Fest enters 19th year of celebrating spuds

FROM the Red Foo to the Royal Blue, there are a huge range of potatoes that grow on the Dunn family farm at North Blackwood.

Louisa Dunn cannot wait to share all that she knows and loves about them – and how best to bring out their flavours – at the Great Trentham Spudfest over Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May.

“I really enjoy just being able to explain to people that there are more than just two types of potato,” Dunn said ahead of the festival.

“We’re growing 25 different varieties here with no pesticides or herbicides and Spudfest marks the start of our harvest season.

“Some of the most striking varieties we grow here are the Purple Congo and the Crimson Pearl which is magenta, and the Red Foo, the Sapphire which is deep purple with white marbling, the Cranberry Red which is great for making pink mashed potato that I can actually get my three-year-old daughter to eat.

“The soil here is phenomenal. You get these amazing flavours from the earth and that’s what makes us unique.”

The Dunn family have been growing potatoes and livestock in the area since the 1800s and today the farm grows at least 25 different varieties of spud, all of which will be at their stall over both days of Spudfest.

The annual community-led festival celebrates the area’s proud potato-growing heritage bringing together local growers, artisans, musicians and food producers for a weekend that attracts more than 10,000 visitors annually.

Now entering its 19th year, Spudfest honours a farming tradition dating back to the 1860s when the region’s deep red volcanic soils first proved ideal for growing exceptional potatoes.

Festival coordinator Brooke Limmer said Spudfest has always been about honouring what makes the Trentham area special.

“Spudfest is about our growers, our landscape, and the people who call this place home,” Limmer said.

She said Spudfest Saturday will feature a vibrant street fair with spud-inspired food, fresh regional produce, a local makers’ market, live music and the Spud Olympics.

“Sunday is about discovery and connection,” Limmer said. “It’s the perfect way to wrap up the weekend, whether that’s meeting a local grower, uncovering local history, or simply enjoying great food in a beautiful setting.”