2019 marks the 40 year anniversary of so many memorable milestones for Maggie. It is 40 years since Maggie and Colin started the Farmshop on the Pheasant Farm in the Barossa Valley, and 40 years that Maggie has been producing her well known favourites; Pheasant Farm Pate and Quince Paste and almost 40 years since the first Verjuice.

There are so many stories within the story that we would like to share with you, so let’s have Maggie take us back to the beginning……

"In 1979, the Farmshop was born, from which we sold our pheasants, guinea fowl and quail for people to cook at home with typewritten sheets of ideas and recipes from me.

I would also roast pheasant and quail; pickle quail eggs; make pate and terrines using every bit of produce we grew and that of our neighbours; always with the Barossa ethos of wasting nothing.

Customers would sit outside on benches and ‘picnic’ on what I’d prepared. That was the beginning and all because I loved to cook and was passionate about exploring the produce I had to hand always learning always experimenting to make the most of everything we farmed.

It never mattered to me that I had no training I had found what I loved to do. We were paddock to plate before the term had been coined and I had that direct access to every one of my customers who would sit out on the decking and picnic."

Maggie and her team will be hosting informal celebrations held at the Farmshop on Sunday May 12th, 11am-3pm. A time for reminiscing and sharing with family and fans.