Taste the best of the Otways in one place

Makers and growers from across the Otways will gather at the Colac Showgrounds on October 20 to celebrate the region’s bounty with hands-on fun for the whole family.The Otway Producers Festival will showcase the region’s excellent food, drink, flowers and fibre with a full program of activities and an indoor market with more than 40 local makers and growers – some of them selling direct to the public for the first time.

“There’ll be no shortage of delicious food and drink to try, and we’ll have hands-on fun for kids of all ages,” says Tom Dennis, president of the Otway Harvest Trail, the organisation behind the event.

One of the big drawcards will be a kids’ pasta recipe competition with a prize of $400 for the winner’s school and $100 for the young cook. Primary school students across the region are busy submitting their favourite quick and easy stove-top recipes using Otway Pasta Company Pasta.

“Bonus points will be given to recipes with plenty of fresh Otways produce,” says Steve Robinson, owner and chief pasta maker at the Otway Pasta Company.

“I’ll be cooking the winning recipe on the festival stage. I can’t wait to see what our young cooks come up with.”

The $2 entry fee includes an animal nursery and farm-themed face painting for the kids, plus maker demonstrations and an informative line-up of speakers on the festival stage.

Mr Dennis says the volunteers behind the Otway Harvest Trail want the festival to build community connections and remind locals of the world-class food, drink and fibre in their own back yard.

He says the stallholders would include winemakers, distillers, brewers and makers of ice cream, cheese, pasta, preserves and other tasty treats.

“We’ll have Timboon Fine Ice Cream churning fresh ice cream to taste, and Schulz Organic Dairy will be hand-churning butter,” Mr Dennis explains.

“In the activity tent, you can learn how to grow veggies and take home your own seedling.

“We’re lucky to live in such a productive region with good soil, rain and some seriously hard-working people on the land. Our region is home much-loved big brands like Bulla, Western Star and Australian Lamb, and this festival is a way to remind locals that smaller scale operators add so much depth and flavour to the place we call home.”

Local makers and growers will be interviewed on the festival stage by Colac-born food journalist and broadcaster Wendy Hargreaves (nee Busfield), who will find out the stories behind the produce and dive into topics ranging from how we farm through to future job prospects.

“There are so many delicious places to explore in the Otways,” says Mrs Hargreaves. “Every time I come home to Colac, there’s something new to discover.”

The Otway Producers Festival is on Sunday, October 20, from 9.30am to 3pm at the Colac Showgrounds.

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