Udder & Hoe

Udder & Hoe champions provenance and the farmers behind our food. The pocket-sized grocer is a collaboration between Mindy Grumley from Kilcunda General Store and Rachel Russo. It’s filled with fresh produce and pantry staples from Gippsland growers and sustainable producers further afield.

Russo hand-writes notes for each item in store, to share where (or who) each nut, seed, rice kernel or bulb of garlic is specifically from, mentioning the farm name, the town it’s based in and the relevant growing practices, rather than just the often-used ambiguous term of “Australian grown”.

Since opening in December 2015, Russo has spent countless hours researching the provenance of the items she stocks and forming relationships with local farmers. That means she can tell you that the macadamias come from Michael in Drouin and Betsy is the baker behind Oak and Swan Sourdough in Mirboo North.

There are also hazelnuts from Ryanston, chestnuts from Wandiligong, garlic from Glen Forbes, and bulk olive oil from Fish Creek on the shelves. Seasonal fruit and veg is sourced from within a 30-kilometre radius, and there’s an oat roller and grain mill in-store for customers to prep their grains. With Gippsland known for being dairy country, there’s also plenty of local milk, cream and cheese in the fridge.

The store also places emphasis on waste-free living, encouraging customers to bring in their own bottles, jars and bags, and it stocks natural cleaning and body products.

Explore Gippsland further using our detailed Out of Town to the Gippsland Coast guide.