Fern & Gum Tree Planting with SOLN - Friday 22 July 2022

Photo Credit: Georgie Mann Photography ‘Otways’

So thrilled to share that this Friday, 22nd of July, we’ll be participating in our first tree planting day with the Southern Otway Landcare Network (SOLN) - planting trees we’ve funded through all your incredible gifts to family & friends!!!

In this session well be planting over 700 native trees, shrubs and understory with the help of SOLN and their volunteers.

It’s an honour to be planting trees in the Otway’s on your behalf, but you’re also welcome to join us!

If you’d like to participate in our first ever Fern & Gum tree planting we will be meeting at the corner of McLachlan and Gambier St, (the start of Barham River Rd) Apollo Bay this Friday 22 July at 10am.

A sausage sizzle lunch will also be provided from 1pm so please RSVP for catering purposes to caroline@fernandgum.com.au

You will need to bring gloves, sturdy shoes and wear long pants. Tree planters will be provided.

We look forward to seeing anyone who’d like to join us and sharing some images of the great day!

Win a Fern & Gum gift hamper for a fabulous woman in your life!

Celebrate International Women’s Day with a shout out to a favourite woman in your life and you could WIN a Fern & Gum Otway’s Good Deeds Hamper, valued at $125, to send to her!

Plus as a bonus for being a fab friend, we’ll also send one to you too!

To enter simply tag a special woman either our Instagram or Facebook competition posts & share the post!

Visit Fern & Gum on Facebook or Instagram now!

#goodluck!

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1.    The “Fern & Gum International Women’s Day competition” commences 7am Tuesday 8 March 2022 and concludes 4pm Wednesday 16 March 2022 across both Fern & Gum’s Facebook & Instagram accounts.

2.    Entries can be made on Fern & Gum’s Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

4.    Each separate Comment & genuine Tag entitles the participant to one entry.

5.    Entries are unlimited, as long as each Tag is a different “person/friend”.

6.    The winner will be announced at 8pm Wednesday 16 March 2022 via our Facebook & Instagram pages.

7.    The winner will be notified on Instagram or Facebook Messenger and can choose to have both prize hampers delivered to one or two separate addresses.

8.    The Otway Good Deeds hamper is valued at $125.00 per hamper plus postage.

9.    Total prize value is $250.00 plus postage

10.   You must be 18 years or older to enter.

11.   Prize delivery will be within Australia only.

12.  The competition winner will be randomly drawn, by combining the export of comments from both the Facebook Post & Instagram posts, numbering in time order, and using a random number calculator, based on the number of entries.

13.  There will be only one winner. If Fern & Gum fail to contact the winner within 30 days of the draw, there will be a re-draw and a new winner announced. Failing this the competition will cease.

Good luck & share some #otwaylove!

For further enquires please contact Caroline on 0422 234 551 or email caroline@fernandgum.com.au

Explore the Otway Harvest Trail this Summer

Are you thinking of visiting the Otway’s this summer? If so you must visit the Otway Harvest Trail website to help plan your stay.

The website has some great itinerary suggestions and in-depth details of many Otway food producers, accommodation providers and highlights some great things to do and places to explore.

You can also pick up a hard copy brochure in many of the great stores across the region, including our local, The Store, Deans Marsh.

Eat, Drink, Stay, Explore this summer in the Otways!

Happy touring!

Platypi Chocolate x Timboon Whisky = YUM!

Have you tried Platypi Chocolate’s Timboon Whisky combination - Whisky Fig Fudge?

When creating these squares of pure pleasure, figs and fudge seemed the perfect marriage for head chocolatier Mandy. But how do they get the depth of flavour?

Mandy and her team at Platypi Chocolate, soak figs in Timboon’s delicious whisky for a week to fully infuse the flavour before folding them through a creamy chocolate fudge. They then tuck them inside Belgian milk chocolate to create a delicious textured treat. Resulting in decadent fudge squares that are chunky and rich.

Platypi Chocolate always aims to excite all of your senses in one experience, so in addition to their large range of artisan chocolates, they offer a seasonal country lunch menu in serene Otway bush scenery accompanied by fresh, crisp air and bird song.

Located in Forrest on the road to Apollo Bay and the Great Ocean Road, Platypi Chocolate is a great place to break up a trip, finish a bush walk or ride or start a leisurely day of driving in the Otways.

Currently open from 10am - 3pm for takeaway and outdoor dining, they have lots of seating and there are so many lovely places to sit and enjoy lunch close by if their tables are full. Why not plan to stop in on your next trip to the Otways.

Like the sound of the Whisky Fig Fudge? Get in touch to add these chocolate delights to any one of our Fern & Gum gift boxes.

Otway Pantry Yo Yo's are here...

Sharron from the Otway Pantry specialises in authentic hand-baked goods, and we’re excited to now have her delicious Yo Yo’s as part of the Fern & Gum family.

For 20 years Sharron has run holiday accommodation in Apollo Bay and after unsuccessfully searching for delicious handmade treats to give her guests, she thought why not make them herself…and so The Otway Panty was born.

Sharron’s goal was simple....create homemade-style baked treats just like you'd find Mum and Grandma making!  

With a focus on small batches and authentic flavour, we’ve enjoyed getting to sample her delicious recipe, as no doubt will anyone receiving them in their Fern & Gum gift hamper!

Give a Hamper | Plant a Tree in the Otways!

We’re so thrilled to say that for every Fern & Gum gift hamper you send, you will now also be planting a tree in the Otways, so that the beautiful environment we work and play in can be kept safe, and flourish for generations ahead.

A tree planted anywhere on earth is fantastic, but in order to ensure we’re investing in our backyard we’ve teamed up with Southern Otway Landcare Network (SOLN) based in Apollo Bay, who will cultivate the seedlings, and manage the plantings as the vegetation grows across the Otway region.

SOLN is an umbrella organisation that unifies five Landcare groups extending from Wye River in the east to Johanna in the west. They are transparently and efficiently governed by a volunteer Committee of Management who provide strategic and operational direction to our team of skilled, professional staff, supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning.

$3 from each hamper sold within 6 month period will be transferred bi-annually to SOLN and we look forward to being there to join in the plantings at these times and sharing the re-vegetation projects as they happen!

Looking for more information - visit https://soln.org/ or give us a call 0422 234 551 or email caroline@fernandgum.com.au

Christmas Pudding Icecream - it’s ridiculously good!

Whether you’re a lover of Christmas Pudding or not, you won’t be able to resist this delicious Christmas Pudding Icecream… and The Otway Kitchen mini Christmas pudding is the perfect size and flavour for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks

• 100g caster sugar

• 175g leftover Christmas pudding - ideally The Otway Kitchen Mini Pud!

• 2-3 tbsp brandy

• 300ml Bulla double cream - another Australian business who calls the Otway’s home!

Method

Step One

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar with an electric whisk for 10 mins until pale and thick. Break up the Christmas pudding with a fork and stir it into the egg mixture so it is evenly distributed, then pour in the brandy and mix again.

Step Two

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold it into the mixture with a large metal spoon. Pour into a freezer-proof container, cover well and freeze for several hours until set.

Step Three

Divide and share…. or if you keep it all for yourself… #nojudgement!

We adapted this recipe and image from BBC Good Food.

Why showing appreciation is important in the workplace

How good does it feel when someone tells you what a great job you’ve done, or even shows you how much they value what you’ve been doing with simple gift.

Appreciation in the workplace can be as simple as saying “thank you” for a job well done or for completing a project quickly.

Showing how much someone is valued in the workplace plays a key role in creating a positive organisational culture and strengthening employee-leader relationships.

Many studies have revealed that appreciation is one of the proven methods to motivate employees, make them more productive, and committed to their jobs.

But what are the benefits of showing appreciation in the workplace?

Benefits in the workplace include:

1. Improving productivity.
   When employees know their hard work is appreciated and recognised, they feel that their work is valued. And this motivates them to maintain and improve their great performance.

2. Improving workplace morale.
   Showing appreciation to an employee creates a ripple effect in the workplace. An employee who feels appreciated is highly likely to show appreciation to their co-workers and other team members.

3. Keeping employees engaged. In addition to improving productivity, showing appreciation in the workplace also increases employee engagement and dedication.

4. Buildingstaff loyalty.
   The Robert Half study show 66% of employees leave their job because of a lack of appreciation.

Leading expert on workplace happiness, Dr. Christine Carter states, “Fostering positive emotions through gratitude is easy and powerful. The science on this is blazingly clear. There are loads of research studies that show how much higher functioning people are when they feel appreciated by their teams and their manager.”

How to give appreciation

Appreciation should be a daily event, simply by giving positive feedback and thanks for good ongoing work. Appreciation can be shown to the whole team and this helps build engagement and a culture that everyone wants to be part of.

Christmas provides a perfect time to kick start your new appreciation focus, and to help remind staff how much you value their work. An elegant and thoughtful gift box, that contains a range of delicious Otway festive goodies will no doubt make them feel like you reall care, (rather than a frozen turkey or ham) and reinvigorate them for their work aheaad 2021.

To learn more about making your staff happy visit https://www.roberthalf.com.au/ and https://corporatecommunicationexperts.com.au

Thinking of sending a Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hamper
To order a gift that will make your staff feel truly valued, while supporting small business across the Otways, give Fern & Gum a call today.

Image: Fauxels from Pexels

WIN A HAMPER FOR YOU AND A FRIEND

We’re excited to launch our first Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hamper competition!

We’re all in need of a little comfort right now, so we’re giving you the chance to WIN 2 Fern & Gum Hampers - 1 FOR YOU & 1 FOR A FRIEND!!

Jump on to Facebook or Instagram to enter today!

FERN & GUM SEND TO A FRIEND COMPETITION

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. The “Fern & Gum Send to A Friend Competition” commences 6 pm Friday 20 March and concludes 6 pm Sunday 29 March across both Fern & Gum’s Facebook & Instagram accounts.

2. Entries can be made on Fern & Gum’s Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

3. To enter you must comment on which F&G Hamper you’d most like to receive – “Good Morning” “A Little Pick Me Up” or “Otway Goodies” & Tag a friend at the same time

4. Each separate Comment & Tag entitles the participant to one entry.

5. Entries are unlimited, as long as each Tag is a different “friend” / contact.

6. The winner will be announced at 8 pm Sunday 29 March on our Facebook & Instagram pages.

7. The winner will be notified on Instagram or Facebook Messenger and can choose to have both prize hampers delivered to one or two separate addresses.

8. The hampers are valued individually - A Little Pick Me Up, $85.00, Good Morning, $95.00 or Otway Goodies $85.00

9. Total prize value will be between $190.00 and $210.00

10. You must be 18 years or older to enter

11. Prize delivery will be within Australia only.

12. The competition winner will be randomly drawn at 8PM Sunday 29 March 2020.

13. There will be only one winner. If Fern & Gum fail to contact the winner within 30 days of the draw, there will be a re-draw and a new winner announced. Failing this the competition will cease.

    If you have any questions or queries regarding our Send to a Friend competition please don’t hesitate to contact us.

    Good Luck!

    #otwaylove

    Luke & Caroline

Come and explore the Otways at Yeodene Trees Adventure

Recently we had a family day where we descended into a forest of fern and gum to discover Trees Adventure, Yeodene. Australia's #1 Tree Ropes & Ziplining Experience.

Since opening their flagship park in Victoria in 2010, Trees Adventure has seen over 700,000 visitors clamber through the treetops around Australia, and this time it was our girls turn!

Each 2.5-hour sessions offers 360º views of the native bushlands and forests, while you feel the thrill of wobbling, crawling, balancing and flying from one tree to the next, between 2m to 25m above the ground! Let’s just say the girls started at the 2m course but were eager to clamber higher by the end of their 4th go… they’ll just have to wait until they are 8 to move on to the next course.

With a lovely shaded picnic area, welcoming staff and picturesque scenery, the facilities were great - just remember to go to the loo at the carpark before you head down to the treetops.

Open to adventurers from 4yrs and up it also offers free entry for spectators. As we now have two little people keen to get back and do it all again, we definitely recommend it as something to put on your list when exploring the Otways.

Find out more about Trees Adventure here.

You’re invited to “Band Together Colac”

Not only is the town of Colac one of the gateways to the Otways, but it is also home to an incredible dance and theatre company, Red Door.

Red Door gives students and young people the skills and knowledge to excel in the three components of musical theatre, singing, acting and dancing. Run by Zoe Hedgell and a dedicated and passionate team of locals, this dance school is a pillar of the Colac community.

The Red Door Team are again showcasing their generosity and community spirit by organising a bushfire fundraising concert on Sunday 19th January at the Colac Lake Foreshore - Band Together Colac.

Starting at 4.30pm, you’re invited to bring a picnic and your dancing shoes and enjoy the star power of Taylor Henderson, the Mik Maks and the many talents of Red Door and other Otway performers.

Plus you can also bid on an auction items or two, including a Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hamper!

We look forward to seeing you there! But don’t worry if you can’t make it, you can still show your support by donating to the Australian Red Cross via the Band Together Colac’s gofundme page here. They’ve already raised $10,000 for the bushfire appeal and are hoping to get to their target of $20,000 by Sunday!

For full details Follow Band Together Colac on Facebook or check out the full line up below…

Cool off with an indulgent ShortHive Espresso Honey Iced Coffee

Have you tried ShortHive’s Espresso Honey?

Ingredients:

• ShortHive Espresso Honey

• Ice

• Shot of espresso

• Milk

• Ice-cream (we used coconut ice cream)

Directions: 

• Drizzle Espresso Honey all over the inside of your favourite glass

• Add some ice

• Pour a shot of espresso over the ice

• Fill up with milk 

• Add ice cream

• Top with more ShortHive Espresso Honey

Grab a long spoon, sit back and simply enjoy this decadent treat! 

Send the joy of ShortHive Espresso Honey in our Good Morning and Sweet Celebration hampers, or find more ShortHive honey recipes & pairing ideas here.

Need help remembering birthdays? We're here to help!

Be an organised gift giver in 2020

If you’re anything like us, birthdays have an uncanny way of sneaking up on you, even though you make a New Years resolution every year to be more organised!

Thankfully we have some helpful tips on how to better remember birthdays. It may take some time but the effort is worth the reward. Everyone will appreciate that you took the time to remember them, and it will save you the stress of writing belated cards or feeling that horrible guilt for not having a present ready in time!

Six helpful tips to get you organised for birthdays in 2020:

#1 Add birthday’s to your phone calendar

By doing this, you can set reminders for the days leading up to that special someone’s birthday. With a few days notice you can easily jump online and send a gift with time up your sleeve!

#2 Add Birthday’s to your wall or desk calendar

When you look at your calendar for the week/month, seeing someone’s name next to a certain day of the week will help you remember for the entire week/month.  

#3 Make a Family Birthday Board

This is a great idea to help not only kids remember a birthday, but parents too! You can keep this in your home so that each month, you know who has birthdays, and when. 

 #4 Use Calendar Landmarks

Knowing that your friend’s birthday is near Christmas is a good start! Knowing it is before Christmas is even better! Using big holidays as a timeline can help alleviate birthday forgetfulness. We’re fortunate our daughter’s birthday is the day before our wedding anniversary - it’s the perfect reminder every year!  

 #5 Break the Year into Seasons

Associating someone with a season breaks the year up into segments and can create a smaller timeline if focusing on the entire year is too difficult. Knowing someone has a birthday in July can help you prepare with enough time as early as June.

#6 Pre-order your gift hamper & let us know what day you want it sent

And last but not least, take the stress out shopping and leave sending a gift up to us! Just choose the perfect gift hamper for your loved one, and at checkout, simply put the date you would like the parcel delivered in the notes field. This way you’ve got it all wrapped up completely in advance! Don’t forget we’re happy to customise your order so it perfectly suits your recipient - just email us at caroline@fernandgum.com.au

So with all these handy tips, we hope you’re feeling positive about getting organised for the year of birthdays ahead and we look forward to helping you celebrate special times in 2020!

Artisan Recipe from the Otway Pasta Company

Free range, handmade Torchio is delicious with any sauce, but this creamy mushroom is one of our family faves!

As we meet more and more incredible artisans across the Otway region, we are not only discovering their delicious Otway products but also uncovering their personal recipes, which use simple quality ingredients, and where possible sourced from the Otways… it’s a win-win for everyone!

Otway Pasta Company’s
Torchio Creamy Mushroom

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1pkt Otway Pasta Company Dried Torchio

• 375g 1 clove Garlic (finely chopped)

• ½ tsp Dried thyme

• 250g Button mushrooms

• 50g Cream 2 tbs Parsley (finely chopped)

• 20g Parmesan (grated)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Put a large pot of water on to boil and fry pan on medium heat Once water is boiling add dried Torchio, set timer for approximately 9 mins Add oil to the frypan and add garlic and thyme. Gently cook for 1 min. Add the mushrooms and about ½ cup of the pasta water. Cook mushrooms on medium-high heat until most of the liquid is evaporated off. When Torchio is cooked, drain and add to the frypan. Combine the Torchio with the mushroom sauce. Once combined turn off the heat and let rest for a minute or so. Add the parmesan, cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Visit Otway Pasta Company’s recipe page for more great recipes from Steve and his team!
Happy cooking!

Christmas Hampers & Deliveries

Celebrate the festive season in style with a unique Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hamper

Can you believe it is that time of year already! As a new business November has just disappeared, as has the rest of the year for that matter, and we’re sure you’re feeling the same way!

Rest assured your Christmas presents can be sorted in a few easy clicks with our range of Christmas gift hampers starting from $75.00.

And if your thinking your friend or family member isn’t a lover of traditional mice tarts or Christmas pudding, then we’ve got them sorted too - our full range includes breakfast gifts, dinner boxes, sweet treats, a unique gift for him and gifts for her which include gorgeous body lotions, candles and soaps starting from $65.00. And as you know, we’re proud that all the products included in our hampers are of the highest of quality, directly sourced from local Otway Artisans. A Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hamper is truly a one of a kind gift!

As any new business owner will understand, the hardest part is judging demand, so to ensure you have your gift ready when you want it, we are suggesting that you PRE-ORDER your hamper by this SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER. You can then choose to have it sent immediately or with the Christmas post on 16 December, which will ensure pre-Christmas delivery.

And if you’re still in denial that Christmas is less than three weeks away, we will have Christmas hampers available up to Christmas until sold out.

Pick up orders will be available until 23 December 2019. Any orders between 23 December 2019 and 1 January will be posted on the 2nd January 2020.

And don’t forget to get in touch if you have any questions, queries or are looking for a few customised gifts…

We look forward to hearing from you… happy gifting and #otwaylove

Explore the Otways - Action Packed Forrest

Can you spot a platypus? You might when you explore the stunning Lake Elizabeth, just out of Forrest.

We’re lucky enough to explore the Otways on a daily basis. Whether we’re driving to pick up and drop off kids, enjoy time at the beach, a horseback ride through our farm’s surrounding bushlands, or of course, now also collecting hamper ingredients or delivering a gift! We thought we’d share with you some of our favourite places to visit across the Otways.

First up the thriving township of Forrest. Just 15 mins from Deans Marsh and 30 mins from the Great Ocean Road, Forrest is an action-packed town that is going from strength to strength. With a strong community spirit which seems to know no bounds, there is lots to taste and experience in Forrest.

From mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing, wildlife watching, beer, food, wine and pure relaxation – the list seems endless. Whether you’re after activities and adventure or peace and quiet, Forrest can provide it. Our families favourite things to do in Forrest are:

• Hit the bike tracks - perfect for all ages and abilities - and if you go in spring the forest you ride through are bursting with yellow wattle - a truly gorgeous sight!

• Visit Platypi Chocolate for a delicious chocolate treat on the most serene balcony, overlooking a canopy of gums & in the comfiest chairs! (So many of our hampers include Platypi chocolate - check out some of the options in our sweet treat hampers)

• Walk to Lake Elizabeth - we guarantee you’ll be blown away by this hidden gem. You may even spot a platypus!

• Enjoy fish & chips at The Forrest Brewing Company - we’re stuck on fish and chips but they have a huge range of great food, a fabulous fireplace... and of course their own great beer!! (Check our the Man of the Manna Hamper to try it for yourself)

• And last but definitely not least, you can’t go past the Forrest General Store which offers all your tourist information and even more importantly incredible food and gifts from regional artists and artisans - Plus it is the only place you can currently get the delicious Otways Distillery Gin - coming to our hampers soon!

Plus there are also lots of accommodation options to make spending the weekend or a week easy.

Immersed in the lush and picturesque foliage that depicts Victoria’s beautiful Otway Ranges., Forrest is definitely a town we think you should put on your list for exploring!

Find out more about Forrest

Launching Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hampers

Welcome to Fern & Gum | Otway Artisan Hampers.

We’re thrilled to finally be bringing you the incredible food, wine and wares that are produced by a diverse range of talented artisans working and living in the Otway region.

Our Fern & Gum gift hampers are entirely filled with Otway goodies, perfect for giving to family, friends, colleagues, employees - anyone who deserves a special treat.

The premiere collection of hampers are thoughtfully curated with a purpose in mind, and beautifully gift wrapped with a sustainable ethos. We look forward to evolving our offerings and showcasing more of the quality creations that are available across the Otways.

For now we hope you enjoy choosing and sending our hampers, as much as we have enjoyed creating them.

‘til next time
Caroline

p.s Join our mailing list to stay in the know about latest release hampers, seasonal offerings and all things Otways!