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:
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.
0 Comments
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 When we first made the decision to ‘fork it’ and move to Tassie to be farmers, people thought we’d be bored. But life at Fork it Farm is never boring! Every day is a whirlwind of farming, meatsmithing, and artisan food production.
Take this past week, for example. We kicked off with a number of paddock-to-plate experiences, serving charcuterie platters to 20 visitors, while welcoming a dozen customers to our farm shop. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, we were knee-deep in farm duties—moving cattle, weaning calves (cue sleepless nights with their noisy protests), and managing three new pig mums who all farrowed on the same day, blessing us with 28 piglets. That meant setting up new bedding—so off we went to collect a ute load of straw—while also repairing broken pig waterers and picking up 4000L of waste milk to keep our pigs well-fed. Then, it was time for production: eight pigs off to the abattoir, returning to be butchered for 10 restaurant orders. From there, the meatsmithing marathon began: slicing and dehydrating pet treats, making 12kg of terrine, 1.5kg of duck rillette, 3kg of pâté de tête, 3kg of chicken pâté, mixing, mincing, and stuffing 50kg of sausages, overhauling and seasoning our cures, and bottling and labeling 50L of broths, including pork, beef, ramen, and pho. Somehow, amidst all of this, we managed to update our website, post on social media, do the accounting, and order supplies. And next week? More of the same, with a twist. We’ll be packing orders for our wonderful Tas Produce Co. (TPC) customers, volunteering (and attending plenty of meetings) to help strengthen our local food system, and butchering two large bovine beasts from Summerlea Farm Tas. The work is never done, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We love the freedom and creativity that comes with continually evolving our products and utilising the whole hog. As a small-scale paddock-to-plate producer, we handle everything—we are the farmers, the meatsmiths, and the salespeople. There’s no room for boredom when you live and breathe your passion. |
AuthorKim is the heart and hands behind Fork it Farm, combining a passion for ethical farming with a love of good food. Dedicated to the farm-to-fork philosophy, Kim’s days are spent raising happy animals, crafting artisan meats, and creating unforgettable paddock-to-plate experiences. When not on the farm, Kim enjoys sharing stories that connect people to the land, the food, and the purpose behind every bite. Archives
June 2025
Categories |