Butchery & gardening in the spotlight

THE headline acts for this month’s South East Field Days are ABC gardening expert Sophie Thomson and butchery expert Alison Meagher with the duo looking forward to sharing their expertise.

Sophie’s passion for the environment and gardening was absorbed from her parents as she grew up around the family plant nursery in the Adelaide Hills.

When the business was sold in 1997 her passions and skills led her to an active role in the gardening media, doing talkback radio, television and writing.

As a consultant for a wide variety of South Australian gardens she has a strong focus on appropriate plant selection and encourages her clients to develop water-wise, climate compatible gardens that display colour and interest for twelve months of the year.

Sophie’s clients range from small home gardens to the gardens at Government House.

After almost 15 years on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia, she was thrilled when the show was recognised as the Best Lifestyle Program in Australia at the 2019 Logies.

She writes for Gardening Australia Magazine, Sunday Mail, the Weekender Herald and various other publications.

Sophie is also ABC Radio Adelaide’s Talkback Gardener on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Her book ‘Sophies Patch’ is a best seller and charts her journey at her property, Hamlyn Cottage.

An accomplished speaker, Sophie loves sharing her knowledge at gardening expos, community and lifestyle events, and conferences, and she is well known for her creation of incredible annual themed gardens at the Royal Adelaide Show.

Her skills at community engagement have been highlighted by her recent involvement in the Native Bee BNB Project which has seen the building of native bee hotels in eight councils along the River Torrens in Adelaide, and they are now being installed by other councils further afield.

Her 3-acre property in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills is shared with husband Richard, five children aged 18 and under and a menagerie of animals including two dogs, cats, geese, chooks and ducks.

Sophie has developed a sustainable organic garden at Hamlyn Cottage with a large vegie patch, more than 100 fruit trees and what she hopes one day will be a breathtaking, climate compatible, ornamental garden.

Sophie is patron of a number of organisations including the Duck Flat Community Garden, Friends of Waite Arboretum, Beekeepers’ Society of South Australia, the Cactus and Succulent Society of SA and Ambassador for Horticultural Therapy SA.

Alison Meagher is known professionally as Butcher Girl Alison, bringing with her more than 10 years of diverse industry experience worldwide, coupled with a lifelong involvement in cattle farming and beef production.

“While I didn’t grow up in a family of butchers, and my passion for the craft developing later in life, I want to use my knowledge and success to ensure the future of butchery is an inclusive and innovative space,” Alison said.

“I’ve been involved in the industry for over 20 years, and it all began with my Bachelor of Applied Science (Food Styling) from RMIT University Melbourne and starting a career in being a Home Economist with food styling and recipe creation for magazines and trade shows before social media was even a thing.”

Her passion and expertise has taken her to both the United States and the United Kingdom and it was post those trips that she locked into a career in butchery.

“The meat displays were pure magic, a feast for the eyes,” Alison said. “I soaked up every bit of knowledge and passion from the talented team and realised – this was my calling.

“Back in Australia, my mission was clear – retrain as a butcher! Without skipping a beat, I signed up for a course and aced my Certificate III in Meat Processing at the renowned William Angliss Institute.

“After perfecting my skills in a trendy Melbourne butcher shop, I jet-setted off to Shanghai, China, where I became the go-to guru for Australian Beef in Asia.

“It was a wild ride, educating and captivating consumers on the beauty of Aussie meat and its unique cuts. From slicing and dicing to storytelling, I relished showcasing the best of Aussie meat brands.”

Alison returned to Australia in 2019 and that is where Butcher Girl Alison was truly born.

“My mission is to educate, consult and train not just butchers, but consumers, industry specialists and everyone in between on all things meat, with a big emphasis on secondary cuts, revenue maximization and waste reduction,” she said.

“My next goal is to revive the art of butchery and bring it back to the world! I want to encourage more women to join this amazing industry and promote the idea of nose to tail eating while highlighting the value of long forgotten secondary cuts. It’s all about a sustainable, zero waste future!.”

Check out the SE Field Days program for sessions with Sophie and Alison.