Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn – Young, Boorowa and Murrumbateman
Taste Young, Boorowa and Murrumbateman with Hayden Quinn
Cook, author, presenter and MasterChef Australia contestant Hayden Quinn has travelled around New South Wales discovering delicious local produce and meeting passionate producers for season two of Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn. This week he visits Young, Boorowa and Murrumbateman to pick fresh cherries, sample cool climate wines and meet friendly alpacas.
“Young is famous for cherries and if you’re a fan, then you’ve got to stop in and get your hands on some. Chris Hall runs Hall Family Orchards using regenerative agriculture and he was just named NSW Farmer of the Year.”
The best time to visit Young is during cherry season (around November to December) and it’s also when the farm gate at Hall Family Orchard is open. Grab a case of top quality cherries to take home or sample some of their other tasty treats, like cherry sorbet. On some weekends in December, you can even pick your own cherries straight from the tree.
“Drop into Blackwattle Alpaca Farm for a tour. Alpacas are super cute and lots of fun. And while you’re there you must check out their handspun yarn.”
Get up close to the cute and curious alpacas on a farm tour, where you can hand feed the animals, learn about farming techniques and take a walk around the property. Then visit the farm shop to pick up some of the beautiful handspun and hand dyed alpaca yarn and fleece.
“There are a number of great wineries in the area and one that you must not drive past is Clonakilla. This winery is about as good as it gets and makes some of the best shiraz in Australia.”
Tim Kirk is a second generation winemaker and his family has been growing grapes at Clonakilla for almost 40 years. You can taste his award-winning drops at the beautiful cellar door, where the bar is built from deconstructed wine barrels.
“I love finding organic and sustainably-grown produce, and Charlie Arnott is a local farmer and Aussie legend that does things right. Charlie runs an amazing natural grass fed beef and lamb farm, and if you’re able to hunt down some of his meat, you should do so.”
Charlie is a champion of regenerative farming, a process that encourages better relationships between people and the land to create healthier ecosystems. Along with producing some of the country’s best meat, he also hosts his own podcast and runs biodynamic workshops.
