Toowoomba Produce

Sitting at the top of an escarpment between Toowoomba and Crows Nest is the little mountain village of Hampton. The town is blessed with warm temperatures and good quality soil – conditions perfect for farming.

There are plenty of farmers taking advantage of these apt growing conditions but they’re not the only ones reaping the rewards.

Emeraude is one of the town’s newest foodie additions, aiming to show off the region’s produce, one plate at a time. The eatery is owned by Amanda Hinds and her family. This foodie family have already blazed a trail through Bundaberg, formerly owning Indulge, voted Queensland’s best café two years in a row by the Good Food Guide.

Amanda’s new backyard is bursting at the seams with passionate farmers and quality produce. It’s what you could call a chef’s dream kitchen.

Half Moon Farm is owned by Justin and Kylie Russell, a husband and wife duo, and it’s where Amanda gathers her greens. The conditions at the farm are ripe for growing a wide range of food producing plants and for raising naturally healthy small livestock. Amanda uses Justin and Kylie’s box-in-box-out system – a process where customers can pick their herbs straight from the ground without having to be pre-packaged.

There’s something to be said about quality over quantity when it comes to farming. This is certainly the case when it comes to Emperors Pork, who keep a limited number of Berkshire pigs on the farm. The farm is run by Gordon and Jenie Fawckner, along with their four children. With over 100 acres of mud wallows, dirt bath and lush pasture, these pigs have much to explore.

There are other families farming in Hampton. Mark and Joel Herlaar own Twin Pines Limes, and like plenty of good ideas, it all started over a frosty ale. Joel came home with a pack of Coronas and the jaw-dropping price of limes came up in conversation. $2 per lime seemed almost unjust and so they made the decision to plant their own lime tree. After 5 years, it was still alive with no water or fertiliser. There are now thousands of lime trees at Twin Pines – with fruit available throughout the year.

Hampton Blue is an organic blueberry and raspberry orchard. They are a small family business flowing from grandparents to grandkids all within two hours of the farm. The farm produces fruit from 11 varieties all of which have a unique flavour of their own.

There’s a bounty of sensational produce grown in Hampton and it’s thanks to people like Amanda Hinds that are showcasing this. Emeraude is open Thursday through to Sunday.

Half Moon Farm
halfmoonfarm.com.au/

Read more about Emperors Pork on the Hand Sourced website:
handsourced.com.au/our-farmers/

Twin Pines Limes
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Business/Twin-Pines-Limes-1884232355188217/

Hampton Blue
hamptonblue.com.au/

Emeraude
8616 New England Highway, Hampton
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