Rabbit food for festival

THEY may be cute and fluffy, but giant, specially bred rabbits like Peaches, being held here by Abi Spilling, are a delicacy destined for the barbecue grill at this weekend’s Huon MidWinter festival.

The large “meat rabbits” — a cross between British, Flemish and New Zealand Giants — are sustainably farmed at Geeveston by Abi’s parents Dave and Karan. A fully grown male rabbit can weigh as much as 9kg.

“Rabbits were one of the earliest domesticated animals and have been a food source for thousands of years,” Mrs Spilling said.

The Spillings have developed a range of rabbit dishes to offer at the festival from their The Princess and The Fatman stall.

“The midwinter festival, which expects to attract about 18,000 people, will be our first major event. We have done smaller farmer markets,” Mrs Spilling said.

Their happy rabbits are fed on a mix of fresh greens, primarily broad bean plants grown on the farm, and grain pellets sourced from northern Tasmania.

“These are non-stressed, fast-growing farm-bred bunnies. The meat tastes as a cross between chicken and duck, a little bit gamey,” said Mr Spilling, who has worked as chef and in the health industry.

He has created a mouthwatering rabbit cider stew, rabbit rissoles (on the menu as bunny balls) on a bed of herb couscous, marinated “wabbit wings”, smoked cured bunny bacon with smoky barbecue sauce. He also makes rabbit, bacon and sage pies.

“We process our rabbits at 16 weeks, this ensures they are incredibly tender unlike their wild counterparts,” he said.

One of the rabbits not on the menu is Snow White. She is a breeder doe that the family has had for three years, explains 11-year-old Abi.

Abi is often roped into feeding times, and says Snow White has up to six litters a year with between six and 15 kittens in each litter.

The farm also has chooks, who patrol the bunny pen for mice, and a small herd of mini Herefords.

“Our cattle are a few years off becoming a commercial herd, but in the meantime we concentrate on our rabbits.”

Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest is from Friday to Sunday.