first hand how the farmers grow, pick, process and pack their wares.
Alison says it’s incredible to think there’s a region just one hour from Brisbane, which features so many different micro climates and produces thousands of tonnes of food for markets around Australia and overseas.
“Our food should never be taken for granted and telling the stories behind its production gives better understanding to consumers,” she explains.
“With our fast paced life, a day in the country visiting a farm and having the chance to pick your own crop and see how it arrives in the supermarkets is a lasting memory for people of all ages.
“Stopping at a farm stall to buy ripe tomatoes, stopping at a bakery for their renowned pies, lunch in Boonah, or a Sunday drive to the markets at Tamborine Mountain are only the tip of the iceberg of the fun to be had in the Scenic Rim.”
The tour will start in the Scenic Rim’s south, where the volcanic topsoil is rich and deep and the cattle are content.
First stop is to meet Farmer Rob Hutchings of the Australian Freshwater Crayfish Traders. Rob will demonstrate how he breeds and grows freshwater crayfish, which he delivers to customers throughout southeast Queensland.
Next the tour will stop at Kalfresh Vegetables, one of Queensland’s largest vegetable farming and marketing businesses. Farmer Rob Hinrichsen will talk about how he grows straight carrots and the changes being made on the farm to improve soil health and sustainability. Pick a bunch of your own carrots to take home.
Stop three, Matt and Sarah Muller’s Fassifern Valley Produce is sure to be popular. The couple’s brightly coloured heirloom tomatoes are a hit with customers and are guaranteed to add a pop of colour to the simplest of salads.
The Pennell Family at Arthur Clive’s Bakehouse Kalbar will demonstrate how their make sour dough and then the bus will stop at Poppi’s Wholefood Café in Boonah for lunch.
Next the tour will visit Rathlogan Grove to learn about growing olives and pressing the oil.
The final stop of this bumper tour will be to Scenic Rim 4Real Milk to see the cows
Guests on the tour will receive a tour bag with a range of Scenic Rim gifts.
The tour costs $185 per person and bookings are essential.
Email Alison Alexander at a.alexander@internode.on.net or call 0419 743 532