Produce: Eggs, beef and wine.
Where: Romsey, Macedon Ranges Shire, Woiwurrung Country
Who: Paola Crofts
Paola, your eggs are very good.
Thank you. Tall Poppy Farm is about growing amazing pasture to feed the cattle and the chickens. That rich, fertile pasture and the cover crops mean the animals are always in the best of health. We don’t need vets. The chickens are free to graze on the pasture, and we don’t feed them soy. They are looked after day and night by very protective Maremma dogs. Their egg yolks are beautifully coloured from the beta-carotene in the grass they eat, and the whites are very firm.
And the beef?
I raise Dexters. These are small beef cattle originally from Ireland. They have a good temperament and marble beautifully. We turn them off between 18 and 24 months and dry-age the carcasses for tenderness and flavour.
There are so many trees on your farm.
Cattle are healthier and happier with shade. We’ve planted apple, walnut, and pear trees. The cattle feed on the windfall fruit in late summer and eat the leaves in autumn.
And your husband Andrew makes wine?
It’s delicious. He grows grapes and makes wine here under the Red Poppy Estate label. At our cellar door, we sell our pét-nat, sparkling shiraz, sparkling white, and Heathcote shiraz. Buy online or come and see us at 255 Kerrie Road, Romsey, on Sundays from noon to 4pm.
Where can we get your eggs and beef?
The eggs are available at Whisked at the Prahran Market, Clay Health & Organics in Carlton North, Wild Things Food in Fitzroy North, Rhubarb Rhubarb Organics at Preston Market, and Blackburn Organic Fruit Hut. The beef is sold in packs from 10kg to a whole beast. I sell direct to the public and deliver the boxes to distribution nodes in metro Melbourne. Email me at tallpoppyfarm@gmail.com or visit the website.