more melbourne moments - berry picking

17 January, 2010
family, homely

lonesome-peach

Something else we’ve never had before … local berry and fruit farms.  Well - at least, not too far away.  Whilst Abby’s much-loved friend Sacha was visiting, we trooped off to Yileen - an organic berry and fruit farm perched on the edge of the tiny village of Hallston, nestled deep in the beautiful Yarra Valley.  It was quite the epic journey.

bales-of-hay

fallen-down-farm

The mostly dirt road twisted up many hills, threaded its way past countless rolling fields of lush pasture, bales of hay and cows, and tumbled down, down, down into deep shady valleys.  And we got lost.  Of course we did!  Stalled under a huge tree, aside the Hallston Community Hall, we gave up on the GPS and called Farmer Jenny for advice.

rows-of-berries

roses

In lovely country style, directions were provided with good humour and warmth, and within minutes we found ourselves over our heads in berry canes and bushes.  Belted Galloways (I think that’s what they were called - cows that is) grazed in the fields of MooGrass (Jenny’s husband’s side of the farm), roses scrambled over fences and climbed outbuildings, countless birds that I have only seen and heard in books and documentaries trilled amongst the trees, bees hummed to us as they vied for the sweetness of the berry bushes, and we picked buckets of lush, sun-warmed berries in the hot, hot sun.  38 degrees celsius.  Boy was it hot, still and fragrant amongst those bushes. It was a magical sensation.

blackberry-flowers

finding-the-best

sacha

Good thing Farmer Jenny’s son makes organic ice creams with his mum’s berries.  After we’d had our fill of berry picking and had the only ripe peach on the farm land at our feet, we sat in the cool of Yileen’s garden under a majestic Indian Bean Tree, where Jenny served us iced water and fresh icecream with berries on top and charmed us with her stories of life on the farm and their latest dear little grandson.

It was a goooooooood day.  I cannot wait to return - and we have the low down on berry picking now.  Early December for raspberries and mid-January for blackberries.  Farmer Jenny advises we ring regularly to check ’cause each year, she has a platoon of local jam makers all poised and waiting for her beautiful berries to ripen.  Once they come a-picking, they leave no stragglers!

berries

indian-bean-tree

After travelling to Yileen via Grand Ridge Road - a road that truly lives up to its name - Jenny suggested a different route home for its superior scenic qualities.  We were doubtful this could be true, having spent the previous journey ooohing and aahing at every bend, but she was right.  Our homeward trip was glorious and by the time we hit the motorway, all three of us were dreaming of our future as farmers.  And after admiring so many cows, Abby’s even given up on beef.

grass

valleys

She hasn’t, however, given up on enjoying the moment in that beautiful way that only children can.  On the way home, she and Sacha had a riotous time painting their faces with berries.  They ate the good ones and those that were a bit smooshed, were used as paint.  They had several different looks - the 18th century French, the richly decorated tribal, and then the plain silly.  Strangely enough, they didn’t want to get out of the car at the shops with their chins painted berry red.

applying-the-berries

berry-beauty

We Boots enthusiastically recommend berry picking for a great day’s fun.  What better way to celebrate the bounty and beauty of summer - and now we have a freezer full of yummy berries!  :-)  Thank you Farmer Jenny for sharing your glorious part of the world with us.

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