Markets & Other Gardening Related Events in Adelaide

We as Adelaide Hills and Plains Seedsavers  get many of requests for information on gardening, seed saving, seedlings and plants.
So it is great to pass on any event I think you may be interested in.

Here are a few events which all sound fantastic.

Food Connect was officially launched on Saturday, 13 February 2010, at the Plains to Plate convergence.
Soon you will be able to fill in your subscription form on Food Connect's website to get your box of predominantly local and predominantly organic fruit and vegetables. Produce direct from the farmers. The first box delivery is not far away! Get excited! Become part of the Food Connect community.  Food Connect will also have a stall at the Uraidla Sustainability Fair & Show this Saturday the 20 February 2010.  Do pop in and say hello. The friendly team will be able to answer any of your questions. (Or so we hope.)

Markets and Garden related events. Please check the details for your self.

This Sunday there is an Aboriginal Food & Plant Trail guided tour at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. This is a free and very interesting tour.Meet at the Schomburgk Pavilion at 11 am. Check there website and events calender for more details.

Sunday the 28th February there is a Family Fun Day at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens from 2pm to 4pm. It is called "drawing on nature" and mentions you can do a watercolor painting and drawing to take home.
Meet at the Schomburgk Pavilion. Check there website and events calender for more details

Fullarton Park Community Centre Market is held on the 4th Saturday of each month, Heather Welsh sells lots of unusual herbs, there is great citrus available from Dave and Joy Schulz as well as many other plant and produce stalls.

Diana and Jen will be selling organic seedlings at Stirling Market which is the 4th Sunday of the month.

Urrbrae High Barn Market is always the first Saturday Morning of the Month.

I have heard there is a great Car Boot Sale twice a month at Brighton High front oval.

The Mount Barker and Adelaide Farmers Markets are very popular and have a huge variety of fresh organic produce.Check out there websites for the details of the growers who will be attending each week.

There is a Music? Art? Exotic Market, Summer of love 2010, Free Festival tomorrow at Macclesfield, Davenport Square from 2 to 8pm as part of the Fringe Festival.

Warp on the Wild Side, a contemporary basketry exhibition in historic Urrbrae House.This exhibition reflects a diverse range of techniques displaying intricate patterns, flowing lines & sculptural forms using plant fibres found in Waite Arboretum. Guided walks in the Arboretum on Sundays.

Urrbrae House - University Of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Fullarton Road, Urrbrae. 27-28Feb, 1-8Mar, 11am - 4pm.

There are heaps of  wonderful exhibitions for the Fringe Festival which opens with the Fringe Parade tonight near Rundle Street.

Keep Cool!
And please check the details of any event event as I only get my info from leaflets prepared many months before
Maggie

CELEBRATING LOCAL FOODS AT URRBRAE MARKET

It took me all of 7 minutes to get to the Urrbrae Agricultural High School's produce market this morning. Situated only 10 minutes from the Adelaide city centre, this substantial piece of land is home to hundreds of chickens, both egg-laying and meat hens, dozens of sheep and goats, several cows, pigs and alpacas and no doubt some other animals too. It also has orchards, olive groves, a vineyard and vegetable growing areas. Not only is this a working farm, it also has facilities for wine making, olive pressing,wool spinning, jam making and too many others to name.

Here, school students learn to become farmers, agricultural researchers, water use specialists ..... everything and anything to do with the land. What's more, they learn the business skills to help them succeed and they take part in their very own monthly market, selling vegetables, meat, wines, value-added things like jams, oils, pickles as well as manures and compost. Some entrepreneurs have their own stalls too, selling produce from home such as herbs, vegetables, pies and tarts.

 

Today Maggie and I could not resist Daniel's sausage rolls. Sadly I have no photos.... as soon as they arrived, hot from the oven, they were snapped up. Luckily he saved us some and I am pleased to say they were the very best sausage rolls I have ever eaten. At the next trestle was another lad whose name I do not know, but I bought one of his lemon tarts, after testing a sample piece.... where do these kids learn to cook like this??  On Wednesday you will meet Daniel, as he is coming on our seedsavers day out!

 

 

Maggie and I both bought a frozen chicken, I bought some Sundowner apples which are one of my favourites.... 3 for only 50c....and some marinated goats fetta, and Maggie bought some goat sausages. The fact that all this was grown and made only 7 minutes from my home and less from Maggie's as she lives opposite the school, and it is teaching thousands of teenagers to do it too, bang in the centre of the suburbs, is a credit to someone somewhere in our dim dark history. Actually anyone can have a stall there.... so if you have some herbs or produce you'd like to sell, give them a call and ask for Maxine.

You can wander around and see a lot of the farm and school and so on and when the school is open, there are tours you can go on too. During school hours you can buy produce from the canteen.... I have lined up at recess time and bought some eggs and vegetables, and the kids don't bat an eyelid.

On the way back to Maggie's for a coffee, a rainbow showed the way and I swear it was ending right at her front door.... and you know what? Maggie and Bob are the best pots of gold I would want to find at the end of any rainbow.

This is all you are going to see of Bob today but their garden is THE best vegetable and herb garden I know, anywhere in the world ..... and I should know.... I've been around.... and around.... and soon to go again..... for good.

 

But that's another story. There are lots more photos here.

UMBRELLAS AT THE MARKET

This morning I went to the Showgrounds Farmers' Market, hoping to get some more seedlings from Diana, for Hugh, but also with photography in mind. Of course as soon as I arrived it started to pour with rain. Now don't get me wrong, one should never ever complain about rain in this part of the world, but it does tend to make outdoor photography a little difficult, to say the least. So, I put my camera in my blue trolley to keep it dry and went and talked to Diana, while she wasn't busy, and to get the seedlings, knowing she had a very big tent over her stall and I would find shelter there. Still it rained and rained.... what was that thing about a drought we were having?

Being ever the optimist, I didn't take a jacket or an umbrella because everyone knows it only ever rains for 5 minutes at a time in Adelaide..... except today. So I finished my shopping, avoiding standing under the edges of those shelters that would sag under the weight of the rain and pour water down your neck if you were in the wrong place! Still the rain persisted and it was going to be a long, wet walk back to the car..... and then I saw the photos I had been missing all along..... umbrellas.... everywhere and every shape and colour....

 

By the time I had taken a few photos guess what...... the rain stopped! Can you believe it? Everyone started folding up their umbrellas and I wanted to shout "NO!..... I haven't finished yet!" Photography is sometimes like that....as soon as you notice something it is gone..... but when you go looking for something there is nothing there. So here are a few of the photos..... click here for more.

 

 

Each time I took a photo, I thought of a caption.... it gets serious when your whole life is a series of photo captions and blog posts! But see if you can match these captions with the photos...

• busy lives, busy clothes, busy umbrella
• oh, I had no idea my boyfriend's umbrella was SOOOO huge
• I must get a new, pretty umbrella like all these other women.... mine is so floppy and boring
• obviously not from dry Adelaide, some people had the perfect umbrella for market shopping
• oops... sorry about your eye!
• the Aussie winter look.... umbrella with thongs
• why did I say I would wait outside for my wife?
• Laura Ashley blouse and almost matching umbrella.... shopping with maturity and class
• I'll leave my umbrella upside down in front of the stall so nobody else can get in
• so there are all the foam boxes Kate is always going on about!

A NEW YEAR DAWNS

I am thinking of all the things that will be happening in the year ahead in Adelaide.

The Botanic Gardens has a great school holiday program, check out their link
The NELUMBO POND home of the SACRED LOTUS should be in bloom. The lawns in front of the pond have to be the best picnic place in Adelaide.

The Rare Fruit Society will have their yearly question time meeting in January. Check out their site.

The Herb Society of South Australia has some really interesting speakers this year. Check out their website.

We shall be having our usual seed and produce swap meetings and I think we should have some on Sunday afternoons as well or instead of our Wednesday afternoon gatherings.

There are lots of interesting Herb Farms we can visit.

The Farmers Markets will continue and all of the markets I go to are getting bigger and bigger with new stall holders appearing all the time.

What would you like our seedsavers group to do in 2009?

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

HAPPY GARDENING

What fruit is for sale up in the Hills?

I was just wondering if any one knows what organic fruit will be for sale up in the Hills now or in January. Can you buy direct from the farms?

I Hate This! Blog

Yes there is a blog with this name and you can submit your rants to Kevin [Bla]. He has a great I hate Christmas rant.

Why am I Googling “I hate this”, well yesterday I went to the supermarket and as I stood at the checkout I realized they were playing the song “Santa Claus is coming town”.

I have had a very busy week and just had to buy a few things so I grabbed what I needed and hurried to the checkout , daydreaming about something else.

Then when I heard that song and looked around me to see wrapping paper, bon bons, boxes and baskets of food hampers, Scottish shortbread, puddings in tins and Christmas stockings with chocolates, I stood and for a moment actually thought it was Christmas and that I had lost time somewhere!

I looked at the girl serving me and she exclaimed IT’S RIDICULOUS it’s only November. Ahhhh I had not lost my mind, it is not the night before Christmas. I used to like going to the supermarket but they have made them so large, it is almost impossible to find things.

Thank goodness we have lots of markets around Adelaide and the Hills each weekend so its easy to buy things that we may not have in the garden.

We also have lots of little IGA supermarket shops in the suburbs. There is one at Highgate Village shops. The staff are really friendly, there are no queues, no waiting, plenty of car parks right outside the door and no loud music. There is coffee shop selling organic coffee Kate!

Organic! of course there is DOOF DOOF selling organic meals and veggies. So apart from some things that I buy for the dogs, I reckon I may be able to organize my shopping so I can support these smaller businesses, save time and enjoy shopping again. Maybe we can even meet up, with some other Seedsavers, for coffee or tea one day soon.

But for now I had best go water my local veggie supermarket in the backyard.

HALLOWEEN TRICK OR FRESH LOCAL TREATS

I had planned to make Tara a Rose Tiara and Niki a geranium crown but you know how hard it is to get young gals organized. So with all that has to be done I thought it easier just to show last years hats, but if I get heaps of comments I shall get the girls organised for a photo shoot. For now we wish you a scary Halloween and get stuck into the roasted pumpkin.

And I did roast a great organic pumpkin today. Bob and I ate loads with roasted onions, leeks, cauliflower, potatoes and fennel, YUM.

I took a platter of roast veggies around to my sweetie pie grandson and his parents and I have leftovers for my parents and other son who will visit tomorrow.

We have planted lots of pumpkins this year, we may need cheap, healthy food.

This is what I wrote last Halloween.

Tara and Niki are all dressed up for Halloween tonight.
This is the best way ever to cook pumpkin, I just slice it across the middle, scoop out the seeds for drying and seedsaving, put the top back on, rub with olive oil and bake it in a moderate oven for about an hour. Peel off the top skin. The flesh tastes delicious, just scoop out some and serve it with garlic toast, a real treat.
Nasturtium flowers and leaves are great to eat put them in salads they also are great for stopping hay fever. Niki loves to eat them, her special treat.

It is also HERB DAY this Sunday.

If you need any unusual plants or herbs it is Herb Day presented by the Herb Society of South Australia this Sunday the 2nd of November. It is held at the Fullarton Park Community Centre, 411 Fullarton Road, Fullarton. 10am to 4pm. Free Admission.
It is always a great day with heaps of herbs and great wholesome food available all day.
Bring a friend or two and enjoy all the pleasure of growing and using herbs and spices.
Nicholas usually has Ayuvedic herbs, Hillside Herbs will have many varieties of Chillies,
Heather will have drought tolerant herbs and there will be heaps of other plants and veggies for sale.

Urrbrae High will have their BARN MARKET this Saturday, if you want to get local olive oil, wine, meat, eggs, veggies and heaps of cheap plants they open from 9 to 12 the 1st Saturday of the month.

Oh and don't forget BOO at the ZOO, I have no one to go with but I reckon there are a whole lot of kids who will have the time of their lives with the animals and sunset and scary things at the zoo.

THIS WEEKEND, MARKETS, OPEN GARDENS, FARM VISITS and COURSES

There is so much happening around Adelaide I have listed some events you might be interested in going to, I think all the info is correct but check it out for yourself.

Spring is in full bloom here in Adelaide and there are many rose and flower shows to visit.
The rose garden at the Botanic Gardens looks magnificent.
Check out the Botanic Gardens link to see what's on including basket making demonstrations.

Deb from NIRVANA has several courses, you could check out her site. I think she has a course tomorrow, the 26th October.
Learn all about growing organic Fruit, Nuts and Berries, Poultry Keeping or Weaving on different days.

Sunday the 26th October.
SUNNINGDALE FARM (Mosquito Hill Road, Mount Jagged) has the garden open this Sunday 10am to 4pm as part of the Southern Fleurieu Cancer Support Group's SPRING GARDEN FESTIVAL.
I have written about Sunningdale farm before. Anne and Phil have an organic and biodynamic farm raising beef cattle, organic seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Gold coin donation and tea and coffee will be available as well as music by the Centre for Self African Drummers.
The other gardens open this Sunday are a Balinese style garden at 1 Bond St Hayborough and Rosetta Village , Maude St Victor harbour which has a herb garden and huge community vegetable garden. The Goolwa Band Ensemble will play in the gazebo and afternoon tea is available.

There are several gardens open each Sunday including Barry Beaches organic garden at Middleton on November the 9th.

Please leave a comment here if you need more information or phone Cancer Support group Victor Harbour 85529304 I have some leaflets if you would like one.

The Fullarton Park Community Centre will be the venue for the plant, food and craft Market this Saturday the 25th from 9 to 1pm. This market is held on the 4th Saturday of each month.

HERB DAY will be on SUNDAY the 2nd of November at Fullarton Park Community Centre from 10am to 4pm.
This is always the best day to buy unusual herbs, spices, veggies, trees and much more.

It's the 4th Sunday of the month so STIRLING MARKET will be bustling and Diana and Jen should be there selling their ORGANIC SEEDLINGS as well as many other stall holders.

If none of these events interest you might be interested in BOO AT THE ZOO. Friday the 31st October 5pm to 8:30pm at the Adelaide Zoo. Families are asked to wear their best Halloween costume for a parade and be prepared for some face painting and SPOOKY entertainment.
Happy gardening everyone.
Maggie

THE WILLUNGA FARMERS MARKET

Today I found a little bit of peace and a whole lot of passion at the Willunga Farmers' market. I arrived soon after 9am and the place was already 'pumping' as son Hugh would say. Sometimes when you go to things it is hard to get involved straight away but they have achieved just the right mix of anticipation and immersion with the location of this new version of the market. You can see it all happening up and down the street while you are looking for a park and as I approached today and walked towards the site I could hear the distant sounds of a guitar playing and the general hustle and bustle of people engaged in enjoying their shopping (not something you hear in a supermarket!).

The growers / makers / creators were all so nice and so enthusiastic about what they were doing.

Like these two lovely people whose sign is at right. I never did ask Mark about those pomegranates!

Every stall was dripping with produce , some specialising in one product or creation, such as oysters or soap and others overflowing with vegetables and fruits from their gardens or farms, home-made jams, cakes, honeys,venison, ducks, breads, spices - anything and everything edible or useful. (No jewelry or nick-nacks etc). In the centre, under the shade of 2 lovely lilly-pilly trees, tables and chairs were set up and coffees, teas and the best-looking cakes and pastries I have ever seen were available around the circumference. Every stall had excellent quality and the range of goods available was amazing. It was impossible not to want to buy something at every stop.

I tasted and bought the Paris Creek soft cheeses which I hadn't ever seen before and they were as good as any I have had (and often paid a huge amount for!) - from delicate to totally dripping with full-on mature flavour. I even bought a bottle of Love Valley beer. There were so many to choose from but I liked the sound of the one simply called "Bloody Lovely".

The man at left was shucking oysters from Eyre Peninsula and I wanted to buy them and scoff them there and then but I jut took the photo instead. Barry Beach was there with his vegetables, his breads and his ever-expanding range of 'small batch artisan products' including the two I bought - traditional ground coconut palm sugar infused with ginger, and vanilla beans. If you think you could resist buying these special, south east Asian spices, then wait until you are given a taste. Barry just sort of nicely insisted that I at least try the palm sugar with ginger, and, well, as they say the rest is history! Some people take drugs, but after one taste, I am addicted to this rich, powerful, spicy, sweet, sensational, grainy delight! This is it in the photo below.

Now I am all au fait with Italian (OK I know this saying is French!) I couldn't resist coffee at the Piccolo Espresso where they redefined the would 'wait'. Ordering was quick but by the time the coffee was ready I had chatted to all the other customers standing around 'waiting' and the men's choir (who were also waiting) started singing out the names of the people as the coffees became ready. Most people had probably forgotten they had ever even ordered a coffee by the time it arrived! It was all rather jolly but next time I would go elsewhere.


Click on the photo at left to read about Earth Hour, Soy candles and some suggestions for future Earth evenings. Note the bowl of water for dogs.

Of course there were mountains of fresh vegetables and fruit but I thought we might all be over seeing photos of yet more garden produce, for now.

It was nice to sit on this lovely seat on my way back to the car and contemplate the extraordinary success of the Willunga Farmers Market, between the sea and the hills and surrounded by vineyards, an hour or so south of Adelaide.

Tomorrow - the Stirling Autumn Garden Festival. Check the side bar for details. See you there.

Urrbrae High Old Barn Market

This market is held on the 1st Saturday of each month 9am to 12noon. Today was the last market until March 2008. I came home with some frozen Barramundi, lamb sausages,olive oil,lettuce , basil, some flower parcels, chilli olives, a plant and a bunch of flowers. The students, parents and staff do a fantastic job in producing all this produce and there was heaps that I did not buy. I had a great time talking to a student about his passion for gardening . He told me all about the varieties of tomatoes he is growing. How wonderful to meet someone so passionate about gardening. I could see that lots of other students there today were equally passionate about what they were selling. This is a great school please click on the photo link to see more. I wish I had taken some inside this wonderful old barn where most of the produce was being sold.

Berries & Broccoli

Today we came home from the Adelaide Farmer's Market laden with silvanberries from Cottonville Farms & Food Forest broccoli grown from Diana and Jen's seedlings.

The Dawsons grow berries at Scott Creek and have invited us as a group to a pick and pay day. If we would like to do this in early December or when the berries are ready all we need to do is contact Helen Dawson early November.
They also make berry jams and jellies.
The Dawsons have been growing brambleberry varieties for more than 10 years.
Silvanberries, Tayberries, Boysenberries, Rasberries, Youngberries & Gooseberries.
At the market they sell frozen Silvanberries.
The fruit is sustainably grown and spray free.
I have entered Helen Dawson's recipe for silvanberry and apple crumble under recipes.

Annemarie Brookman asked what I was going to do with all the broccoli we bought.
This is what we had for lunch. I have called it Food Forest Broccoli Fried Rice.
The recipe is on the Gardeners' Gastronomy blog.
I shall also post 2 more of my broccoli inventions soon.