Oils ain’t oils but this is a good one.

By Samantha Elley

Ken Ellis knows about liquor and now he is delving into the world of a finely made coffee.

His store Liquor Legends, located at 426 Ballina Road, Lismore doubles as a general store now with a coffee van.

“We had originally opened between 10am and 10pm with the general store and liquor sales,” said Ken.

“But we got feedback that the general store needed to be opened earlier.

“We are in a prime spot, where people can drive in and drive out and we discussed doing a drive through coffee.”

A popup coffee van in the forecourt of the property was the solution and as a nod to the previous business, Shell, who ran it as a petrol station, it is known as the Good Oil coffee cart.

“We are just pouring a different type of liquid,” laughed Ken.

“We are now doing coffees, toasties and selling bread, milk and juices direct from the van, from 7am Monday to Saturday.”

Ken is a long, black coffee lover himself, so he knows the blend he has picked, is a good one.

coffee van 2 with barista Niki Edwards

“I have mates in Sydney who own a coffee roastery called Three Pence Roasters and I went to them for advice when setting up the van,” he said.

“They ended up helping me so much, I decided to sell their coffee blend Dark Carnival through the van.”

With two new baristas, Phoenix Holloway and Niki Edwards, feedback so far has been positive, but Ken puts that down to the first 500 coffees being free.

“That will run out pretty soon,” he said.

“What really surprised me was, with our Byron Bay cookies, the numbers of those being sold went up.

“I guess people expect to pay for their coffee and when it is free, they decide to buy something to go with it.”

There are plans in the pipeline to expand their food offerings with a food van on Thursday and Friday nights as well.

“It could be a great little mix, where you grab dinner and a bottle of wine from the store on the way home,” said Ken.

Ken doesn’t stop there as he’d like to test out a loyalty coffee card where a drinker could earn points to redeem a bottle of wine and he’d also like to include the community fund-raising idea.

“When we first opened the store, we did a fundraiser barbeque for the Byron Wildlife hospital,” he said.

“They came and cooked a barbeque on the Saturday afternoon, and we provided the sausages and bread while they got the proceeds.

“Our hope again is to find more community groups to fundraise for their cause and to get a bit more connected to community.”

For more local Lismore news, click here.

The annual Bizzy and Jomanda Brahman sale will be held Saturday 7^th September 2024, 11am at the Grafton Saleyards.

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Bizzy and Jomanda Brahman Studs have a long-standing history in the industry of breeding quality stud and commercially focused Brahman bulls and Females in Northern NSW.

In recent years the sale has had great support from interstate clients whilst remaining committed to local and repeat buyers in Northern NSW, South down to Kempsey and the tablelands.

Bizzy Brahmans will be offering an excellent line of 17 Brahman Bulls, 4 polled and 13 horned. Presenting in good healthy condition and with the temperament, natural thickness, topline and carcass qualities Bizzy bulls are known for. Stud proprietor Innes Fahey says, He is happy with his breeding program he has focused on over the last 3 years. ‘We have worked hard to promote our brand and showcase what we believe are good, practical cattle and we believe they will be an asset to any breeder’s operation whether it’s for a Stud operation or commercially breeding F1 replacement heifers or steers for the weaner markets’.

The annual Bizzy and Jomanda Brahman sale

5 Registered red Bizzy Brahman heifers have also been selected this year to be offered at the sale.

Bizzy Brahmans invites any current clients and any new clients to discuss their breeding and marketing options with Innes and we welcome you anytime to our property ‘Rocky Creek’ to visit and inspect our heard.

Jomanda Brahmans has a high-quality line of commercially focused horned and polled bulls on offer this year.  These bulls possess great eye appeal and carcass qualities and are all back by a strong set of EBVs to help customers select the right bull for their herd. In recent times, we’ve taken the steps to start collecting data on birthweights and gestation length to help give our customers more information about calving ease and fertility traits.

To accompany our bulls, we have a classic line of Jomanda females. Backed by our ever-consistent cow families that produce year after year for us. This year will be offering PTIC females as well un-joined heifers.

This year the Bizzy and Jomanda Open day at their respective studs will be held on Sunday 25^th August 2024. A great opportunity to inspect the sale bulls and females in a relaxed environment.

The sale will be conducted by agents Donovan Livestock and Property, Grafton and George and Fuhrmann, Casino. StockLive Elite will also be taking bids online for the day.

For more rural news, click here.

Bringing the Spirit of Beef Week to Whiddon Casino: Residents vs. Chefs Cook-Off!

Whiddon, a regional aged care provider, is embracing the spirit of Casino Beef Week, a celebration of Australia’s beef industry and rural heritage, by hosting a unique culinary challenge at its Casino Residential Care home on Wednesday, May 22nd.
In this friendly competition, the skilled chefs of Whiddon will go head-to-head against the eager residents, who bring years of cooking experience to the table.
The Cook-Off will unfold at the Whiddon Casino BBQ area, where marquees will be set up for the event.
Schedule:
• 10:00 AM: Whiddon Casino Coffee Club
• 11:30 AM: BBQs prepared for Whiddon Casino Cook-Off
• 12:00 PM: Official commencement of the Whiddon Casino Cook-Off!
During and after the Cook-Off, both participating staff and residents will be available for media interviews and comments.
At Whiddon, chefs often craft special meals to mark significant events or simply to delight residents who have specific cravings. According to Whiddon Area Chef Jason Watterson, the outdated stereotypes about food in aged care are far from accurate.
“Our team is continuously exploring innovative ways to serve nutritious meals made from locally sourced, high-quality ingredients, freshly prepared at our care homes every day,” Jason explains.
He emphasizes the importance of relationship-based care, stating, “The bonds formed around the kitchen table are truly special.”
Recognizing the significance of food for residents transitioning into care, Whiddon has implemented several tailored practices and programs across its 23 Residential Aged Care homes. These include homestyle kitchens, foodie groups, and cooking clubs.
For the Cook-Off, Whiddon is committed to sourcing local produce, thereby supporting the Richmond Valley and Northern Rivers community.