Since 1985! This year we celebrate 26 years of berry growing at Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm this year - and we're well started on our next 26 years!

This year we opened for PYO berries and Teahouse on 3rd December, 2011 and we had mountains of fruit from the go!

What a year it was! For the first time in many years we've HAD REAL RAIN!!!! for a couple of years in a row. So, the season has started with all our dams full and a good reserve in the soil.

In season the Berry farm is open every day except Christmas Day from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed their berries. Up to the New Year we saw quite a few pickers who were all getting buckets of berries!

Our Berry Report: (updated throughout the season).  We had a slow start early on last season with the cool wet weather, but this year the berries were early and they were full on! Last year we had good sunshine for much of the season, interspersed with good regular rains. It progressively warmed up, culminating in 42C towards the end of the season. Plenty of prime fruit ready for picking meant a steady flow of intrepid pickers got some excellent fruit regardless of the weather. This year it was cool, interspersed with sunny weather which has meant our strawberries are ripening sporadically, however all the other fruits have been prolific. The last 4 days has seen very high picker numbers so all the easy pick is gone. There is still some fruit still available inside the canes but you have to work harder now than earlier in the season - so look up and under!

Note: This year the Berry Farm and Cafe will close for public picking on Sunday 7th January at 4.00 pm. We need to start to pick for ourselves now, so we hope everyone who came through enjoyed their berries and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

• Raspberries - Lower fruit amounts as heavily picked. Still some more ripening though on the way to the end of the season.

• American Brambleberries-  Lower fruit amounts as heavily picked. Still some more ripening though on the way to the end of the season.

• Boysenberries - Lower fruit amounts as heavily picked. Still some more ripening though on the way to the end of the season.

• Youngberries -Lower fruit amounts as heavily picked. Still some more ripening though on the way to the end of the season.

• Marionberries Lower fruit amounts as heavily picked. Still some more ripening though on the way to the end of the season.

• Jostaberries (blackcurrant/gooseberry mix) - Good amounts of ripe fruit.

• Strawberries - Plenty of fruit, slow ripening though after the cold last week, so look for red. The last couple of sunny days has helped.

• NEW - Red and Black currants - Great crop of ripe red currants, blacks just ripening.

• NEW - White currants No picking -trial plot this year only.

• NEW - Gooseberries (nursery only). This bed has been expanded and recovered well from the feral pigs of 2 years ago. This year looks like the first year with real fruit volumes, some good ripe fruit picked and more coming.

• NEW - Loganberries -Little fruit now. Still some fruit coming but small amounts.

All our fruit has progressed brilliantly this season and fruit volumes are clearly up with the best years. In the last 4 weeks since opening we've seen the same amount go out as would normally go out by the end of a season,  so it has been a bumper year!

The vegetable plot that feeds the Teahouse is well under way now so the heritage tomatoes are progressing and the garlic, shallots etc are all now being harvested. Remember to have a look for our two Wollemi Pines when you visit!

This year look for the tasty new Daily Specials in the Teahouse! These are all made from our own farm produce to the extent possible, or sourced from reliable local growers with an "all natural" approach. Also our fresh picked peas are in now, with Golden Nugget and Bison potatoes. We started digging the Kipflers a week ago and these are now in. The garlic and shallots are available also. Plums are ripe and good amounts are available.

When you visit have a look for the new products - especially the raspberry and strawberry vinegars, which have been a big hit and the brand new Blackcurrant Relish - fantastic with a good tasty cheese! (note: limited supplies so get it while it's available). Also, the annual Raspberry Flower Honey is spectacular! Note we also only have a limited supply of this honey, so make sure you look for it before it goes.

*Watch this space for some gourmet events during this year - especially those for the "Friends of PRF". NOTE: This year we took part in an event on 5th March 2011 as part of the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival, along with some other members of the Otway Harvest Trail. This event for a wonderful 7-course lunch at Tardwarncoort in the old bluestone apple stores and cider press building was a huge success - 95 attendees had a stunning day in the grounds with beautiful weather and fantastic food and wines. The event featured many dishes and wines etc from the members of the Otways Harvest Trail (log on direct via the OHT link below) and the reports of the PRF dessert said "it was to die for!" (Geelong Advertiser).  Another event around the same time of year is currently being planned - watch this space!!

If you want some great ideas for things to do with raspberries, have a look at the Age Epicure of 28th December 2010. Also, look out for us in the "Australian Regional Food Guide" and "A Taste of the Great Ocean Road". We can also be seen in the September 2005 Edition of "Coast to Country", which has a great article on Birregurra and surrounding district (a couple of years old obviously but still a good description. Note a new edition is just about to be published). We were also highlighted in Australian Horticulture, October 2005 edition, with a special outline on our Jostaberries, which are becoming more and more popular! In fact you'll see our Jostaberries in the Diggers Catalogue again this year. Listen out for Jane Edmonson talking with Katrine about Gooseberries and Jostaberries or berries in general on 3AW Saturdays. 

*If you're looking for a great breakfast in Melbourne, try "Collins Quarter" at 86a Collins Street Melbourne - a truly higher class of all natural artisan made jams is being served there, exclusively from Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm!!

As always, you can also get Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm jams and preserves at the Birregurra General Store, the Barwon Downs Store and A Taste of the Region in Winchelsea as well as the Airy's Inlet Store as well as  Nourished near Ferguson.

Please note - we are still getting comment from customers regarding jams and preserves made under the label -Pennyroyal Farm/Otway Preserves.

These are NOT our products!

Pennyroyal Farm/Otway Preserve products are FACTORY made in Geelong.

Our Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm jams and preserves are all farm grown and made on the farm. Our jams are made from fruit from our own canes on the farm and have NO additives, including any kind of commercial pectin.  

When buying our products, look for labels with this logo to be sure of obtaining the right, best product!

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