Posts Tagged ‘farmers’ markets’
Fennel! Artichokes! August Farmers’ Markets
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on August 5th, 2011
Images L-R: Rubber Slippers in Italy (CC), jeroenpulles (CC)
Melbourne Community Farmers Markets: August Highlights
There’s so much to tell that there’ll hardly be room to list all the fab winter produce happening around the markets this August. So just a quick wrap will see Ian Cuming and his kiwis at all four markets, Milawa Mustards starting at Veg Out this Saturday (and a one-off at Collingwood the following Saturday) and the new, improved Red Hill Cheese starting at Coal Creek Farmers’ Market in Korumburra with their range of sheep milk cheeses having moved their herd to the rolling hills of Moyarra. Then of course there’s citrus aplenty, fennel, artichokes, walnuts, pears, broccoli shoots, cime di rape, goat meat, daffodils and the last of the hot roasted chestnuts for the year. That’ll keep you busy in the kitchen…!
www.mfm.com.au
Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: January
Posted in Models, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on January 13th, 2011
January Update:
Greetings and best wishes for a fabulous year to come. At Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets we have kicked off the New Year with a new look to our website. There’s a few new features plus regular updated information about our markets. We hope you like it and remember if you have any feedback please pass it on!
January will be overflowing with seasonal colour and flavour so revel in new season raspberries, capsicums, blueberries, beans, tomatoes, mulberries, peaches, cucumbers, strawberries, potatoes, eggplant, pistachios, garlic, lettuces, plums and zucchini – what a sensational range we are spoilt by at this time of year.
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December Farmers’ Markets: Regular & Twilight!
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on December 3rd, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
December Update:
There’s no holding back now; Summer is officially here. Whether you’re feeling overwrought with deadlines and over-commitments or lucky enough to have the headspace and to dream about a little lie down sometime over the public holidays coming up, the year’s end is screaming towards us!
Don’t forget we have a couple of twilight markets coming up at the end of the month at Veg Out and Slow Food, as well as your regular Veg Out, Collingwood and Gasworks markets for December.
SUMMER PRODUCE AROUND THE MARKETS…
The very fickle year continues; just when it seems Winter’s finally let up, we get this rain! And for producers so desperate for rain in the last decade, the irony is that for some, so much has been a disaster!
Stone fruit is very susceptible to heat and moisture so just as it is ripening, the last thing it needs is moisture and humidity, and it’s had both which means splitting fruit and potential for rot. The combination also brings out pests in huge numbers which makes young vegetable seedlings very vulnerable. And equally, wind plays havoc with cellular plants like broad beans laden with its heavy crop.
But in good news, there are bumper crops of other produce; all the berries are just around the corner, spuds are nearly ready to dig, garlic is everywhere, first sightings of zucchini, capsicums etc and there’s so much to be thankful for!
This Christmas be sure to get your orders in early, make sure you come along and do your farmers’ market festive shopping and help us make up for another tough year.
MARKET DATES FOR SUMMER
Public holidays and the reality of successful markets have meant we have made a few changes. The market dates are as follows:
Veg Out Saturday 4 December
Collingwood Saturday 11 December
Gasworks Saturday 18 December as normal, then…
Veg Out Wednesday 22nd December 4 – 8pm
Slow Food Thursday 23rd December 3 – 8pm
No Veg Out FM in January but then back to the normal routine.
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Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: November
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on November 5th, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
The Cup is done and won for another year and that means tomato planting time. This month you’ll find CERES with organic seedlings at all markets, Russell from Kensington Garden Centre at Veg Out and Gasworks, and Howard Gibb, all the way from Whitlands in North East Victoria at Collingwood and Slow Food at the Abbotsford Convent. All have a fantastic range of self-propagated seedlings for backyards and balconies plus great advice.
The season is gradually catching up after the long, cold winter and you’ll find strawberries, broad beans, garlic shoots and snow peas back in season. Fare thee well to several apple, citrus, kiwifruit and nut growers, but let yourself dream in anticipation of the season’s luscious stone fruit, which is reported to have greatly benefitted by all that early spring rain… it’s just around the corner!
Sign up to the MFM newsletter directly for all the news – http://www.mfm.com.au/news.htm
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The Only Melbourne Farmers’ Market This Weekend
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on October 28th, 2010
| 31 October , 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 1:00 pm |
Source: Melbourne Showgrounds Farmers’ Market via Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
Did you know that this October has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays? A very special occurrence that only happens once every 823 years! This weekend, whilst ALL other Melbourne farmers markets are having a break on the 5th Sunday of the month, we are open and we are the only event on at the Showgrounds this weekend!
This Sunday the market will have plenty of delicious items just perfect for parties and race days over the cup weekend. Meredith Dairy will be at the market with their yummy cheese, Bridge Farm are back with their fabulous asparagus – perfect for any race day platter – and Beenak Farm are here with their amazing biodyamic kiwifruit. We’ve got some terrific meat at the market this Sunday too, King Valley Pork, Koallah Farm (Beef & Lamb) and Family Farmed (Beef & Pies) Don’t forget to stock up for the weekend and beyond! The lovely Darren from Walnut Park flowers is back this week too – make sure you stop by for some beautiful fresh flowers!
Thank you for your support and for shopping with us at the Melbourne Showgrounds Farmers’ Market. We are all working very hard to put the market on each week and need your ongoing support to keep the market a success. With more shoppers, we can bring in more stallholders and increase our weekly offer to you all. Please let us know if you would like to see any particular products at the market!
Finally, don’t forget its nearly Christmas (I know, scary.) and our producers will be able to take orders for collection on our December market days. if you’d like to contact producers directly, you can find their info on our stallholder page… ordering makes life a lot easier!
http://www.melbourneshowgroundsfarmersmarket.com.au/
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Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: October
Posted in Events, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on October 1st, 2010
| 2 October , 2010 | ||
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| 23 October , 2010 |
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: September
Posted in Models, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on September 3rd, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
From the September Newsletter:
ROLL ON SPRING
What a relief for all from this incredible Winter; it sure is the real deal this year! Many stallholders are itching to get back to markets after their enforced hiatus but there’s just no produce for them to bring until there’s some warmth in the atmosphere. Never fear, it’s all poised ready to happen …fruit tree buds are waiting to burst, asparagus shoots will grow above the surface before your eyes, dairy animals will flow forth with milk from new green growth and our citrus focus might gradually turn from flu preventers to salad ingredients (mmm…orange segments with lovely fine sliced fennel and a cider vinegar dressing!)
Things may not be shooting outside but garlic bulbs still hanging in their skein in my kitchen from last season are doing their natural thing and thinking they should be planted out. It’s only a couple of months till we’re treated to new season garlic so here’s a tip – I’m going to peel and whiz them all up with butter and olive oil then freeze in small containers. Was there really a time when we didn’t think we could have local garlic all year?
Melbourne Farmers Markets: August
Posted in Models, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on August 13th, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
From the August 2010 Newsletter:
There’s no keeping a lid on it – we’re delighted and proud that Collingwood Children’s Farm Farmers’ Market has been awarded Australia’s Most Outstanding Farmers’ Market in delicious magazine’s 2010 Produce Awards. Seven stallholders were also celebrated; Garlic and More, Warialda Belted Galloway Beef, Angelica Farm, Daylesford Organics, Moondara Blueberries, Mt Alexander Fruit Gardens and (…drumroll) Holy Goat La Luna Cheese, national winner in the “from the dairy” category. We accept the award on behalf of the many 1000’s of people who have endlessly supported us over almost eight years since the inaugural Melbourne Community Farmers’ Market. Seems like a lifetime and boy, what a trip! Thank you all.
Back on earth and winter rolls on. What a great season it’s been for produce; who could complain there’s not enough variety? Citrus has been amazing all season, the humble spud has stepped up in increasing variety and recognition of quality, kiwis have stocked us up on Vitamin C and got us through the winter lurgies, brussel sprouts would get my vote for the underrated veg of the year and, how about this year’s fennel? Fabulous!
So what’s going on with Victoria’s absent produce over winter?
Here’s a snapshot…asparagus beds will have been mown and furious weeding will be taking place on the Westernport flats, garlic shoots will be up and the bulbs will be forming underground in the heavy sodden soils of Central Victoria, broad beans are looking just like seedlings waiting for some warmth to grow and flower in time for harvest in November, orchardists will have just finished the enormous job of pruning every tree before the bud, flower, pollination and fruit setting stages of Spring. It’s way too early for veg growers to be planting tomatoes and Summer stocks so they’ll be weeding and preparing the beds for November. Chooks are back ‘on the lay’ but production is still well down on Spring and Summer. Last, and by no means least, spare a thought for dairy cows calving in paddocks around Victoria.
The reality is, for those of us not directly involved in food production, that whilst many stallholders are not at the markets much hard work still goes on in what seems to be the ‘off season.’
Visit the website for more…
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Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: June
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on June 9th, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
From the June 2010 Newsletter:
It’s official. After all the chilly teasers, winter is finally here and the first frost has abruptly finished the season for cucumbers, tomatoes, capsicums and the other late summer veg that’s spoilt us so long this season. Don’t despair tho; there’s plenty to enjoy during winter under the banner of casserole, soup or ‘one pot wonder’! ‘Tis the season be it blushing quinces, a hearty slab of corned beef or a fragrant vegie curry. Caulis, cabbage, artichokes, leeks, broccoli, onions, kohl rabi, pumpkins, avocadoes, carrots plus apples, pears, last of the berries, nashi, quinces, kiwis, persimmons and a fabulous range of citrus!
Speaking of citrus, Eric Wright who brings the delicious pistachios, blood oranges and orange juice to our markets is also principal at tiny Nangiloc / Colignan Primary School located 50kms south of Mildura. To raise awareness of Victoria’s local citrus industry, and funds for the 70 pupil school, he is launching an “Orange Drive” – a healthy alternative to the traditional lolly / chocolate drive and one which city schools and communities can support directly. Schools and organisations order a 3kg bag of oranges at $5.00 out of which they keep $1 and the remaining $4 returns to Nangiloc to pay the picking, packing, transport etc Call 5029 1483 or email nangiloc.colignan.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au for details.
Visit the website for more…
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Melbourne Farmers’ Markets: April
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on April 9th, 2010
Source: Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets
From the April newsletter:
Some cool nights and the late Summer late crops such as cucumbers and capsicums are finishing. Time to collect your favourite tomato seeds on paper towel to dry and plant out in Spring! Already we’ve seen plenty of pumpkins, apples, nashi, figs and brassicas splashing around the lovely colours of Autumn. Next it’s the return of citrus, firstly with Doron’s magnificent Mildura mandarins, then John Ganey’s quinces from Horsham and fresh walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts from various growers around the North East. …
Visit the website for more.
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