We’re coaxing some of the Barn Market
makers, designers, artisans and creatives out of their studios and workspaces
to share their stories and the passions behind those objects we call handmade.
The name Backyard Bounty really conveys the joy
that Greg and Aimee have found in the backyard of their Newtown home and it’s a
kind of earthy, productive joy; the joy of fruit and vegies. With Aimee as head
gardener, they have turned their backyard into an incredibly productive piece of land and with the help of some
exceptional produce from a range of local growers it's assembled into delicious jars of joy or distributed to those who sign up to their vegie box service.
Hold a Backyard Bounty jar or
bottle up to the sunshine and you’ll see Aimee’s passion for gardening, and as
the lid comes off and the scents waft up you’ll taste how it all comes together with
Greg’s adventurous culinary spirit.
Greg, how did Backyard Bounty come to be?
I have always enjoyed cooking, and began experimenting with the idea of preserving about 3 or 4 years ago. I think one of the initial forays into preserving was a batch of Chinese style plum sauce, made very much on a trial-and-error basis with a bag of plums given to us by a neighbour who was a very keen gardener. Preserving seems to tap into an innate human sense of community; one tends to make more than one can use, and therefore it tends to be given to family, friends, etc. The other side of that is that family, friends then often seem to think of you when they have more lemons than they know what to do with, and an informal bartering network appears out of nowhere. The name and business concept of Backyard Bounty simply consolidated what was already happening: we were giving people an equivalent value of preserves for their home-grown produce, and as a result were ending up with huge amounts of preserves that needed a home.
We started selling the preserves in mid 2012, and since that time business has grown; at last count, over 3000 jars of Backyard Bounty have been sold!
In December 2013, Aimee had the bright idea of starting a vegie box scheme, which in a lot of ways has worked out to be the missing ingredient, as we are now able to accept a lot of home-grown produce that isn’t appropriate for preserving (e.g. leafy greens, potatoes) or is simply over-and-above what we need for meeting the demand for preserves, and share it with our vegie box subscribers.
What has challenged you the most with Backyard Bounty?
Two aspects of cooking that really appeal to me are creating exotic but grounded flavour combinations and experimenting with unfamiliar ingredients; this fitted naturally with the random consignments of home-grown, often heirloom produce that we receive, along with the produce that my wife (and now also business partner) Aimee was growing in our own backyard. Some ingredients lend themselves more easily to creating preserves- it took me a long time to create any pear products that I was happy with, for instance. With such a wide range of available products, another pressing challenge is to ensure that all the products in the range occupy their own space and aren't just variations on a theme. For instance, I make a standard raspberry jam (who doesn't love it!) but all other berry jams are combined with other flavours to give them their own identities, like combining blackberry with peach and gooseberry with elderflower.
What products bring you the most joy with your business?
Often the actual process of creating a new product is the most enjoyable phase, especially when I get it right. But there are some new products that bring joy every time I make them. Whether it be the smells they fill the house with or the simple tactile joy of prepping the fresh produce. I love the smell of a freshly ground spice mix hitting the oil and onions, or the smell of stone-fruits cooking down into jam. The lovely fragrance and smooth soft skin of meyer lemons, whether they're being rendered into a soft, silky lemon curd or stuffed with salt and jammed into jars to make preserved lemons, is always a pleasure.
Lately also, the creative process of working out what to cook with each week's vegie box, making sure that at least a few dishes are original and exciting enough to post as recipes for subscribers has been an inspiring task - although it could perhaps also belong in the challenges section too!
Is there anything you wish you could say to each person who stops by your stall at the market?
Everything that goes into a jar labelled Backyard Bounty is food; food that your grandparents would have recognised; food that nourishes; food that is not cynically manipulated to trick consumers into buying it. Each batch is tasted; each batch is slightly different from the last, true to the spirit rather than the recipe. Its real food; it speaks of the fruit and vegetables that went into it, where they were grown and by whom and reflects the hands, mind and mood of the maker.
If you want to eat the whole jar in the one go, feel free!
Is there a recipe that we should all be making this winter?
What says winter more than good roast potatoes, crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy and white on the inside!
Pre-heat oven to screamingly hot, par boil spuds (cut into appropriate sized bits) for 5-10 minutes.
While waiting heat a metal baking tray (metal not pyrex or ceramic) that has a thin layer of olive oil covering the bottom (or rendered duck fat if it's handy!).
Drain the spuds, shake them about a bit in the pot to rough up the outsides (don't over boil them or they'll fall apart here). Then take the tray out of the oven and dump the spuds (carefully) in the hot oil.
Back in the oven, as hot as it will go, til the potatoes are nicely browned (turn periodically), then pop them into a bowl with some absorbent paper. Toss to soak up excess oil, discard the paper and apply a generous amount of Backyard Bounty flavoured salt of your choice (especially Rosemary and Black Pepper).
What can we expect to see at the Barn Market in the future from Backyard Bounty?
In addition to the growing and seasonally changing menu of preserves, we will now be bringing a range of fresh home-grown produce (from our own garden and other growers'), plants and flowers, bringing our stall closer to the holistic vision of our business. We'll also be giving customers the chance to sign up for our hugely popular veggie boxes, bringing the best of local, chemical-free produce to your door.
Thanks Greg! You can find Greg and Aimee from Backyard Bounty at their regular stall at the Barn Market. Make sure you pop by to visit their stall at the next market on 31st May.
https://www.facebook.com/BackyardBounty
