Good Life
Conscious meat ‘People are coming back to meat.’ Victoria Cosford I’m chatting to Nick Tallas, manager of new-kid-on-theblock Conscious Ground, purveyor of grass-fed beef and pork. I’d been curious to know how, in a region as dedicated to veganism as this one is, their products are received. ‘When you offer people an alternative to something that’s good for the planet, that’s Conscious Ground’s Nick Tallas (on the left) and Felix Vergara when you get a pigs are rotated. The cows vinegar they are fed, used lot of ex-vegans now eating are 100% grass-raised and for internal parasites. meat.’ On 240 acres of land at finished and, unlike grainIt’s a great challenge Myocum, owner Richard fed cattle with their higher maintaining their ACO Togersrud started his methane output, more organic status (‘those business about five years carbon is locked into the internal parasites in a ago ‘with the intention,’ soil. Management is holistic sub-tropical environment’, Nick tells me, ‘of educating and the animals are moved Nick tells me, deter a lot people as well as producing around regularly, which of other farmers from organic food,’ Of those offers a means of controlgoing fully organic) and yet acres, 110 are for grazing ling pests in conjunction the selective rotation of while on another 20–30, with the organic apple cider animals, the many water
catchment areas on the property and its holistic management all assist. ‘Running a diversity of animals – the pigs running around – in that natural environment brings so much joy’, Nick says. From the little grill set up, he and fellow stall-holder Felix offer samples of meltingly tender beef on toothpicks – for a high vegan customer base the proffered plate seems to empty in seconds! I myself come away with fat Italian pork sausages I devour that night with mashed potatoes, relishing their coarse rustic texture and their very hot spiciness. Conscious Ground are at Mullumbimby Farmers Market every Friday from 7 to 11am.
Stone & Wood ‘Drag Trivia’ The popular Stone & Wood Drag Trivia is coming back for another round next Thursday 26 October, after their sold-out event earlier this year. If you think their pilot batch beers push the boundaries, you should try this! Grab your silliest and your smartest mates together, slap on a bit of sparkle and head to Stone & Wood’s Byron brewery for a night of laughs and trivia, hosted by the phenomenal Terry Daktyl. For the trophy hounds – there will be prizes, so bring your A-game!
Tickets from $15 +BF, doors open at 5.30pm, so head down for fresh beers and delicious meals and snacks being served up by the local foodie legends, 100 Mile Table. Trivia set to shine at 6:30pm A Beautiful Weirdo’s eco glitter stall will also be in operation at the event for those who left their shimmer at home, and a dollar per litre of beer poured at this event will go to Tweed Valley Landcare. Stone & Wood 100 Centennial Cct, Byron Bay. stoneandwood.com. au.
Love letter to Byron
Debra has a whey with cheese! You can thank a blind date for ultimately leading to the birth of Cheeses Loves You, a regular stall at Byron Farmers Market with local cheesemaker Debra Allard at the helm. Debra’s mum set her up on a date with Jim, a fifthgeneration dairy farmer, and the rest is history. Deb swapped a life in marketing and accounts for farming in Burringbar. The 80-hectare farm, which has been in the family since 1895, was changed from dairy cattle to beef cattle a number of years ago when the bottom fell out of the local dairy industry, so when Debra and Jim decided to convert it back so they could use their own milk to make cheese, there were big shoes to fill.
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Debra Allard at Byron Farmers Market. ‘It And it’s these cows that It was a lot of pressure!’ Debra says. ‘But I knew are the key to the success Debr value-adding was worthof Debra’s range of cheeses value while. I had been making and dairy products, includwhile cheese for a number of ing cultured butter, kefir, chee years, and had travyoghurt, soft, white-mould, elled the world learn- semi-hard, hard and ing about cheese, but blue cheeses. Debra also I had been using other sells her Jersey milk and people’s milk. cultured buttermilk, which ‘It made sense to be is in high demand, at the pr producing our own milk, farmers’ market. so we w started milking 20 ‘Our cows are beautiful cows seven years ago and Jersey cows that produce us seven years to high-fat content milk, it’s taken t build up to milk a consistwhich makes everything ent 9 90-100 cows.’ creamier and it’s also high
in good bacteria. It really is a superior milk.’ But it’s not just the quality of the milk that sets Debra’s products apart from their mass-produced counterparts found in supermarkets. ‘The beauty of me working half an hour down the road from the market is that I’ve made the products that week with milk that’s come straight from our cows – it’s still warm and contains all the good bacteria,’ she says. ‘And I don’t add salt to extend shelf life because I want people to be able to experience the full flavour. Supermarket products also add cultures that contain preservatives to extend shelf life. I don’t have to do that because I make small batches that are sold that week at the market, or within two weeks.’ You can find Deb and her range of locally made dairy products at Byron Farmers Market every Thursday morning. Byron Farmers Market is held every Thursday from 7 to 11am at Butler St Reserve and Bangalow Farmers Market is every Saturday from 7 to 11am behind the Bangalow pub.
Dear Byron Bay, Red Ginger has been in the same location opposite Woolworths in Byron Bay for 21 years and we are not closing. Things are changing but we are not. Thanks to everyone for your interest and concern that our beautiful store might be about to close. We are still here in Byron and in Bangalow with hot dumplings and free green tea, Asian groceries and beautiful ceramics, homewares and gifts. Red Ginger is proud to be a part of our beautiful community and grateful for your wonderful support. Thank you Byron Bay, from Leslie and the Red Ginger Team.
wĈƐşćĕſ Ǩǯǽ ǩǧǩǪ The Byron Shire Echo 19