Kicking off from as early as 8.30am today, the trail includes more than 14 local business and farm gates spanning from Muswellbrook, as far north as Arding, south of Armidale. 

About 60 local residents and visitors have signed on to visit Malcolm Rose at Peel Valley Milk as part of the trail.

Earlier this week Mr Rose said he was “very surprised” by the amount of interest, admitting he didn’t think he would get anyone interested in watching the cow milking process. 

Also looking forward to the trail are Warren and Bronwyn Yeomans, who operate the Greenhill Orchard at Arding. 

Mr and Mrs Yeomans, sixth- generation growers, will showcase their produce – several varieties of apples and pears – between 8.30am and 5pm today. 

The orchard was established in 1865 and is located halfway between Uralla and Armidale. 

Greenhill also produces peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums and cherries .

On show at the orchard will be a replica of the world’s biggest pear, which was grown on the farm and featured in the Guinness World Records.

The trail covers a vast range of produce – everything from trout to olives and orchards full of any fruit imaginable. 

The trail this weekend is accompanied by other Taste events, the Long Late Lunch in Bicentennial Park and the Kootingal Pumpkin Festival in the Kootingal Sportsground, today and tomorrow.

More than 200 tickets have been sold for the Long Late Lunch, which consists of a five-course meal made from regional produce and accompanied by regional beer and wines.

Farm Gate Trail profiles

n Arc-en-Ciel Trout Farm

– Hanging Rock

Open Sunday 10am - 4pm

Owned and managed by Russell 

Sydenham and his son Roger for the past seven years. The family business commenced operation some 30 years ago and the Sydenhams have a adopted a number of the original techniques used when the farm was established. Arc-en-Ciel supply 10 per cent of NSW’s total trout supply and also supply to a number of restaurants, independent supermarkets, delis and a selected number of farmers’ markets. 

n Quast Turkeys 

Colin Quast – Kootingal 

Open Saturday 9am - 11am

Locally run by third-generation turkey farmers, Quast Turkeys has been in operation for some 63 years. The Quast Turkey farm is the oldest in Australia and their operation is unique in that the farm breeds, hatches, grows, processes and markets all their own turkeys. They market their turkeys Australia-wide to wholesalers, retailers and operate their own retail store during December for the Christmas rush. 

n New England Cheese

Lia and John Christensen

– Nowendoc

Open Saturday and Sunday 

10am - 4pm

New England Cheese is located at Nowendoc and has been trading for just over 12 months. The operation was established by Lia and John Christensen three years ago and between them, the couple have more than 25 years’ experience in cheese-making, working with sheep, goats and cows’ milks. The Christensens process both goat milk and jersey cow milk into a unique range of milks, yoghurts, butters, creams, soft-ripened cheeses and feta. They also produce pies, meat and soap. 

n Belwood Grove

John Attwood and Barbara Levick

– Loomberah

Open Saturday 10am - noon

John and Barbara planted their first olive trees in 1998, and purchased the Enorossi – an Italian mat press system – in 2003.  The Enorossi is one of the most traditional methods of oil extraction with the olives layered on mats and hydraulics, pressurised to produce oil. Belwood Grove olive oil is pressed on site to reduce the amount of time it takes to get the fruit from the tree and into a storage drum.

n Sunhill Dairy Goats

Corinne Annetts and Richard Downes,

– Uralla

Open Saturday and Sunday 11am - 6pm

Corinne and Richard have been working their goat stud since 2005 and started their goats’ milk skin care business, 

Sunhill Skin Essentials in 2010. They are the first generation to own and operate their farm having originally grown up in Sydney. Sunhill Dairy Goats aims to be sustainable by working the property in maintaining good soil health through good mineral management and natural resources. 

Sunhill is in negotiation with China, the Netherlands, France and Japan to export and sell their products online. 

n Koolkuna Berries

Niangala

Open Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm

n Le Pruneau organic markets

Tamworth

Open Saturday 7.30am - 11am

n Australian Bush Honey

Nemingha

Open Saturday 9am - 11am

n Barraba markets

Open Saturday 9am - noon

n Banalasta

Bendemeer

Open Saturday and Sunday 9am - 4pm

n Greenhill Orchard

Arding

Open Saturday 8.30am - 5pm

n New England Brewing Co

Uralla

Open 11am - 6pm

n Eastview Estate

Kentucky

Open Saturday and Sunday Midday - 4pm

n Hunterbelle Cheese

Muswellbrook

Open Saturday and Sunday 9am - 4pm

n Arc-en-Ciel Trout Farm

– Hanging Rock

Open Sunday 10am - 4pm

Owned and managed by Russell 

Sydenham and his son Roger for the past seven years. The family business commenced operation some 30 years ago and the Sydenhams have a adopted a number of the original techniques used when the farm was established. Arc-en-Ciel supply 10 per cent of NSW’s total trout supply and also supply to a number of restaurants, independent supermarkets, delis and a selected number of farmers’ markets. 

n Quast Turkeys 

Colin Quast – Kootingal 

Open Saturday 9am - 11am

Locally run by third-generation turkey farmers, Quast Turkeys has been in operation for some 63 years. The Quast Turkey farm is the oldest in Australia and their operation is unique in that the farm breeds, hatches, grows, processes and markets all their own turkeys. They market their turkeys Australia-wide to wholesalers, retailers and operate their own retail store during December for the Christmas rush. 

n New England Cheese

Lia and John Christensen

– Nowendoc

Open Saturday and Sunday 

10am - 4pm

New England Cheese is located at Nowendoc and has been trading for just over 12 months. The operation was established by Lia and John Christensen three years ago and between them, the couple have more than 25 years’ experience in cheese-making, working with sheep, goats and cows’ milks. The Christensens process both goat milk and jersey cow milk into a unique range of milks, yoghurts, butters, creams, soft-ripened cheeses and feta. They also produce pies, meat and soap. 

n Belwood Grove

John Attwood and Barbara Levick

– Loomberah

Open Saturday 10am - noon

John and Barbara planted their first olive trees in 1998, and purchased the Enorossi – an Italian mat press system – in 2003.  The Enorossi is one of the most traditional methods of oil extraction with the olives layered on mats and hydraulics, pressurised to produce oil. Belwood Grove olive oil is pressed on site to reduce the amount of time it takes to get the fruit from the tree and into a storage drum.

n Sunhill Dairy Goats

Corinne Annetts and Richard Downes,

– Uralla

Open Saturday and Sunday 11am - 6pm

Corinne and Richard have been working their goat stud since 2005 and started their goats’ milk skin care business, 

Sunhill Skin Essentials in 2010. They are the first generation to own and operate their farm having originally grown up in Sydney. Sunhill Dairy Goats aims to be sustainable by working the property in maintaining good soil health through good mineral management and natural resources. 

Sunhill is in negotiation with China, the Netherlands, France and Japan to export and sell their products online. 

n Koolkuna Berries

Niangala

Open Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm

n Le Pruneau organic markets

Tamworth

Open Saturday 7.30am - 11am

n Australian Bush Honey

Nemingha

Open Saturday 9am - 11am

n Barraba markets

Open Saturday 9am - noon

n Banalasta

Bendemeer

Open Saturday and Sunday 9am - 4pm

n Greenhill Orchard

Arding

Open Saturday 8.30am - 5pm

n New England Brewing Co

Uralla

Open 11am - 6pm

n Eastview Estate

Kentucky

Open Saturday and Sunday Midday - 4pm

n Hunterbelle Cheese

Muswellbrook

Open Saturday and Sunday 9am - 4pm