Lush greenery and clear blue skies welcomed me as I walked into PepperGreen farm.
Fuzzy kiwi fruit took shelter from the summer sun under their leaves on vines along metal frames above the outdoor dining area. There was a vintage tram next to it, where you can have a good view of the vegetable and fruit garden while enjoying tea time. You can also pick your own local produce, which were sold by weight.
A faint lavender scent wafted in the air as my Australian friend Lorraine and I strolled into the farm garden. For the first time, I held precious little elderberries in my hand, saw sweet corn plants taller than me and my favourite little radish peeking from the soil.
Culinary questions ‘sprouted’ in my mind as I passed each bed of vegetable and fruit with Lorraine, who patiently answered them with an amused smile. It was a big eye-opener for me as I was not familiar with Australian-style cooking and some ingredients such as silverbeet, tarragon, amaranth, as I grew up in the tropical island of Singapore in South East Asia and also spent more time baking compared to cooking as a patisserie student.
It was also a good time to slow down, think about how different ingredients can be used and appreciate them. I was reminded of what Lorraine said when I visited her home in the morning: The parsley plant at home thanked me with more leaves when I moved the pot under some shade.
I felt thankful to the beautiful plants and hardworking staff for taking good care of them, for providing ingredients such as spearmint to brightening up plated desserts, or fresh herbs to add flavour to a pie filling or pasta sauce.
Most people would also visit a country or region with a checklist of the best food places to go, but I would also recommend seeing how seasonal produce is grown, buy some to experiment in the kitchen at their freshest and enjoy their natural flavours. Sometimes, cooking may reduce their flavour and nutrients, so I would always try a small piece of raw vegetable before cooking it. Although yellow squash may look like aliens, they are crunchy and taste a bit like capsicum. They can either be sliced thinly for salads, or thicker pieces for a stir fry. Some of them were about the size of my hand, although supermarkets usually sell tennis ball sized squash.
You can escape the summer heat in the airconditioned café, which has a simple range of local favourites. Lorraine smiled fondly with a twinkle in her eyes when I asked her about the ‘yoyo’ biscuit at the counter, which was a childhood treat. They also have freshly baked muffins and hearty items such as sandwiches, salads, pastas which used fresh vegetables from the farm garden. Fresh produce and eco-friendly gift items are also available at the retail store.
The large wooden tables in the café were made of recycled timber made by the staff in a nearby workshop space, their friendly team leader Troy explained.
He also shared that PepperGreen Farm and PepperGreen Farm Catering are non-profit business organisations where people with disabilities are mentored, trained and employment is provided in various areas such as microbusiness, horticulture, retail, tourism, hospitality and creative manufacturing. There is an art gallery for them to exhibit their work as well.
Someone once said, ‘you often feel tired, not because you’ve done too much, but because you’ve done too little of what sparks a light in you’. There’s nothing like some sunshine, greenery, smiles, a good friend and meaningful learning experiences to brighten one’s day.
Address:
PepperGreen Farm
44 Thunder St, North Bendigo
Entry: Free
Opening hours:
8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday
9.00am – 2.00pm Saturday
Sunday Closed
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