Springfield Deer Farm at Mole Creek was nominated for a delicious. Produce Award in the ‘From the paddock’ category and came home with a gold medal from the ceremony in Melbourne earlier this month.

Farm owner Michal Frydrych bought the property with his wife, Constance, four-and-a-half years ago and farm up to 600 free range deer.

The couple supply organic venison to top restaurants around the state and on the mainland, and it was through this association that Springfield won its medal, Mr Frydrych said.

“With this award you have to be nominated by chefs. We won gold in Tasmania and then in Australia as well,” Mr Frydrych said.

Springfield venison is sold as backstrap, leg and shoulder cuts, but other producers use the meat to make sausages, pastrami, salami and pies.

“Out of one enterprise we support a number of other industries,” Mr Frydrych said.

While the recognition is important to Mr Frydrych, he said the award, and the fact that six other Tasmanian food businesses won delicious. awards too, illustrated the quality of Tasmanian produce.

“It means we’re recognised as being able to supply the mainland with high quality produce and it’s important we keep to that level,” Mr Frydrych said.

“It’s important that we keep standards up for supply and stay sustainable. It’s the recognition that Tasmania can not only talk about the quality of our produce, but that we can deliver,” he said.

Springfield Deer Farm operates as a bed and breakfast as well as a commercial meat operation, but Mr Frydrych said visitors liked staying with deer.

“It is very much a free range enterprise. We don’t feed the deer, except in winter when we supplement with our own hay,” Mr Frydrych said.

“I basically walk them to the abattoir. It’s nothing fancy, just straightforward farming. It took me a while to learn that.

“We are niche, but good quality. We don’t rush anything,” he said.

Mr Frydrych saw the Mole Creek property advertised online while he was working in port development in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and fell in love with the idea of semi-retiring to a Tasmanian farm.

“We have an absolutely beautiful spot in Mole Creek,” Mr Frydrych said.

“The deer don’t know they’re on a farm; they’re well fed, well watered and the Meander Valley pasture is well regarded.”