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An Apple a Day in Bilpin, NSW

April 11, 2014 By JJ 5 Comments

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

Summers are spent squinting through sparkling sunshine, letting the nectar of soft stonefruit drip and sizzle on the pavement, relishing the rich summer bounty with pies and salsas and unadorned fruit.

But well before autumn comes knocking in Sydney, while we are all still savouring days at the beach and endless twilight evenings, there are signs heralding the imminent change in seasons. Slowly and surely the warmth of summer is replaced by the crisp snap of autumn and with it, the crisp snap of autumn fruit.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Back when we lived in NYC it was not unusual to see masses of city-dwellers migrating out to Long Island on brisk autumn Saturday mornings, returning later that evening proudly bearing bags of apples and pears picked straight from the tree.

However I had no idea that any such adventure was possible within 90 minutes of Sydney. Silly me.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Now I could quite happily live in the middle of a bustling city (or on a tiny tropical island but we’ll file that one away for later) forever, but it’s no secret I’m a bit of a farm-girl at heart — an invite for a day of picking apples and pears in Bilpin, NSW was one of the best I’d had in a while.

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

So it was, one crisp morning a few weeks ago, with great anticipation that I boarded the van arranged for our little outing, gumboots and warm clothing at the ready.


Hawkesbury Harvest

Our first stop was to chat with Alan, a passionate supporter and long-time member of Hawkesbury Harvest.

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

A not for profit community organisation, Hawkesbury Harvest was formed in 2000 by local farmers and consumers passionate about food issues. The organisation supports the farming community, from the South Coast all the way up to Gosford, with activities to encourage locally-based and sustainable agricultural industry development.

It’s a a bit of a mouthful, but much of it drills down to providing farms and rural communities with the ability to expand their production and create alternative market channels. It comes together every day in the Hawkesbury Harvest Farm Gate Trail.

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

I read somewhere recently the idea that a supermarket won’t miss your dollars if you change where you shop, but buying instead from farmers’ markets or farm gates could be the difference between a small farm succeeding and failing.

For every season and every crop there is a farm (or 10) on the Farm Gate Trail where you can go and support local farmers by buying direct.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW


Pine Crest Orchard

Our second stop was one such farm, Pine Crest Orchard, to get out into rows of trees and pick our fill of apples and pears.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Led by owner John Galbraith, we wove through branches laden with Gala, Jonathon and Golden Delicious Apples.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Asian Pears popped off the tree with the slightest twist and disappeared just as quickly with eager bites. Green European ones were popped into bags for later.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Not-quite-ripe quince and vibrant late-season plums teased us as we passed from one variety of fruit to the next.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Along the way John showed us how to ‘cut’ an apple in half with just his thumbs…

…and shared how challenging it is to grow crops for an appearance-focused consumer market.

Gala apples, for example, taste exactly the same whether yellow with hints of red, or red with hints of yellow. Buyers however don’t want the yellow ones, so those trees have been pulled out in favour of ones producing fruit with a rosier demeanour and exactly the same flavour.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Now anyone can stop by Pine Crest to pick their own fruit (or simply stock up from the pre-picked boxes on display in the shed) however many will be surprised to see that apples don’t grow with skins as shiny as a new car.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Most varieties of fruit, especially apples, are coated with wax prior to being arranged on a supermarket shelf. But at Pine Crest your fruit can be polished naturally, popped into an ancient machine, which instantly brings up a natural gloss as the fruit bumps and jump along the fabric rollers. A tea towel at home does the same thing — but the machine is far more fun.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Real food direct from the farm, there’s nothing like it.

Pine Crest Orchard has a variety of fruit and nuts on offer from December to May.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

From berries to peaches, plums to apples to pears, to quinces and persimmons, and even chestnuts and walnuts (!!) there is something to keep visitors busy and well-fed for months.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

PINE CREST ORCHARD
2549 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin NSW
Open for Pick-Your-Own on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays from 9am-5pm during the fruit season (roughly December to May)


Hillbilly Cider

Of course being well-fed goes hand in hand with being well-watered and what would you know but Shane, a true outback farmer, from Hillbilly Cider was on-site to tempt us with his (seriously stunning) ciders.

Hillbilly Cider - Bilpin NSW

Hillbilly Cider - Bilpin NSW

An organic wine maker, Shane and wife Tessa turned their hand to apple and pear ciders a few years back and Hillbilly Cider launched about 18 months ago with spectacular results.

100% fruit-based, the ciders are naturally carbonated in the brewing process (no added C02), have an amazing fine bubble reminiscent of Proseco and present a crisp, dry finish that may change your mind about cider forever.

Hillbilly Cider - Bilpin NSW

The apple stands up on its own but the pear cider, slightly pink and eye-rollingly floral, is something really special. This cider was well worth an excpetion on my usual teetotaling ways.

Hillbilly Cider - Bilpin NSW

Hillbilly also makes a nonalcoholic apple version too and while there is carbonation added (no alcohol or fermentation to create bubbles) its still a damn fine drop — and miles ahead of all the mass produced, flavour-added sparkling apple products in the supermarkets.

Yes, I’m gushing, it is deserved.

Lucky for all of us Hillbilly Cider is available outside of Bilpin in bottle shops, at farmers’ markets, and even on tap in a few choice establishments. RJ and I keep our stock of the non-alcoholic version up thanks to the local Harris Farm.


Tomah Gardens Restaurant

After far to many rounds of “just one more splash” of Hillbilly Cider we were coaxed back onto the van with the promise of food. It of course didn’t take too much coaxing and before we knew it we arrived at the Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens for lunch.

Tomah Gardens Restaurant - Bilpin NSW

A cozy spot on the veranda over looking the gardens provided a visual feast while we waited for the meal to arrive. In proper family style roughly three of almost every item on the Tomah Gardens Restaurant menu was ordered — and other than a moment for a snap or two we all dove in head (or is that fork) first.

The food was seasonal and packed with flavour, and there was more than enough variety to keep us all filling our plates until the end.

Sunflower & Cracked Wheat Bread // Dill-Cured Rainbow Trout with Apple Slaw

Tomah Gardens Restaurant - Bilpin NSW

Grilled Vegetables with Goat Fetta & Pepitas // Corn Fed Chook Roasted with Thyme, Carrot, Hand Cut Chips, Greens & Gravy (oh those chips!)

Tomah Gardens Restaurant - Bilpin NSW

Rocket ‘Worms’ (Pasta) with Tomatoes & Basil // Lamb Rack Roasted with Eggplant, Yoghurt & Kumera Crisps

Tomah Gardens Restaurant - Bilpin NSW

Of course for dessert one of everything, and lots of spoons, was the only option.

Baked Custard, Stewed Rhubarb, Pistachio Shortbread // Figs, Peach-Leaf Ice Cream, Blackberry Jelly // Dark Chocolate & Walnut Praline Mousse Cake // Angel Cake, Apricot Jam, Cream

Tomah Gardens Restaurant - Bilpin NSW

TOMAH GARDENS RESTAURANT — BILPIN, NSW
MT TOMAH BOTANIC GARDENS
BELLS LINE OF ROAD
BILPIN, NSW 2758 AUSTRALIA

Restaurant Tomah on Urbanspoon


A quick swing through the gardens allowed us to soak up a touch more mountain sun before we returned to the van to start the journey home, bellies and cameras full.

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

I, of course, was already plotting a return for chestnuts in the short-term… and peaches and berries once winter has passed.

Pine Crest Orchard - Bilpin NSW

But for now, apples and pears as far as the eye can see. What a perfect way to welcome autumn.

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

An apple a day - Bilpin NSW

——

JJ traveled, ate and drank as a guest of Go Future Media and local Bilpin businesses. Editorial policy here.

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Filed Under: All Posts, DiningOut, Food, My-2cents, Travel Tagged With: Apple, Autumn, Bilpin, Boozer, Fruit, Had-to-share, Restaurant, Sydney

Comments

  1. Brenda Hayes says

    April 11, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Wow, what a fun day and delicious pictures.

    Reply
  2. The Hungry Mum says

    April 13, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Isn’t Bilpin magical? I was out there not long ago and just loved the fresh country air and surfeit of fresh produce. Your photos are amazing!
    `

    Reply
  3. Helen | Grab Your Fork says

    April 14, 2014 at 4:17 pm

    So many gorgeous pics! Nothing beats a truly crisp and fresh apple. You’ve given me cravings now!

    Reply
  4. Holly Galbraith says

    April 15, 2014 at 11:38 am

    Thank you JJ for a gorgeous story on Bilpin, such an important farming area close to Sydney. Your photos are beautiful too and i’m hungry for some of those taste desserts!!

    Reply
  5. Calvin S. Kelly says

    April 15, 2014 at 6:04 pm

    I want to visit the Tomah Gardens Restaurant and taste all the delicacies there.

    Reply

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