Last week, we invited 7 lovely guests to join us for an immersive farm experience on our NSW Jojoba farm. This was an opportunity for our guests to discover the farm, as well as support the local Griffith community by digging into local eats and wine.
The day was filled with delicious food, gorgeous views and an interactive planting experience on the farm, alongside Co-Founder Vicki Engsall and our Farm Manager Tavis.
Our guests were flown into Griffith and arrived to Beresford Farm at 10am, greeted by Co-Founder Vicki Engsall and Farm Manager Tavis.
Led into the nursery, our guests saw where our "baby" Jojoba crops are held.
With the expertise of our Farm Manager and Soil Expert Tavis Kleinsasser, the group learnt about what makes a successful crop, what the lifecycle of our Jojoba plant looks like and how our Jojoba differs from the rest.
Each guest had the opportunity to pick their own individual Jojoba seedling, which they would later plant on our farm.
Then the guests were driven to the location of our tall, mature Jojoba crops.
They snacked on fresh fruit, cold-pressed juices and delicious cream-filled cannolis (from Vicki's local Griffith favourite, Bertoldo's Pasticceria) as they enjoyed the view of the long harvest rows and picturesque mountain backdrop.
This was another chance for Tavis to answer our guests' many questions about the mature crops.
They learnt about the male and female variation of Jojoba and which one does most of the heavy lifting (hint, it's the female variation - the Wadi Wadi), how long Jojoba crops take to mature and become ready for harvest and how many beans make up a 85ml bottle of our Australian Jojoba (it's roughly 373 beans!)
But the connection to our products was truly felt when our guests got to see and touch real Jojoba beans for the first time. It's not often you get to experience first-hand the ingredients that make up your favourite skincare products!
Part of the experience was a Jojoba planting. This allowed guests to contribute and leave their own legacy on our Beresford Farm, with their own labelled plant left to flourish.
Guests originally chose what Jojoba they'd like to plant in the nursery, so all that was left to do was to get down and dirty! They each had a trowel and gloves, but Tavis helped the girls where he could. After all, they were dressed impeccably - it would be a shame to see it go to waste!
With an individual name tag given to each guest and tied to their plant, they'll be able to check on the progress of their crop.
For lunch, we enjoyed a delicious 3-course menu at Piccolo Family Farm, curated by Michelin star chef, Luke Piccolo.
Also an owner of local Griffith restaurant Limone Dining, Luke Piccolo's 'Piccolo Family Farm' is an ode to their family's approach to produce, culture, heritage, storytelling, and homegrown Riverina hospitality.
The curated menu featured fresh local produce, as well as many of the fresh ingredients sustainably grown on the farm itself, including citrus, fruits, vegetables and herbs. A highlight on the menu was the 'Aquna' Murray Cod, which was sourced directly from the Murray Darling.
With their own vineyard also on the farm, guests were given the chance to taste Luke Piccolo's own brand of wines, Lilias - named after the wife of the historical owner of the farm, Hugh Gilmore Maegraith.
We thank everyone who joined us for such a lovely day on the farm. We also thank Luke Piccolo and his family for treating us to such an amazing food and wine experience at the Piccolo Family Farm.
