The Wolf-Tasker family has established a 38-acre regenerative farm in the hamlet of Musk, 7 kilometers from the town of Daylesford. Dairy Flat Lodge and Farm incorporates an extensive kitchen garden, a vineyard, olive grow and an orchard of 350 heritage fruit trees along with a European-style lodge, featuring a cellar and accommodation for up to 14 guests.
The Lake House Daylesford currently sources produce the team is unable to procure through suppliers from Dairy Flat Farm, with Alla Wolf-Tasker, her team of chefs and the Farm’s gardeners also using the acreage to experiment with growing rare and interesting vegetables, fruit and herbs.
A bakehouse, housed within an existing semi underground cellar space accessed via a tunnel beneath the Lodge, has been created in collaboration with Micheal James (ex-Tivoli Road Bakery). The set up will now be the sole provider of baked goods to Lake House and the Wolf-Taskers’ country café Wombat Hill House, where visitors will be able to purchase surplus items from the bakery. James will run regular sourdough baking classes on site for Lodge guests and as an extension of the Lake House Cooking School program.
“Having our own productive farm has been a long-held dream for me and the team at Lake House,” says Wolf-Tasker. “It means that the vast majority of produce we serve now comes entirely from the local area. It’s also the next step for us and the Lake House family to close the loop on the immersive food-focused experience for all our guests.”
Farm tours and scheduled workshops on gardening, baking and bee keeping are on offer for Lodge guests, who will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in day-to-day activities in the vegetable garden, orchard, vineyard, olive grove or ornamental gardens, with the bee hives or in the bakehouse. Lake House guests will be able to visit Dairy Flat Farm on on scheduled tours to learn about the region’s produce and growing seasons. The Lake House Cooking School will incorporate tours, classes, workshops and broader opportunities for learning into its program.
“The Farm will continually be full of experts in their fields, giving guests an opportunity to observe, immerse or dive deep depending on their level of interest in getting their hands dirty,” says Wolf-Tasker.
Six ensuite rooms are available for groups of up to 14 for exclusive use only. Interiors feature custom-made cabinetry and upholstery, as well as artworks by Alla Wolf-Tasker, botanical paintings by Alesandro Ljubicic, a sculpture by bronze worker Anthony Vanderzweep and woodwork from craftsman Greg Stirling.