They purchased 10 hectares of serene farmland in nearby Shoreham where they have transformed a secluded, picturesque property into a relaxing rural retreat.

Hart’s Farm is more than merely a B&B, something which may simply conjure thoughts of a pleasant homely overnight accommodation for two with hearty breakfast. To be sure, Hart’s Farm is an ideal spot for an intimate getaway, accommodating couples in a luxurious open plan studio room with ensuite, and tranquil views from the living space and deck out over the dam, olive grove and orchards, and neighbouring pastures.

Yet Hart’s Farm also invites a more social experience – should you want it – based around one of life’s greatest pleasures: food.

Completed in August 2010, the purpose built studio that houses the luxurious B&B also contains a fully equipped kitchen and dining facility, which are available for guests to host small gatherings of friends or for private hire. Then there is the open air entertaining area, the Millennium Shed, converted from the old dairy farm’s milking shed, with a wood fire oven as its centrepiece.

The studio was specifically designed to fit with the natural environment, using recycled iron and radial sawn timber, and provides tranquil views – from the B&B, dining and entertaining areas – over the dam to the vineyards, olive grove and neighbouring pastures.

Good, locally produced food is at the heart of the experience here. For those hosting a dinner for friends, Penny is available for advice and will even help put together a seasonal shopping list for products from farm gardens and local suppliers. Though, much of what you’d need can be found onsite.

As well as enhancing the environmental amenity of the farm – parts of which had been degraded by cattle – into flourishing parcel of land with native grasses (Pennisetium, Kangaroo Paws and Carex), Bay Trees, Pomegranate Trees; Penny and Graeme have established a heritage apple and pear orchard, and ornamental grape vine, and planted fig and other fruit trees, including some 300 olive trees. Then there is the large vegetable patch, from which guests can source ingredients for their own feasts.

While the native trees and grasses offer natural and inviting habitat to local fauna, the foods produced from supplies grown onsite can be difficult to resist for visitors.  Penny, who admits to having been obsessed with food for more than thirty years, has a love of fresh produce that manifests in the meals and delicacies available through the farm gate (which include a range of jams – rhubarb, fig, strawberry, plum, orange and lemon marmalade –jars of artichokes, and white and red balsamic vinegar, most of which are made onsite with their own harvests). Graeme contributes with a range of cordials, including the ever-popular Rhubarb Cordial, which mixes deliciously with a little gin on ice and a sprig of mint.

But it is the olives that receive most attention. Forget yourself for a moment and you might think you are in Tuscany, the Peninsula being located at similar latitude to the exotic Italian region and offering an amiable climate to the Tuscan varieties of trees planted at Hart’s Farm: Frantoio, Pendolino and Leccino. From the fruits of these trees they produce award winning extra virgin olive oils and several varieties of table olives.

And they’re happy to share a few of their secrets. Cooking classes are run in the new kitchen, and the Millennium Shed using the wood fire oven for pizza making classes. During harvesting in May and June each year you can book a place to join in the olive picking – including instruction on how to prepare them for eating – and pizza days.

To work up to – or work off – all that beautiful food, there are many activities close to hand. For a peaceful stroll, you needn’t leave the property, wandering through the olive grove and orchards, perhaps encountering native visitors along the way – such as rosellas, kookaburras or owls – or even ducks near the dam, some of the free range chooks or Penny and Graeme’s loveable dogs Coco and Dudley. Or venture a little further and you’ll find the beaches of Westernport or Port Phillip Bay and a range of nature walks in between, as well as hot springs, golf courses and horse riding. Of course, if you’re just getting starting in getting a taste for the Peninsula, there are several local wineries, markets and more farm gates nearby.

But be warned, you may find yourself never wanting to leave.  For more information visit the website.

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Hart’s Farm, on Tucks Road, Shoreham, occupies 10 Hectares with Manton’s Creek flowing through. It started its working (productive) life as a dairy, and the old corrugated iron milking shed is still there, though now renovated and extended.

Cooking classes are a super way of learning about the culture of a country and its people via food and wine. These last few years have seen an explosion in cooking classes (certainly in the city) but the beauty about this one lies in the location. There are many professionally run classes (as is this one) but none can profess to have the same backdrop and setting. You would be forgiven for thinking that you were somewhere deep in the Mediterranean – not in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula.

In 2000, 800 baby olive trees were planted. 200 more trees followed a year or so later. In 2010 a heritage apple and pear orchard was planted with the idea of producing cider.

On another note, modern day cooking classes are forming part of a passive consumerism trend toward active participation. Testament to the times, there’s something very rewarding about learning new skills and creating in the kitchen as a major inspiration that eventually leads to greater creativity at home.

Now, back to two friends that become enamoured with the flavours of Spain and take us and another eight guests on a creative journey of amazing food and wine.

Penny has been rather obsessed with food and cooking for over thirty years.

Penny is the owner of Hart’s Farm (more on her and her husband Graeme’s vision at another time) and our chef Cristina – petite yet exuberant – is passionate about Spanish culture, food, wine and her love of the Mornington Peninsula.

Cristina from Barcelona will teach you some Spanish classic dishes together with a healthy serve of the exciting Culture, Music and Language of Spain. This is a hands on and very interactive class!

From the very beginning Cristina explains she wants the class to be a fun, hands on experience where we come away having learnt some of the Spanish language as well as how to cook some classic Spanish dishes. (Incidentally Cristina teaches Spanish to private students in the local area.) From the very beginning, a natural yet informal tone is set with Cristina proceeding to give each of us names in Spanish which adds to the fun and fantasy of the moment.

After going through some housekeeping and hygiene rules Cristina walks through all of the recipes, explaining the history of the dish, how Tapas came to be, differences between Tapas and Pintxo – Pintxo refers to any type of tapas held together with a toothpick, or skewer.

Everyone cooks and shares the meal.

The dishes on the menu included three types of Tapas, of which two are pintxo, a Catalonian casserole containing chicken, prawns and believe it or not, dark chocolate and then a traditional dessert.

Recipe ingredients were all listed in Spanish as well as English and recipes cooked included:

• Mejillones Gratinados – Mussels Gratin
• Pintxo Moruno De Chorizo – Skewers with Chorizo (Moruno refers to its Moorish origin)
• Tortilla Espanola – Potato Tortilla/Omelette then made into a tortilla pintxo by placing on top of crusty bread with a slice of piquillo pepper and putting a toothpick through the lot.
• Mar I Muntanya  – translates to sea and mountain.  A casserole originating from the Catalonia region combining food from the mountains with food from the sea. A decadent casserole, containing a picada made from ground almonds, garlic, fried bread, sweet paprika and dark chocolate. Served with a green salad and crusty bread to soak up all the juices.
• Crema Catalana – a traditional baked custard with subtle flavourings of cinnamon, lemon and orange peel.

Ingredients used were are all sourced locally from the Mornington Peninsula and the vegetables and herbs all came from Hart’s Farms own vegetable patch – divinely organic. Instead of Spanish olive oil, we use Hart’s own EVOO.  The prawns were sourced locally, the mussels came from Dromana, bread from the Red Hill Bakery – it was all very local, sustainable and with a strong focus on organic produce.

Mussels from Dromana!

Throughout the class we all got to sit down and enjoy the food we prepared and accompanying this we were served some delightful organic white wine from Spain, the same wine found in Vue de Monde, Anada and Cookie to name drop a few. Like any cooking creation, the best part is eating the dishes on completion, which since preparing, since hearing the bubbling, the sizzling… one salivates and we did plenty of this.

Mar I Muntanya – translates to sea and mountain

Pintxo Moruno De Chorizo – Skewers with Chorizo

Tortilla Espanola – Potato Tortilla/Omelette

After the main meals, we gathered in the kitchen to put the finishing touches on the Crema Catalana and were served freshly ground coffee made by Penny to enjoy with our dessert. All in all, a lovely way to cap off the day which started at 11am and finished in what seemed to be a heartbeat at 3pm.  Time flies when you’re having major fun and this was no exception.

The feast!

Mejillones Gratinados – Mussels Gratin

The atmosphere of the Hart’s Farm classes are vibrant yet relaxed and provide a great chance to chat, and meet new people.  The contemporary kitchen wafted with smells of garlic and parsley and bubbling casseroles.  When we sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labour, everyone chatted, while Cristina went on to explain more about Spanish food and culture. The food was very festive and colourful and looked amazing on the table.

The bonus as mentioned earlier was the setting – one of a kind and every time we glanced out through the huge floor to ceiling windows there was a different vista that made us believe we were in Europe but we’re so lucky to be so close to home.

There are two more Spanish Cooking classes scheduled for this summer season including the 14th and 21st  of January. Autumn classes start from March 18th, 25th & April 1st with a new menu.

For more information on classes or to book your special place at Harts Farm, please contact Penny Hart on 0414 238 158 or visit hartsfarm.com.au

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