A LOCAL pheasant farm is back in production as the only commercial game bird producer on the national marketplace.
Located 25 minutes north-west of Swan Hill, the farm — also known as Olson Game Birds — for more than a year did not have a processor for their game birds, which they rear and breed on-site.
As a result, chefs across the eastern seaboard — including some notable names — were wringing their hands without a regular supply. Pheasant, guinea fowl and partridge were officially off the menu.
But the tables have turned, with the farm’s owners Kevin and Ros O’Bryan signing up with Melbourne processor Golden Poultry.
“We are heading back into full production and we actually have orders that are far greater than our within our capacity to supply,” Mr O’Bryan said.
“We have a new processor in Melbourne that is prepared to process as much as we want to produce and they will market them for us too.”
Golden Poultry produce upwards of 10,000 birds per year — set to double next year.
“We approached them, but they were about to phone us,” Mr O’Bryan said.
“Because by then there had been a whole season without pheasant, they were looking for a pheasant grower and of course we were the only ones growing pheasant commercially.”
While the O’Bryan’s are hoping to retire and have put the property on the market, they said the business was in excellent shape not only commercially but as a tourist destination.
Visitors can enjoy the lush gardens while taking a tour of the various exotic pheasants that are on display, among other species.
While the birds have been available on a small scale to locals for the last year, for the rest of Australia it’s also now back on the menu.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of Monday’s Guardian (December 8).
