You’ve probably heard of nitrates. They’re the reason bacon in the supermarket is pinker than a flamingo and salami can last longer than a houseplant. Used as preservatives, nitrates (and their close cousin, nitrites) help mass-produced meats stay shelf-stable, fight off bacteria, and keep that pretty blush colour.

But here’s the less appetising truth: when nitrates are cooked or digested, they can form compounds called nitrosamines—which have been linked to certain cancers and other health concerns. Not exactly the crispy side you want with your Sunday eggs.

But Wait--What About “Natural” Nitrates? You might’ve seen smallgoods made with “natural” alternatives like celery salt or pineapple extract. Sounds wholesome, right? In theory, yes—but in practice, the nitrate levels in these ingredients vary wildly, making it a guessing game when it comes to dosing. And when it comes to food safety, we don’t do guesswork.

Isn’t That Risky? Not at all—because we do our homework. We follow strict best-practice curing methods, balancing salt ratios, monitoring pH levels, and keeping our curing rooms just right. Every product we make undergoes regular laboratory testing to ensure it’s safe to eat, without relying on chemical preservatives.

With modern science and a deep understanding of traditional techniques, we’ve proven that it is possible to make smallgoods that are both delicious and safe—without synthetic cures.

So What Can You Sink Your Teeth Into? While current Australian food regulations mean we can’t (yet) legally produce nitrate-free, naturally fermented salami, there's still plenty to savour. Our range of ready-to-eat smallgoods is made the Fork it Farm way—traditional techniques, real ingredients, no synthetic cures.

Here’s what’s on the table:

• Naturally cured whole muscle cuts – think melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto and bresaola, made with patience and precision
• Cooked and smoked meats – hams, bacon, pastrami and other smoke-kissed favourites
• Small-batch smoked sausages – pepperoni, chorizo, kielbasa… smoky, spicy, satisfying
• New delights always in the works – we're always experimenting, so expect fresh additions to the range

All our smallgoods are handcrafted, full of character, and true to our ethos: simple, honest food that tastes as it should.

We believe food should be simple, nourishing, and made with integrity. So that’s exactly what we do. No hidden chemicals. No synthetic preservatives. Just good meat, made properly—and shared with pride.

It’s with heavy hearts — but heads held high — that we share the news that the Tasmanian Produce Collective is winding up.

For the past five years, this grassroots co-operative has been a lifeline for more than 50 small farms across lutruwita/Tasmania, including ours. It’s helped us, and so many others, get ethical, seasonal, and regeneratively grown food directly into the kitchens of Tasmanians — without industrial middlemen, and with integrity at its core.
In its final year alone, the Collective moved over a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of produce, with more than 85% of sales going straight back to the hands that grew, raised, baked, and made it. No shareholders. No slick logistics giants. Just real food, grown with care, delivered with purpose.

So why are we stepping away?
Because even passion has limits when it's propped up by unpaid labour and fragile infrastructure. Despite the enormous success of the model and the hunger from customers for real food with a story, we’ve been running on fumes — a few volunteers, sporadic funding, and love. It’s not enough.

As Katt Ferrero, Chair of the TPC, said in the official release: “We are immensely proud of what TPC has achieved… but we’ve reached the point where we can no longer sustain operations.”
And yet — this is not the end. Not for Fork it Farm, and not for the bigger mission.

We’re taking a breather. A pause to reflect on what worked, what we loved, and how we can keep getting our produce to the loyal eaters who believe, as we do, that local, regenerative food systems are the future.
Because they are.

We’re inspired by the work of organisations like Sustainable Table, who understand that food isn’t just about calories or convenience. It’s about connection — to place, to planet, and to each other.

So what’s next?
For now, you’ll still find us at the farm, in the paddock, in the curing room, and by the fire. We’ll continue sharing stories, feeding our community, and looking for better ways to do it — with resilience, not burnout.

We’re exploring new systems, tools, and collaborations that might carry forward the spirit of the Tasmanian Produce Collective in new and more sustainable ways. We'll keep you posted.

To our fellow producers, collaborators, and especially the eaters who showed up, ordered, shared, and supported: thank you. You’ve proven there’s a real appetite for change.
And we’re not done feeding it.
— 🌀 Fork it Farm | Eat Curious. Farm Honest. Rest (when needed). www.forkitfarm.com.au