WOLLONDILLY FARMGATE TRAIL
Host: MIKE WHITNEY
Mike is on the Wollondilly Farmgate trail…and cooking up the fresh food he has collected along the way.
Dreamcatcher Lodge Bed and Breakfast
Dreamcatcher Lodge is less than one hour's drive along the M5 from Sydney Airport and located high on a ridge with a spectacular outlook over an ever-changing valley you’ll find a unique rural bed and breakfast experience. Purpose built in western red cedar on 7.5 acres, Dreamcatcher Lodge is located on the old Hume Highway between Picton and Tahmoor. Stay in luxury ensuite accommodation in either one of two queen size spa rooms in the Lodge or in the privacy of Blue Wren Cottage, a two bedroom self-contained cottage.
What you can expect is open fires, birdsong, homemade afternoon tea or supper on arrival, great breakfasts, port and chocolates before bed, fluffy bathrobes, designer bedlinen, double spas, candles and bubbles.
Dreamcatcher Lodge offers a relaxing, rural escape and a base from which to explore the Wollondilly Shire and Southern Highlands.
For the adventurous - skydiving, hot air ballooning, horse-riding and go-karts ...
For the history buffs - Thirlmere Rail Heritage Centre, Wollondilly Heritage Centre, the Mushroom Tunnel, antique shops, ghost tours and historic pubs plus Camden, Berrima Village, Mittagong and Bowral only 20-30 minutes away ...
For the gourmet - cellar door wine-tastings, cheese making courses, farm gate produce, an historic brewery, excellent restaurants, historic pubs and cafes plus a multitude of country markets ...
For the nature lover - a dingo sanctuary, Thirlmere Lakes National Park, bushwalking in Burragorang State Conservation Area and Wirrimbirra Sanctuary (home of the white waratah).
Accommodation
The Asian Room decor is designed to relax and calm whilst creating a sensation of opulence and peace. The Pacific Room immediately brings to mind images of sand and swaying palms and Blue Wren Cottage is a two-bedroom self-contained country cottage with an historical Australiana theme. You may book either of the rooms or, if you wish, the whole cottage.
The Rustic Room is just that, very rustic! Beautiful Aussie timbers, home-made ceramics, corrugated iron and a billabong spa! The Homestead Room typifies an era of romance and comfort with quality antiques and all those little touches to make you feel special.
Wollondilly Farmgate Gourmet Weekend Package 
$990 per couple or twin share ($570 a single)
Come as a couple, a single or gather a group of friends and experience a wonderful couple of days visiting the wineries and farms of Wollondilly and Southern Highlands and learn to cook the produce – then feast on the result of your labours!
Package includes:
- Two night’s accommodation in a deluxe themed queen en-suite room with double spa
- All meals and non-alcoholic drinks including -
- Friday night - Aussie BBQ or dinner in local restaurant, coffee, port & chocolates before retiring.
- Saturday - gourmet breakfast, picnic morning tea, Vintner's lunch at Bou-saada Vineyard in Mittagong, afternoon tea in Berrima or Bowral, pre-dinner nibbles after cooking class, min. 3 course dinner - results of cooking class, coffee, port & chocolates before retiring.
- Sunday - gourmet breakfast, morning tea after massage
(NB Alcohol with meals is not included in package - complimentary port is provided after dinner)
Saturday you will be escorted on a guided tour in a mini bus to see the some of the local sights. During the tour visiting members of Wollondilly Farmgate will select the ingredients for your evening gourmet cooking class. You will also be visiting several local wineries where you may sample and purchase your evening's wine. There will be the opportunity to visit the galleries & shops of Berrima or Bowral during the afternoon.
Upon returning to Dreamcatcher Lodge be prepared for a fun couple of hours being involved in the preparation of a delicious dinner featuring the wonderful fresh produce of Wollondilly.
Finally a one hour massage on Sunday morning before checking out at midday.
Wollondilly Farmgate
Wollondilly Farmgate has been developed to introduce the rest of Australia to some of the wonderful fresh produce being grown in the Wollondilly region or product being processed in the region. Wollondilly is located on the south western outskirts of Sydney and has long been a primary supplier of fruit and vegetables to the Sydney Basin.
Obviously you can’t visit them all in one day but you can visit a few and collect produce to include in the cooking lesson.
Mowbray Park Produce
Grace bought her Mowbray Park property in 1992 and began her market garden in earnest in 1996 when it became her full-time occupation. Initially she wholesaled her produce to Flemington Markets but due to popular demand, she moved to farmgate sales about two years ago.
90% of her customers are locals and they all agree there is absolutely nothing better than a freshly picked cob of corn, with lashings of butter and freshly ground pepper. Or perhaps a small, golden nugget pumpkin - steamed then stuffed with your favourite curried rice & vegetable combination.
Throughout the year she sells corn, spinach, lettuce, leeks, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, watermelon, rockmelon, beetroot and broccoli - all grown at Mowbray Park Produce.
Country Valley Dairy
Apart from being the manufacturer of Highland Organics Cheese, Country Valley Dairy runs about 145 head of cattle, which are a Freisian/Jersey cross.
The dairy farm itself is on roughly 300 acres, which is situated in a valley about five minutes out of the Picton township in Wollondilly Shire. The milk processing plant was commissioned in March 2004 and is situated 100 metres from the dairy and supplies the factory with milk. They also purchase milk from two other local farms as well as the organic milk for Highland Organics from an organic farm in Nowra.
Country Valley Dairy produces their own brand cheese, yoghurt and cream as well as milk which is processed according to NSW Food Authority standards and sells in one, two and three litre plastic bottles.
Highland Organics
Highland Organics Cheese is handmade using traditional French cheese making methods from milk produced on an organic farm in Nowra and processed at the Country Valley factory in Picton - both have organic certification. Highland Organics Cheese is made using 100% organic milk and non-animal rennet. Andre employs traditional hand made methods and all the pieces are hand cut.
Three Bees Apiarist
Bob has been working with bees since a youngster when his father kept bees. Bob began bee-keeping in earnest in 1967, had a break and then began again in 1995 and with lots of hard work has built up an apiary of about 400 hives. The long drought and new bee diseases have seen a decline in the number of hives he and his wife, Clare, have been able to maintain.
The hives have to be moved to areas where there is blossom and nectar in order for the bees to produce honey and wax for their combs. Bob takes the hives as far afield as Peak Hill, Forbes, Gilgandra and Cootamundra depending on which floral source he is after. Most trees don't flower every year and some may have a two year cycle whilst others only flower every five years!
Bob and Clare usually have at least six varieties of honey available and they also make creamed honey which is whipped until creamy.
Honey from different floral sources have their own distinctive flavour - yellow box, slatey box and ribbon gum are mellow in taste, while grey gum, red gum and bargo brush honey have a stronger taste. Generally the darker the colour the honey the stronger the taste.
More Information
Dreamcatcher Lodge B&B
2330 Remembrance Drive, Picton
Telephone: (02) 4683 3232
www.dreamcatcherlodge.com.au
www.wollondillyfarmgate.com.au
It’s $990 per couple for the Gourmet Package which includes two nights accommodation, meals and tours.
Book in for June, July or August and they’ll throw in a Wollondilly Farmgate Sample Hamper worth $70 just for Sydney Weekender viewers.
Prices correct as at 09/06/07