Hillside Acres in Harcourt, Victoria | Farm

Hillside Acres

Locality: Harcourt, Victoria

Phone: +61 427 722 286

Address: 161 Reservoir Road 3453 Harcourt, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.hillsideacres.com.au/

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25.01.2022 These were this morning.

21.01.2022 This was a great watch last night: https://www.abc.net.au//charlie-massy-regenerati/12438352

20.01.2022 We're also not sure what we can do about some pigs ready for slaughter. A good reason for more micro-abattoirs to come into existence!

19.01.2022 Goodbye to Cathryn who’s gone back to the UK to sit out this crazy virus. Thanks for all your fencing work!

17.01.2022 Just restocked the freezer @Harcourt Produce and General Store. Lots of fresh lamb, including chops of all sorts, lamb shanks for a nice winter soup, and roast. A wide selection of pork products available too.

16.01.2022 Our last lambs for the season are now ready to go and 3 pigs also. To be sold in packs - if you're interested in a pack, please get in touch. Details about the lamb All the lambs were born on the property from our own little flock of ewes and our two rams, Sam and Max. They are 2nd cross lambs, perfect for delicious meat cuts, and they have grazed happily on the lower slopes of Mount Alexander since they were born. All are healthy and hormone free - true free-range, pastured... lamb. A side of lamb should give you around 9-10kg of packaged and labelled meat (it should fit into an ordinary freezer above a fridge) and will approximately consist of: 1 bone in Leg roast 1 boned and rolled shoulder roast 8 loin chops 8 cutlets 5 chump chops 1 lamb shank 1 ribs 1 bag of sausages Your box of lamb will have a weight on it and the cost will be $19/kilo. Details about the pork All the pigs were born on the property. They are Berkshire / large white crosses and have lived in free-range paddocks with shelters and mud puddles since they were born. All are healthy and hormone free. Boxes of pork will be around 15-20 kgs. Cost will be $21/kg. Pork will come in cuts that are cryovaced, weighed and labeled. The cuts will consist of: Short block bacon Ham Smoked hock American ribs Boned and rolled shoulder (great for pulled pork or roasting) Pork belly Spare ribs Chippolata sausages Boneless legs for roasting Pick up and payment arrangements for both lamb and pork The meat will be butchered in Bendigo at Central Vic Meats (associated with Top Meats, Castlemaine) and you will need to pick it up from there (or arrange for a refrigerated courier at an additional cost). We may be able to do some deliveries to Harcourt or Castlemaine if you will find it difficult to get to Bendigo during the current shut down - please let us know. Orders (including payment of $100 deposit by direct debit) please (Hillside Acres, Bank Australia, BSB 313 140, Account 1208 3545). Full payment will be required on pick up - payment to us, not the butcher. You'll be provided with a weight for your box and can then do a direct debit. Pick for the lamb is anticipated to be very soon - either this coming weekend (1st / 2nd May) or the one after (8th / 9th May) (to be confirmed on Monday). Pick up for the pork will be a bit later - 15th / 16th May *Please note that weights are not guaranteed as they vary depending upon the size of the animal.

15.01.2022 Some lovely lamb and sheep photos - again, thanks to Cathryn.

15.01.2022 last night’s clouds were amazing and I snapped some pics at mums. There were great clouds again this morning but I didn’t have my camera with me.

15.01.2022 Anyone interested in some free-range pork? I hope you are all tucked up warmly on this almost Winter's night. The pigs all got a fresh bale of straw in their shelters the other day to keep them cozy as the temperatures drop (and, don't tell Jarrod, but I gave them a little extra ration of feed too). We have some English backpackers sitting out their isolation with us at the moment helping turn the pig paddocks into a bit more of an organised system as far as fencing goe...s. We're hoping this will enable us to move the pigs around the paddocks more regularly and also put the sheep in some of the paddocks when the pigs aren't there. (Because the grass that grows on that pig poo is AMAZING!) Anyways, we have a bit extra pork available at the moment so are, unusually, offering it for sale on a piece by piece basis rather than by the box. Think of it as a mid-year, post lockdown treat! It's all frozen but very fresh. You need to pick it up from Hillside Acres farm by arrangement. You can pay by cash or direct debit. First in basis. Cuts currently available are: Farmstead Block Bacon $30.00 / kilo English-style ham (block) $30.00 / kilo Pork tenderloin fillet $25.00 / kilo Asian-Style spare Ribs $23.00 / kilo Pork scotch fillet $20.00 / kilo Sausages - Chipolata (gluten free) $20.00 kilo Boned shoulder roast $15.00 / kilo Send me a message if you're interested in coming out.

13.01.2022 It’s wet! It’s really wet. Haven’t had a winter like it for years.

11.01.2022 Favourite fungi photos. What a year for fungus it has been.

10.01.2022 Covid is shining the spotlight on the fragility of the linear systems that we have come to rely on. In many countries, particularly in the US, the food system h...as been thrown into chaos. The industrial food system is inherently fragile. One missing link in the chain means the entire process grinds to a halt. There are alternatives. 70% of the world's food is produced by smallholders (5 acres or less) and distributed to their local communities. Where I live in Central Victoria, we have created a thriving food network similar to the food systems that existed worldwide before industrialisation changed the way we eat. In our world, if one element of the network fails, there are many more to pick up the slack. A network like this can respond to change. It can adapt. It has humans at its source, so a bad year for one small farm provides an opportunity for the community to help out. In a system of people and not corporations you will never see millions of litres of milk thrown away or abattoir workers being forced to work when they're sick. You will not see the overt disregard for animal rights and the destruction of planet, climate and indigenous lands. You will never see millions on tonnes of food rotting in the fields while supermarket prices rise. Creating resilient food networks is an exciting space, and many local councils, farmers and groups are bringing about positive and lasting change in this field. Check out what's going on in your area, find and meet your farmers, and plant food everywhere. #permacultureillustrator #foodsovereignty #viacampesina #coronakindness

10.01.2022 Free range pork packs available! We have what is likely to be our last pork boxes available for the year. We have had some challenges with breeding this year, along with the unexpected loss of one of our good sows, Evelyn, which means that we are unlikely to have any piglets ready until summer. If you're interested in a 10 or 20 kilos box box, message me and I'll send you details. $21 / kilo Thanks Cathryn for the photos!

09.01.2022 Trying hard to use regenerative farming practices to increase soil fertility and thus grass growth (rather than cape weed growth!) So, following soil tests and an ag consultation, here is 7 semi loads of Chook poo and litter being spread on the paddocks. I can smell it from my home office!

09.01.2022 Birds are hungry this cold but stunning winter’s morning.

09.01.2022 Dear All, I always feel a sense of relief to have the Winter Solstice behind me. It's not so much the cold weather that bothers me, but it's the long hours of darkness. (Although I have to say that not having to commute to Melbourne for work this winter (yet) has made it a little more bearable.) I made the effort last night to acknowledge the changing and set up a fire outside (as well as a fire bath) and I spent some time soaking in the hot water in the dark. No stars... unfortunately. The pigs seem to like this time of year because they love the mud. We try to keep dry shelters with straw for them, although at times finding a dry spot on the leaky granite soils can require a bit of work. We did lose one of our sows a few weeks ago and are now looking for a new pig or two to add to the breeding stock In other farm news, the sheep have all lambed now, and it's lovely to watch the lambs playing in the paddocks in the evenings. And, bizarrely, we have had a visiting pelican for the last few days on one of the farm dams. Now, onto the good stuff: We have lovely winter free range, ethically raised pork packs available. A few small changes to the cuts this time to take into consideration the cold weather and we're also doing both 10kilo and 20 kilos boxes. Cost will be $21/kg. $10 discount for the 20 kilo box! Pork will come in cuts that are cryovaced, weighed and labeled. The cuts will consist of: Short block bacon Smoked hock American ribs Boned and rolled shoulder (great for pulled pork or roasting) Legs of pork Pork belly Spare ribs Pork mince Pick up and payment arrangements The meat will be butchered in Bendigo at Central Vic Meats (associated with Top Meats, Castlemaine) and you will need to pick it up from there (or arrange for a refrigerated courier at an additional cost). We may be able to do some deliveries to Harcourt or Castlemaine if you will find it difficult to get to Bendigo during the current shut down - please let us know. Orders (including payment of $100 deposit by direct debit) please (Hillside Acres, Bank Australia, BSB 313 140, Account 1208 3545). Full payment will be required on pick up - payment to us, not the butcher. You'll be provided with a weight for your box and can then do a direct debit. Pick is anticipated to be 3rd and 4th of July. Looking forward to hearing from you. As usual, please feel free to pass this email on to friends and family as we'd love to get more people on our mailing list. (And if you would like to be removed from our email list, just let us know). Rebecca, Jarrod, Hunter and Archer 0427 722 286

09.01.2022 Sorry for us all in Victoria about today’s state of disaster news. But especially those In Melbourne. We will get through this!!

07.01.2022 Oh Jarrod, what now?

06.01.2022 Evening and morning on the farm

06.01.2022 Jarrod doesn’t much like the ‘Roos on our place and given the numbers are significant, I’m sure they have a massive impact on the pasture. So, he has been building ‘roo proof fences. Our back paddock is very steep but he (and the poor Wwoofers) clambered up and built this beauty.

06.01.2022 Cathryn our cheery English backpacker helps out with the lambs

05.01.2022 I post lots of sunsets but not so many sunrises. It was a cracker this morning!

04.01.2022 Some sunset photos

02.01.2022 How’s this for cute?

02.01.2022 What a trio of cuties! Happy piggies.

01.01.2022 Good and bad - sad to see the industry dwindl8ng but great to see the farmers markets having a positive impact

01.01.2022 'Ethical eaters' are on the rise - are you one of them? Watch the full story this Sunday on Landline on ABC TV