Welcome to Woodfordia for The Planting, where you can search, discover, imagine, create, celebrate, plant, seed and grow. By now, you may have seen the programme and discovered the delicious range of hands-on food and beverage workshops available in “Sharmy’s Kitchen”. From native lime eclairs to home prebiotics to making your own skin care products. A line up of talented and experienced chefs, farmers, brewers and even a scientist!

Here is a sneak peek of who you will find in Sharmy’s Kitchen this year.

Beermasons Brew Club

Scott and Pete have both been home brewing using extracts more or less successfully for a number of years. When Scott bought the old freemasons lodge in Kin Kin they had the idea of utilising the space and taking their interest to a new level, by starting brewing from grain. They founded the Beermasons brew club and have been all grain brewing at the lodge over the past three years.

Elaine Bradley

Founder of Dagun Growers Market and Mary Valley Country Harvest Cooperative. Elaine’s preferred habitat is in a veggie garden. Her driving passion is steering new and intending land stewards towards sustainable agriculture practices and biodiversity management.

Clayton Donovan

Australia’s only hatted Indigenous chef, Clayton is star of the television program Wild Kitchen currently showing on ABC. He enjoys sourcing plants from the bush and foraging for amazing native ingredients.

Jacqui Smythe

An Environmental Scientist, Jacqui has coordinated citizen science programs with Queensland National Parks and manages one of Queensland’s most successful community aquatic monitoring programs. Passionate about the local food industry, Jacqui also runs the Sunshine Coast Food and Wine Club.

John Elliott

Having traveled the world tasting beers in over 60 countries, John created Craft Beer Reviewer to spread the news about the great tastes and varieties of craft beer in Australia.

Lauren Brisbane

Chair of Australian Camel Industry Association and director of QCamel camel dairy. Lauren has developed her passion for the alternate pastoral industry, and its development throughout Indigenous Australia with over 10-years experience in the industry.

Matt Golinski

Born and bred Sunshine Coast chef with a passion for fresh, locally grown produce. Matthew’s love of food and his region has seen him take on the role of Gympie’s food ambassador for the past two years.

Matthew Elliott

From apprentice to Head Chef, Matthew has been cooking for 24-years, working with some of Australia’s top chefs in award winning restaurants. Matthew has run Kids in the Kitchen at the Woodford Folk Festival and loves sharing his passion for making great food with adults and kids alike.

Nina Gartrell

A world traveler, academic, amateur cook, and professional eater, Nina will regale you with tasty travel tales and entice you into the realm of fermentation.

Robyn Cook

Robyn has worked with over 400 schools supporting the development of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Programs.

Sprout Out and Live

Learn how to grow fresh, nutritious sprouts and micro-greens using different methods to suit your needs and seeds with the plethora of tools available in your kitchen right now. Tara from Sprout and Live will explain the benefits of growing your own sprouts, as well as trouble shooting your past experiences with you.

Click here to check out the full programme, and for more information on ticket pricing and camping options please visit The Planting’s website.