Newdegate Machinery Field Days: Catering businesses boom in small town

Food catering businesses in Newdegate are booming with three small operators making the most of the demand from tourists, local contractors and sporting and other social and business events in the area.

Two new catering businesses have sprung up in the past two years, Mel Humphries at the Newdegate Caravan Park and Farmyard Pantry, with a third, Tasty Treats Catering, experiencing 12 years of constant demand in the region.

The mobile businesses are in addition to the Newdegate Grocer and Cafe where some of them have worked in the past.

For a “little food van in the middle of nowhere”, the two-year-old business, Farmyard Pantry, is a small town success story.

New Zealand born and qualified chef Mackenzie Turner started the business after having worked at the Newdegate Grocer and Cafe a few days a week. She arrived with her husband from NZ in 2012 — he has a job working on a farm in the area.

“I had no idea which direction I was going to go in,” Ms Turner said.

“I have naturally gone into catering, making custom cakes and lunches, as well as providing coffee at the home games for sporting events.”

Running the food trailer is a six day a week job, especially when everything she sells is made from scratch.

It also provides some versatility and if they ever decide to move she’d take the business with her.

Ms Turner doesn’t take the trailer to the Newdegate Machinery Field Days — instead she works from the facilities onsite to provide sweets for the kitchens, as well as providing for the VIP lunch and coffee in the Rabobank tent.

“We contribute and volunteer where we can for the field days,” she said.

She also provides services at sporting events, and for Melbourne Cup celebrations.

Food has always been part of Melissa ‘Mel’ Humphries’ life, and cooking “good basic food that everyone loves” comes naturally, having grown up with an Italian qualified navy chef father and with Spanish roots.

Ms Humphries, originally from Albany but now a Newdegate resident, has been operating a food van at the Newdegate Caravan Park, using her own leased van since February, where she has “no work/life balance” due to the seven days a week need of customers.

“I love it — I’m self taught so the food is nothing that I would consider fancy, just good, wholesome, plentiful and tasty,” she said.

She caters for park visitors, which include tourists, shearing teams, agricultural contractors and CBH staff, with breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as travellers passing through town with pre-cooked meals.

She opens early to provide coffee, breakfast and pre-packed lunches for mainly working crews, and also runs a pizza night once a week “depending on how many people are at the park”.

“The menu changes everyday but it usually involves Turkish rolls, toasties, wraps, cakes and slices, with salad bowls, sushi and green smoothies available during summer,” Ms Humphries said.

All supplies are sourced through PFD wholesaler at Northam or from local supermarkets.

This year will be her first Newdegate Machinery Field Days and she expects the lead-up and aftermath of the event to be busy with contractors staying at the park to set up and remove displays during the week, as well as event attendees on the two days.

Apart from running the food van Ms Humphries is also available for catering services.

Making food from scratch has become a passion for Newdegate born, and Nyabing based farmer and food caterer, Michelle Harris.

Ms Harris, who juggles farm and family life with her successful catering and food van business, Tasty Treats Catering, said she has never had to advertise after starting the business 12 years ago on the back of encouragement from friends.

“I have a real passion for food — I love it,” Ms Harris said.

“I’ve had a lot of support from the local shire and cater for weddings and other big events like parties, sports wind-ups and local funerals.

“I try to tailor to what people like with everything home made from scratch.”

She said the past 12 years had been “fantastic” for her business as she prepares for the peak season for weddings and events from September-December in the wider Newdegate area.

Her favourite type of food to prepare is “finger foods”, which are “fiddly and time consuming” and provide her with the opportunity to add a personal touch.

Ms Harris said the finger food trend makes a social event because people don’t have to be seated.

Tasty Treat Catering will be in the ram shed at the Newdegate Machinery Field Days, with coffee, cakes, slices, and a light lunch available.

This year’s Newdegate Machinery Field Days will be held September 6 and 7.

View the digital edition of the 2023 program here.