Nestled in the hills surrounding the Border Ranges sits a little home-spun business producing a range of delicious jams, chutneys and coffee beans.

 

Hailing from the Tweed and arriving via Sydney in 1994, Helen and Mark set about clearing their 2 acres plot, and after some experimentation, established avocado, orange, mandarin and banana trees. This has since increased to include bush tucker, such as Rozella, Davidson Plum and Lemon Myrtle, as well as tangelo, pomelo, sapote, paw paw, mango, lemon, macadamia and plum.

 

With all that produce, plus regular bartering amongst local growers, Helen set about applying her traditional cooking skills, and now produce's a range of seasonal jams and chutneys that have gone on to win 1st prize at the Nimbin Show (see photo).

 

Just some of the jam range includes: starfruit and lime, grapefruit and orange, mandarin and mulberry, with mandarin, ginger and turmeric marmalade about to come on line.

Some of the chutney's include: mango (sweet and green), tomato and capsicum, cucumber pickles, yellow capsicum and chilli, and choco chutney. 

Helen also produces a popular turmeric tonic. 

 

Pride of place, however, goes to the Coffee Berry jam's and chutney's (high in anti-oxidant's and natural sugars). Having 20 coffee trees , the beans are processed in house and roasted at Mountain Top. Helen estimates 50 kilo of green beans yield approximately 20 kilo's. 

But nothing goes to waste as the red skins on the coffee bean are further processed by Helen and go on to become her prize winning Coffee Bean Chutney and Jam.

 

Helen's Homemade range can be found at the Nimbin Organic Food Co Op  7 day's a week.        

 

Helen has a Russian heritage, and likes nothing more than filling bellies!

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