There are chestnuts aplenty waiting to be picked at Hoskintown
Autumn is upon us and that means Canberra will be all about hot chocolate, chunky knits and, of course, chestnuts! The folks at Hoskintown Chestnuts (Tweenhills) in Hoskintown are ready to throw open the gates to their picturesque farm where you can either buy at the farm gate or go on an adventure and pick your own.
The Canberra region's very own chestnut farm is a family-operated chestnut orchard located at Hoskinstown, not far from Queanbeyan and Canberra. The farm has about 1200 chestnut trees, all planted since 1997. Hoskintown Chestnuts specialise in growing chestnuts that are great to roast, super sweet and easy to peel - a sensational seasonal snack to warm up the chilly autumn nights.
The rural location means you can enjoy a peaceful drive and then get busy picking chestnuts yourself, usually during April and early May. This year's picking season is expected to start on 1 April (no joke!) but keep an eye on their
socials for updates. Don't feel like picking but have chestnut-induced FOMO? Don't panic, you can also purchase pre-picked chestnuts direct from the farm shed.
The beautiful chestnut farm at Hoskintown
While wandering the farm that is bursting with bucolic pleasures, it can be all too easy to relax but beware! Those delicious little chestnuts can put up a very fierce fight with their spikes so it's highly recommended you bring some tongs, really thick gloves and closed-in shoes to battle them with. The friendly staff will give you some tips about the best way to get the chestnuts without being spiked and once you get the hang of things, it's pretty simple.
Buckets for picking the chestnuts and bags for packing them to bring home are provided at the farm. Any chestnuts you pick are charged at around $10 per kilogram.
The farm is open from 10am - 4pm most weekends during the harvest period. Check in on the Hoskintown Chestnuts
Facebook page for upcoming picking days. Bookings are recommended for large groups or coaches but small groups or families don't need to book.
The details:
You'll find Hoskintown Chestnuts 20 minutes east of Queanbeyan, or 20 minutes south of Bungendore at 89 Pollack Road in Hoskintown.
