This is Me

From Bowral to the Hills – how I ended up here, why I love it, and what this newsletter is all about.

Hello, lovely people!

Since you’ve already had a warm welcome to Adelaide Hills Pantry Newsletter, I thought it was time to introduce myself properly. Not just a quick “hi, I’m Steph” but a bit of my story and how I ended up here, in the place I love most.

From One Set of Hills to Another

I actually grew up in Bowral, in the Southern Highlands of NSW—if you’ve ever been, you’ll know it has that same misty, rolling paddocks magic as the Adelaide Hills. My husband, Brendan, on the other hand, is a Hahndorf local, so when we lived in Sydney for a while, the pull back to the Hills was always there.

Like so many others, once we started having kids, the city life lost its shine, and we knew we wanted something different; a bit more space, a bit more fresh air, and a whole lot more community. So we packed up and made the move to Adelaide, settling in Carey Gully, where we’ve been ever since.

And honestly? It’s everything we hoped for. Our kids are growing up how we’d imagined; running barefoot outside, climbing trees, and getting covered in mud. They think picking blackberries straight from the tree is a normal ritual of packing school lunch (which, I suppose, it is here!).

Me with my sister and one of our brothers in our backyard in Bowral.

Curious, Creative, and Always Exploring

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I always have something on the go. I love being creative - pottery, cooking, writing, anything that lets me make something. But more than that, I love celebrating people who do it better than I ever could. There are so many brilliant, talented people around us, and nothing makes me happier than sharing their work.

I also can’t sit still for long. Whether it’s hiking, riding my bike, or just heading out for a wander, I’m happiest outdoors. When I was little, I’d sit at the back glass door, waiting for the rain to stop so I could go outside. Eventually, my mum just gave up and bought me full rain gear so I could go out regardless. That pretty much sums me up.

First image: Me giving Isoble a wheel throwing lesson (although I'm not sure who is teaching who!); second image is of Isobel giving our roadside stall the big thumbs up when we first opened it in 2022; and the third image is of me looking pretty pleased with my haul from the Uraidla monthly markets.

The Hills Are Full of Stories, and I Want to Dig Them Up

A few years ago, I was standing at a roadside stall, picking up a jar of honey, when I got talking to the beekeeper. Five minutes in, I had forgotten about the honey entirely. I was too busy listening to him tell me how he got started, about the chaos of moving hives, the late-night rescues of swarms, and yes, how many times he had been stung in the face.

It made me realise something. We are surrounded by stories like this—real, messy, fascinating stories—but most of the time, we don’t hear them.

We see the café, but we don’t hear about the moment its owner signed the lease and thought, Oh god, what have I done?
We see the artist’s work, but we don’t know how many unfinished versions came before it.
We pick up a loaf of sourdough, but we don’t hear about the batch that failed spectacularly or the time someone’s starter nearly took over their entire fridge.

That is what I want to bring to your inbox. The real stories behind the people who make, create, build, and take on wild adventures in the Hills. The ones who have thrown themselves into something, whether that is beekeeping, hiking, baking, running a business, or making something with their hands.

Some people don’t think they have a story worth telling. But trust me, if you have poured time, energy, and a bit of chaos into something, there is a story there.

And if you are like me, you want to hear it.

Want to Share Your Story?

Adelaide Hills Pantry is a little bit of everything. It’s for the cooks, the creatives, the adventurers, the Roadside Stall lovers, and the people who just want to soak up the best of what the Hills has offer.

If you’re a maker, baker, creator, explorer, or roadside stall holder and would love to share your story, I’d love to hear from you. Click here to reply with your contact details and I will get in touch.

Share the Love

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Until next time,
Steph

P.S. What’s your favourite part of the Hills? Reply and let me know - I read every message!