FAQs

Welcome!

First up, we have big news: In mid-January 2023 we made the grand decision to slow down a bit and, after mid-May 2023, cease hosting Farm Feasts. Yep, that’s a big deal. All of the Feasts we have scheduled between now and mid-May are on the website and fully-booked at this stage. But, if you’d like to book on a date that is sold out, contact Beatrice to add your name and number to the waiting list. 

We also have some farm tours, workshops and other events for you.

Hopefully, we’ll you soon but sign up to our newsletter for the latest information about what’s happening at the farm.

Matthew, Sadie and everyone at Fat Pig Farm

When are you open?

Fat Pig Farm is a working family farm, and are only open on most weeks for Feasts and various workshops. Sadly, we’re not available for drop by visits.  We are very social and love welcoming guests when we can but we have a farm to run and need the time to run it.  So all visits to the farm need to be pre-booked (via our Restaurant or Workshops & Events pages).

What do I get when I book a Feast, workshop or other event?

What nature gifts us! But more seriously:

Our Feasts are an inclusive long lunch with a farm tour. Think of a long farmhouse table, multiple seasonal dishes from produce sourced on our farm and nearby, along with four tailored, matched alcoholic drinks to celebrate the meal. (We have a carefully selected list of Tasmanian beer, wine, cider and spirits, and additional alcoholic drinks will be available for an extra charge.) If you’re not drinking alcohol, or only some of the drinks, we will provide bespoke non-alcoholic drinks in their place. The meal is indeed a feast; it’s intended to be substantial, and most people don’t need dinner afterwards.

All workshops are farm based and include a tour of the garden, dairy and/or pigs as suits the class. For some workshops, we’ll have a leisurely feast at the end of teaching (or during the day for more intense workshops). Expect a table laden with farmhouse goodness, including what you’ve help make – but check the event page on the website for specific details for your workshop.

What happens if I need to cancel my booking?

Please contact us if you need to cancel and we will do our best to fill your spot from the waiting list. If we are able to fill your spot, we will happily refund you. We would also encourage you to offer your place to a friend.

UPDATE: COVID CANCELLATIONS
If your cancellation is related to your concerns about COVID-19, we are able to keep your booking indefinitely or refund. If you feel any flu or cold-like symptoms, please follow the public health messages and self-isolate. Even if it’s on the morning of your visit to the farm, we would rather you stay safe, so just call and we will put your booking on hold or refund, as you wish. Please see below if you would like more information about our COVID-safe plan.

Do you ever have family open days?

We live in a quiet neighbourhood and we are limited as to the number of people we can host on the farm. We host family farm days, generally in school holidays. Keep an eye on the website Workshops and Events page.

Where are you?

We’re about an hour south of Hobart in the Huon Valley, not far from Cygnet and Huonville. We will send you a full description of our location when you book

How do I get there?

Once you’ve made a booking, we will send you directions. If you’re staying in the Huon (see the next question for some lovely places to stay) many of the B&Bs can give you a lift to and from the restaurant. Check when you book.

There is also a taxi service from Huonville 0408 125 130 and, depending on reception, Uber, in Cygnet. But, although you might be able to book an Uber or taxi to us, you might not be able to book one back!

If you’re staying in Hobart your options are to rent a car, or rent a car and driver:

John from Chauffered Cars and Coaches 0418 122 512
Michael from Corporate Cars Tasmania 0419 661 554
Joe from Tassie Road Trips 0455 227 536
Hans from Daytripperz  0418 121 896
Kyle from Heart of Tasmania Tours
Redline can do groups of ten people and up.

Where can I stay?

Please note that some of these links appear to be crossed out. They still work. Something to do with a stoush between WordPress (the software behind our website) and AirBnB.

There are heaps of lovely B&Bs throughout the Huon. A bit of a walk away are Jane and Phil’s lovely place, Bramley Hollow, Grace’s View, Huon Hideaway and The Roundhouses – Do check with your hosts when you book just how long (and sometimes steep) the walk is.

Ambience on the Huon is a five minute drive away. Let Cyndie know you’re coming to Fat Pig Farm when you book as she will be able to help organise transport for you. Other close places that are often happy to give you a lift (check when you book) are: Cloud River Farm in Petchey’s Bay (you can also contact them here), Silver Creek Farm in Cygnet, Hillside Bed & Breakfast or River Front Estate, both in Huonville. Beaupre Farm is on a beautiful peninsula a little further around the coast. They have a brilliant page on their website with lots of recommendations for a longer stay in the valley.

If you’d like to stay in Cygnet (and check out the fab cafes and art galleries – we highly recommend the community run Lovett Gallery and the twice a month Sunday market) then the folk at  The Cygnet Old Bank (right in the middle of the village) and the 2Cs will either give you a lift or help organise transport. A little further afield, Moon River is lovely and Mon is usually happy to give you a lift as is Cindy at the charming Yellow Door.  Check when you book.

If you’re looking for a luxurious weekend away,  The Coast House, on the water, is magnificent.  They are happy to help with transport. If you have 4 guests or less and are after an entire luxurious house, including a lift to the farm, try Villa Talia.

What else can I do in Tassie?

If you would like more information about the plethora of things to do in Tasmania, have a look at the fabulous Discover Tasmania website. It can help you plan your trip!

Do you cater for food allergies and dietary requirements?

While Bessie our Jersey cow doesn’t produce soy milk, we will try to cater for dietary requirements using what’s on hand. It’s most helpful if you let us know those requirements when you book, as we only have access to what our farm grows, or what we’ve garnered nearby, and late notice will limit our ability to cook a variety of food to suit your needs. Coeliacs and vegetarians can be readily catered for, but because of the nature of our farm and its temperate climate, vegans might be more of a struggle. If you have any queries at all, please contact hello@fatpig.farm.

Can you offer equal access for people with mobility or other special needs?

Physical or other special needs are looked after on an individual basis by our Guest Services Manager at the time of enquiry or booking (if you let us know in the comments section), then by our Front of House Manager on-site. We have a special access drop-off point that is five metres from the entrance, and we have accessible parking adjacent to the restaurant. The restaurant is fully accessible. The farm is a bit more challenging in terms of terrain but we can arrange a tour by car on our bumpy roads so you don’t miss anything you’d like to see!

In addition, if helpful, we are able to provide touch tours of the farm for vision impaired guests and orientation visits (in person or via video) for others who have particular concerns prior to their visit.

Will Matthew Evans (the Gourmet Farmer), be there when I visit?

Matthew and Sadie run the farm as a family concern, but they can’t do everything. That’s why there’s a wonderful team of Fat Pigs that help to put together all the experiences, both on and off site. Matthew splits his time between farming, the kitchen, writing, media commitments and occasional days off with the family. A booking doesn’t guarantee that Matthew will be on site, but he does control the menus for the feasts, plans the workshops, and is very much a hands-on part of the farm. If it’s essential for your visit that Matthew and/or Sadie be there, let us know before you book.

Do you cater for private events?

We sure do. Individualised on and off farm events can be organised by Fat Pig. Contact us on hello@fatpig.farm

Can I book Matthew Evans for speaking engagements or corporate gigs interstate?

Yes, you sure can. Matthew can be booked through Speaking Out (www.speakingout.com.au) for speaking and cooking engagements.

Here’s our COVID-Safe Plan (current)

We appreciate you may have concerns about COVID-19  during your visit to Fat Pig Farm. Whilst we cannot be 100% sure we are COVID-free, we can assure you that we have a number of strategies in place to do our very best in preventing its presence, spread and impact.  

Our COVID-Safe Plan is enacted daily in all of our business activities and reviewed constantly to keep up with current Public Health advice. Our main focus is prevention. Our strategies are:

• staff are instructed on the risks and how these will be managed
• the feast occurs indoors and outdoors – the indoor restaurant is ventilated.
• cleaning and disinfecting the restaurant and all frequently touched surfaces is thorough and frequent
• adequate and appropriate hand washing and sanitising products are provided
• table seating and capacity meet current Public Health physical distancing rules 
• we evaluate after each event to check what went well and where improvements can be made.

Should we become aware that a case or close contact has attended an event, our dedicated COVID Response Team will get into action, contacting all guests and staff. 

Whilst we take all precautions, we cannot necessarily change the actions of all of our guests. Some people choose to sit or move closer to other guests; we ask that you express your own preference to fellow guests if you feel they are too close, or ask for our assistance.

We hope this information gives you the reassurance you need to be able to relax, enjoy yourself and have our team look after you when you visit Fat Pig Farm.

Terms and conditions

(aka the small print):

Shipping: Perishables are shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays and all other products are shipped within three business days of receiving your order. Postage using Australia Post Express Post will be calculated when you checkout and added to your total cost. If you live within an overnight area, you’ll get your package within 24 hours of us posting it. Exact terms and conditions and what constitutes an overnight delivery area can be found here

GST: Where GST is applicable, all prices include GST.  Oh, and they are all in Australian dollars.

Returns, exchanges and warranties:

Shop: If you’re not happy with a product from our online shop, please contact us. Our official policy is that unopened non-perishable items can be returned for a complete refund while perishable items are a bit trickier. But drop us a line. We want you to be happy.

Restaurant: Our lunches and events are small so we are unable to offer refunds unless it relates to travel and COVID-19. Please contact us if you need to cancel and we will do our best to fill your spot from the waiting list. If we are able to fill your spot, we will happily re-book you for a later date. We would also encourage you to offer your place to a friend. We will do whatever we can to make things work for you, though more notice is better than less.

Warranties: One of the conditions of our checkout system is that we have a warranty policy. Warranties don’t really apply to any of our products, but please contact us if you’re unhappy with anything.

Security: Our checkout system is run by the Bendigo Bank. We don’t keep a copy of any of your credit card details. We actually don’t even see your credit card details as they go straight onto the bank’s web page not ours.