At Harvest | 6th August, 2022

agriCULTURED and the holy trinity, eggs, olive oil, $15 pints, and bio-security.

This ‘newsletter’ of sorts could definitely be accused of having taken a turn in the last 12 months. It has become less ‘what’s on at Harvest’ and more ‘what’s on the minds of the Harvest crew’. Less ‘market report’ and more ‘unhinged musings’. Not so this edition! There is definitely a lot going on at Harvest, and this week for a change, we’ll focus on that. So, a cursory review of the market this week shows that the stallholder roster is growing in strength. We’ve had some great news about blueberries for next year and The Village Olive Grove are also on thier way back. Felds Farm are slated for their return soon, as are Plants Direct and Thirlstane Gardens. Spring is nigh! Thank goodness.

What is actually on at Harvest though

The real juice though, of course, is Ferment Stations at Harvest. Presented by Beaker Street and FermenTasmania as part of agriCULTURED (the holy trinity, as we’re referring to it), Ferment Stations promises to be the event of a lifetime. The highlight of your year and the single greatest fermentation experience of all time. Ok perhaps that is overstating it a little, but marketing is about hype. What is impossible to overstate though, is the passion, work and organisation of everyone involved in what has been a work-in-progress since February. Working with these folks to create this event has been a joy and a pleasure. Harvest can hardly wait to deliver.

on Saturday from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm rock up with your BYO jar, grab a coffee, and do some shopping. Then, in a series of progressing stations, you’ll be guided through the journey of a microbe. From cabbage to plate, by fermentation experts. This is seriously the sort of thing that folks pay good money to learn and do. What an exciting privilege that these organisations are giving it all to you, for free. This is not even to mention the myriad of interesting and delicious things going on around Launceston, across the whole weekend. Some of those you have to pay for though. Find out about them in the links.

Is there something else going on at Harvest this week?

Why yes. Yes there is. We’re glad you asked. Resident chef Rhys Hannan is showing you just how many delicious fermented foods one can cram into a single dish without ruining it. Hint: it’s a lot, but it’s tricky. The recipe and pro-tips will be up on the Harvest Recipes page by Saturday morning so you can do the shopping to recreate it. Should you so fancy. Hopefully you do so fancy. Otherwise, cheffy-pants isn’t doing his job very well now is he? You’ll get to be the judge though because you’ll get a little taste. A try-before-you-buy sort of deal. Don’t tell the council though, they’ll have a fit.

Bring it on home now

Let’s wrap it up with a few of the seemingly unrelated musings you’ve come to know and love. Lest the themes in the subtitle go unaddressed. Firstly, biosecurity. We’ve always been proud of and impressed by Tasmania’s strong biosecurity stance. We know very little about Australia’s biosecurity laws and procedures, but suffice to say that we hope they remain strong and independent. Hopefully, the 2022 Farmsafe Australia Conference will reinforce that message to those who need to hear it.

Next up, the Spaniards are warning of a dire olive oil harvest this year, and there is nary a bum-nut to be had around this wide (Isa) brown land. Neither a problem at Harvest though, all our olive oil producers and layers of eggs are at full strength.

Lastly, and most depressingly, there is some concern that the humble pint of draught could reach an eye-watering $15 in the not-too-distant future. On the back of the biggest excise hike in 30 years, and the 20th in a decade, our favourite beverage now costs more here than almost anywhere else in the world. We pay 18 times more excise zan ze Germans. 18 times! Mien Gott. Seemingly unrelated to what is happening at Harvest, sure. Not really though. For it isn’t hard to predict what this will mean for our craft beer, cider and mead producers. Or you, their devoted drinkers. Higher costs, higher prices and probably less amazing delicious booze in your face hole. Sadness.

On that terrifying note, let’s end it there, we need a little drinky. Not too much mind, a big weekend coming up and not heaps of coin in the purse.

Thanks for reading, we’re out.

Join us on Saturday!

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