Atherton Tablelands: New cafe at Shaylee strawberries where they’re embracing agritourism

Thinking outside the square is yielding dividends for an Atherton Tablelands farming family with their newly-built cafe a big hit with Cairns locals and a best-selling item garnering cult status. Find out what it is

BUSINESS is brisk at Two Strawberries cafe at the long-established Shaylee strawberry farm near Yungaburra, with creamy strawberry gelato and Devonshire tea featuring fresh strawberry jam among popular menu choices.

Joe and Alice Barletta, along with daughters Stephanie Knowles and Theresa Barletta and son Michael Barletta, took over the business a couple of years ago and built a swish cafe overlooking the strawberry fields.

Joe Barletta at Shaylee Strawberries – he is turning the strawberry farm into a tourist destination with a new cafe and expanded menu. Picture: Bronwyn Farr.

Mr Barletta said there was a growing interest in agritourism and the aim was to give visitors an experience – picking strawberries and enjoying fresh produce at an idyllic spot.

Strawberry sales at the kiosk was traditionally the mainstay.

Now, instead of relying purely on wholesale and retail sales of fruit, the emphasis is on the cafe and offering a seasonal picking experience.

“There’s nothing better than seeing the look on a child’s face, or even an adult for that matter, picking strawberries – the quality and ripeness is much better than you’ll get at supermarkets,” Mr Barletta said.

The cafe has light meals, sweet treats crafted by pastry chef Stephanie, and their signature gelato, sorbet and strawberry jam.

Mr Barletta said the best-selling jam was made with fruit processed within six hours of picking, and has only three ingredients – strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.

“It is as authentic as grandma used to make,” he said.

Alice and Joe Barletta at Shaylee Strawberries – they are turning the strawberry farm into a tourist destination with a new cafe and expanded menu. Picture: Bronwyn Farr.

He said unseasonal wet weather sometimes resulted in strawberries splitting, and these were ideal for production.

The enticing gelato is made with four ingredients – cream, milk, water and sugar.

“Without fail, 80 per cent of our sales is gelato – we sell it now in one litre and two-litre containers and it just flies out the door,” Mr Barletta said.

The target market is locals.

“We get massive support from the Cairns region, people are up here every weekend,” he said.

“We are an agricultural operation and there’s no harder industry out there than agriculture so we’re value adding, trying to create a destination.”

And Mr Barletta revealed the business had a big new project under way – strawberry wine.

“I know in the UK and Japan, places like that, they love strawberry wine – not so much in Australia. But we hope to change that,” Mr Barletta said.

“It is about using our product in a way we can get a better return on it, although we love selling locally, we’re very excited about this – we want to create something fun,” he said.

Two Strawberries cafe is open seven days from 9am to 4pm.

There are plans to sell to local supermarkets when seasonal conditions are better, but for the moment, the only place to buy Shaylee strawberries is at Shaylee strawberries on Marks Lane between Atherton and Yungaburra.

Originally published as Atherton Tablelands: New cafe at Shaylee strawberries where they’re embracing agritourism