Put the gadgets away, pull on your gumboots and give your kids a food and farming experience they won’t forget.
Scenic Rim Eat Local Week returns for the first week of the Queensland school holidays, from June 25 to July 3, and is a chance to show your children where their food comes from.
There will be no time for complaints of ‘I’m bored’ as your kids watch the cows being milked by robots, pick their own carrots, cuddle a lamb and forage for native Aussie bushfoods.
Scenic Rim Eat Local Week is a popular food and farming festival that asks visitors to think ‘local’, support farmers and have an incredible adventure at the same time.
Here’s 12 delicious activities the whole family will love:
1.Farmgate Festival Lost World – Saturday June 25
Farms in the spectacular Lost World outside of Beaudesert open their gates to visitors for this relaxed event where you can taste your way through this beautiful part of the Scenic Rim. Meet the locals, explore farm life and sample their produce. Some events require bookings.
2. Tommerup’s Dairy Farm to Fork Experience – Saturday June 25
Ever wondered how milk gets from the cow to your fridge? Want to know how to feed pigs? Keen to cuddle a chook? This is the day for you. The Tommerup family are sixth-generation dairy farmers. They invite visitors to spend the day on their farm learning all about real farm life. Enjoy their Norco milk, as well as cheese from the White Gold Creamery, a hot breakfast and spend lots of time meeting the four-legged locals.
Bookings required.
3. Mt Barney Bushtucker Tracker – June 25, 26,28 and July 2
Kids go bush with one of Mt Barney Lodge’s experienced outdoor leaders to discover and taste bush tucker where it grows wild. They will also seek and find clues left by the native wildlife. Bring your sense of adventure! Cost is $20/child and includes morning/afternoon tea.
4. Lillydale Farmstay – June 25 & 26
Visit the beautiful Lillydale Farmstay and explore the hedge maze, enjoy lillypilly jam tasting, try a Lillydale Angus beef pie and a sausage sizzle.
5. Scenic Rim Hampers presents Alpaca Picnic – June 25, 26 & July 3
Enjoy this unique picnic destination at the foothills of Mt Barney National Park. Bring your own picnic and enjoy it on this beautiful Alpaca farm. Feed the four-legged residents, learn about the amazing alpacas and llamas and go home with a hamper of local goodies.
6. Beechmont Zest Fest – Sunday June 26
This festival is focused on local sustainability and food security. Be part of the creative demonstrations, enjoy live music, local food and be hand’s on in the community garden.
Runs 8.30am to 2.30pm. Cost is $5 for adults.
7. Scenic Rim 4Real Milk Birthday & Open Day – Sunday June 26
Bring your family to this popular dairy farm and see the cows being milked by robots. Follow the milk to the bottling factory that’s on farm and later pat the calves and feast on local produce. Bring an esky so you can load up with Scenic Rim 4Real’s milk, cheese and yoghurt.
8. Binna Burra Bush Tucker of the Scenic Rim Talks – June 27, 29 & July 1
The Scenic Rim is home to many types of forests, all them brimming with foods and medicines which have sustained people for 40,000 years.
A guide from Binna Burra Mountain Lodge will talk you through the rich bounty that’s naturally available here and help you identify what’s good to eat and what to avoid.
9. Towri Sheep Cheesery Open Day – Tuesday June 28
Visit this sheep farm to see how they milk the sheep. Enjoy a Towri Sheep Cheese platter while the kids pat and chat with the four-legged locals.
10. Kid’s Kitchen Kapers with Kate – June 29 & 30
Kate Raymont will engage your kids in the kitchen, showing them how to whip up some simple, healthy meals using local ingredients. Classes held at Boonah, Beaudesert and Tamborine Mountain. For ages 8 to 12
11. Kalfresh Carrot Field Day – Saturday July 2
Want to know how to grow straight carrots? Ever wondered how the farmers get them clean and shiny like you see in the shops? Come visit one of Queensland’s largest carrot farms and have a very orange adventure. You’ll love the ‘wet & wild’ washing factor for carrots. Sit in the tractors and dig your own bag of carrots. There will be mud!
Cost $8 for adults or $15 for a family (includes carrots & sausage sizzle)
12. Winter Harvest Festival – Saturday July 2
This is Eat Local Week’s signature event and it’s a fabulous day out for the whole family. Buy delicious goodies from local producers, watch the cooking demonstrations by leading QLD chefs, relax over a local wine or craft beer, enjoy the live music and watch the Tractor Pulling Competition. The kids will love the free rides and the space to run.