Dagun Growers Market

We took the family for a drive this afternoon and checked out the Dagun Growers Market. It's only about fifteen minutes away and only held once a week at the train station. The town itself basically consists of a small local school, saw-mill, a dozen houses or so and the train station. The regular tourist train isn't running out this way anymore, so the growers market is a relatively new initiative to bring the community back together and showcase their 'home-grown' goodies. We even spotted a few unique salad greens amongst the mix which has motived us to diversify with our garden like 'endive' and 'mizuka'.

Everyone was friendly and the kids had a play on the dis-used railway tracks. We picked up some potatoes, cucumber, honey, a pineapple and pumpkin bread! The prices were really good - but the food mileage is awesome - all the stuff for sale had been grown within a really close radius of the town!
Not having any expectations, all in all, the experience was pretty good - but in reflection, it would of been great to have some fruit trees for sale (I know there is a grower only 10 min away) and dairy produce (semi-big company only 5 min away who does a whole plethora of goodies).

Some would argue the point of buying everything local - but we don't live in a commune and sometimes it is not entirely possible! We don't get too hung up on buying and eating local, but perhaps having one meal a week with local or homegrown stuff is a start. For instance tonight we had toasted pumpkin bread, topped with local bacon (Langshaw Pork), rocket and beet leaves from our garden, drizzled with local olive oil (Fat Hen Farm)! Dessert will be mango sorbet that I made a few weeks back using local mangoes!

Community Gardens

On the hunt for tips in expanding our vege patch, I recently attended a local Community Gardens open day.

It is a group of mainly older folk who have some fruit trees and raised garden beds beside a retirement home. From what I could gather, they are encouraging individuals and groups to have a 'plot' and pay a small annual fee. They can plant whatever they like and join in a monthly gardening meeting.

Roping in a friend to share the experience, I got to mingle with a dietician, the stay at home mum guru, the 'bee man', uni students and a few other folk who I think lost their way back to the retirement home… plus share in a delicious vegetarian lunch with fresh seasonal produce complete with damper and home-made pestos. Oliver and his friend did some 'craft' and there was even some awesome live music from a very talented local guitarist. I taste tested honey from local native bees (yuck - give me honey bees honey any day), then there was a 'op shop' fashion parade… All the ingredients for a great day out - If only there were more people.

Now I get to have my little 'dig' at that lack of support these 'community' events have. Makes you want to sell up and move to Nimbin! Come on folks - get out there and get involved! Attend open days, make new friends and support these initiatives! Nothing to lose but so much to gain…