Native Series 8: Quandong and Samphire Gose

Working alongside Yoda of Fervor to bring you the 8th chapter of the Native Series, we partnered with Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation to source the ingredients for this year’s Quandong and Samphire Gose.

BAC is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, between Katanning and Nyabing and is one of the thriving remote communities Yoda has connected with, learning firsthand the stories of their people.

On Goreng Country in the Central Great Southern Region of Western Australia, the country that surrounds Badgebup is plentiful with Quandong trees and salty, fresh Samphire from the saline wetlands.

We would like to share our gratitude to BAC for partnering with us on this beer release and providing us with these native ingredients, which were foraged by the Badgebup rangers for weeks.

Native Series 8 was created to educate Australians about the native ingredients in their backyards, as well as the flavour and stories that go with them, while supporting indigenous farming enterprises at the same time. The artwork on the front of this can was created by local Noongar artist Tamara Hayden.

Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation

The Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation was established in 2012, with an objective of becoming the leader in sustainable business enterprises in the Great Southern region. Headed up by CEO Julie Hayden, BAC have worked to establish a new model of Noongar governance, relieving the economic and social disadvantage in local Noongar communities of the region.

By implementing projects and social programs, they provide employment and training opportunities for local Noongar people in conservation and land management, bush foods, seed collecting and cultural heritage. Through this, they are able to document their rich cultural heritage, revive the Noongar language and strengthen their connection to country.

For more information go to https://badgebup.org.au/

Distribution of Quandong

Quandong is commonly known as wild peach, desert peach or native peach and the tree itself can grow up to four metres high. Quandong harvesting is a practice that has been undertaken by Aboriginal groups across the southern landscapes of Australia for generations.

The fruit can be eaten fresh or dried and the kernel, leaves, bark and roots are all used for overall health benefits. It is a customary practice for families to go out to pick Quandong's in Kambarang Season and make jams and chutneys to share with families in the community.

Cultural Significance of Quandong

The fruit has many health benefits and has twice the amount of vitamin C of an orange and is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and Vitamin E folate. It is also an antioxidant that has health and ageing benefits and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities. The fruit, kernel, leaves, bark and roots of Quandong are still used today for a variety of reasons including overall health and vitality, medicinal and ceremonial.

Distribution of Samphire

Samphire is a saline bushfood and grows prolifically along coasts and estuaries and around salt lakes. Often referred to as succulent, sea asparagus, swamp grass, salicorne, glasswort, pickleweed or sea beans, samphire is woody at the base and grows freely on many of Southern Australia’s salty flats. Samphire is considered best for use in summer (from October to March) when the fleshy leaves are bright green and aromatic. In Winter the leaves turn a reddish/ pink but there is still some green to be found at the base of the plants. Blanching winter samphire before cooking gives a lovely, salty taste of the sea.

Cultural Significance of Samphire

Samphire was used as a food source because it grew around the lakes and waterways where families camped. The plant is known for its flavour and nutrition, and was put into a variety of plant was used traditionally for its salt content. It was also used for overall health benefits, particularly on long journeys.

Noongar Seasons

There are six Noongar Seasons – Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba, Kambarang. The seasons are a guide to what can and cannot be done during each season. Noongar people traditionally used the movements of birds and animals across the land as a sign that seasonal change was coming.

Dependent on the change of season, families would either start harvesting, drying, storing fruit and seeds, preparing campsites or burning. Traditional patchwork burning was undertaken to regenerate food sources in the area by time they returned to the site the following year.

Native Series #8 Quandong and Samphire Gose will be launching at the farm on May 22nd and at all good bottle shops around WA & NSW from May 23rd.