Counting Down to Grand Final Weekend with Wildpie!
With just over a week until Grand Final weekend, here at Melbourne Farmers Market, we’re excitedly counting down the days until Wildpies join us at Carlton and Alphington Farmers Markets!
What is Wildpie?
Wildpie is a "solution pie", an idea sparked by Jo Barrett during her time with the Future Food System project at Melbourne Federation Square (if you haven’t heard about it – definitely check it out!). She saw an opportunity to use under-utilised wild game meat, sourced from culling activities aimed at controlling populations and reducing environmental impact, while making wild game more accessible.
Together with Louise Daily, Barrett set up shop in Beechworth, near where invasive species like deer are culled and processed. They began making ready-to-bake Wildpies to sell to cafés, restaurants, bars, and, of course, the pie-loving public.
Now, Wildpie produces ready-to-bake, handmade Australian wild game pies, sausage rolls, and even dim sims! These are pies with a purpose – making good use of invasive species that are free-ranging, natural, and nutrient-dense.
Wild Boar Sausage Rolls & Wildpies (Source Wildpie)
Why Wild Game Meat?
In Victoria, the government has invested significantly in deer control programs. These programs are essential for managing wild deer populations, which affect biodiversity, water quality, and agricultural assets.
However, most of this meat is not used for human consumption, representing a huge missed opportunity. In contrast, countries like New Zealand have successfully commercialised wild game, establishing it as a valuable commodity and creating a thriving, sustainable wild game industry that exports globally.
Populations are managed to prevent habitat loss and protect culturally significant sites. The rise in agricultural farming has led to increased feed availability, resulting in higher wallaby populations, which can heighten the risk of disease, particularly during droughts when resources become scarce. Often, these animals are culled but their meat is not utilised. Wildpies make use of these free-range, and delicious proteins in their pies as a solution – and something we can all get involved with, simply by eating a Wildpie!
A wildpie in the making (Source Wildpie)
The Team Behind Wildpie
Jo Barrett has teamed up with Louise Daily, former Three Blue Ducks chef, partner Mark LaBrooy, and Victorian company Discovered Wildfoods. Together, they’re united by their love of wild foods and their mission to bring wild game to the table.
The Wildpie team is passionate about reducing food waste and minimising its environmental impact. Their goal is to make the best use of invasive species that are free-range, and nutrient-rich, and offer a sustainable alternative to more resource intensive forms of meat production. “The simple act of eating a pie can be both delicious and impactful,” says Barrett.
What’s on the Menu?
Expect wild options like:
- Wild Venison & Red Wine Pie
- Goat Curry Pie
- Wallaby & Mountain Pepper Beef Pie
- Wild Boar Sausage Rolls
- Wild Boar Dim Sims
How to Get Your Pies
You can preorder pies through the Wildpie website, and pick-up at the following Farmers Markets:
- Carlton Farmers Market – Saturday, 21st September
- Alphington Farmers Market – Sunday, 22nd September
They will also have hot pies and ready-to-bake packs available on market day if you don’t get a chance to preorder!
Ready to eat wildpie (Source Wildpie)