Broccoli + Farm Tours + a 9.00am surprise

What’s NEW at the Market this Week?Broccoli picked for this weeks market 2016

Offering great nutritional benefits and so crunchy and fresh! New season Aurora broccoli picked by Des and his workers at Cecil Farm will be at the market this week.

Over the past couple of weeks Des’s Aurora broccoli has replaced his spring/summer Atomic broccoli variety. Aurora is a late autumn through to early winter variety that doesn’t like extreme cold. Des said that he has been planting this crop – 1000 broccoli seedlings  – every week commencing  12 – 13 weeks ago.Des picking broccoli May15sml

As the weather progressively cools the quantity increases with 1500 broccoli seedlings planted every week as they take longer before being ready for harvesting and demand increases.

Cecil Farm owned and operated for more than 30 years by Des and Donna Cecil runs on Des’s detailed 22 week planting plan. This means thinking and planning 22 weeks ahead and knowing what he wants to have ready for picking well in advance. Des orders the seedlings, prepares the ground and plants every week and that is just the beginning.

Des said that “as the weather cools I change the variety of broccoli seedlings. I begin to plant the Solitare variety of broccoli which produces a really good head and prefers extreme cold”. His Doon Doon property does get pretty cold in winter.

See below for details about farm tours coming up so you can see and experience first hand the planning and work that is needed to keep producing vast varieties of vegies every week.

What’s Happening at the Market this Week?

The WOW factor is coming to the market this week. At 9.00am the grassed area will be instantaneously transformed into a hive of activity of music and dance. A very short but intense dance sequence will take place and ABC will be on hand to film it and all the happenings of the market so come and enjoy this spectacular moment! Arrive early and grab your spot under a marquee so that you can enjoy this experience with a coffee or chai and something to nibble.

What is it about? This activity is about shining the spot light on the importance of including all people in our community; about valuing and giving everyone the opportunity to fully participate; about connecting communities, workmates, family and friends in order to build and strengthen relationships and networks.

In many ways this is what the market aims to do along with supporting our local farmers and giving the community access to fresh healthy food choices.

Wollumbin Gourmet Mushrooms: Some be13232886_1707544449506126_376453246209193709_nautiful Oyster and King Oyster as well as Shimeji and Lions Mane Mushrooms coming to the market this week. But be quick because Gary always runs out early. He is also bringing mushroom spawn and a few grow your own at home bags ready to fruit.

Supporting the community: This week the Murwillumbah Community Men’s Shed will be at the market with their camphor laurel boards.DSC_3846

Kerstein Truman from the Currumbin Eco Village expressed her thanks for the market’s support of  their Biggest Morning Tea cancer fund raising event. My thanks to Nudgel Nuts and Caldera Honey for their contributions too. 

Coming Soon – a series of Farm Tours- commencing at:

Cecil Farm – Saturday 18th June10426092_380940485445744_8590824662076145621_n

BioOrganic Farm – Saturday 18th June

These will be followed by:

All Natural Meat Co – Monday 4th July

Jumping Red Ant – Thursday 7th July – Bilambil site

Jumping Red Ant – Thursday 14th July – Duranbah

And there will be more in August and maybe September

Entertainment: Broadfoot10410309_797479246974859_2913933615791870920_n

Weather Forecast is for: A beautiful sunny day. Overnight temperatures will fall to between 5 and 9 degrees with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.

Produce of the week (newest season produce is in bold):

  • Apples
  • AvocadoPink Lady's
  • Bananas
  • Beans
  • Broccoli
  • Custard apples
  • Capsicum
  • Carrots
  • Corn
  • Cucumbers (Lebanese)
  • Dragon Fruit
  • Kale
  • Kang kong
  • Mandarins
  • Oranges
  • Passionfruit
  • Radishnavel-oranges-8856997
  • Rocket
  • Silver beet
  • Spinach
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Sprouts
  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini

Seasonal Produce List Updated:

VegetablesRocket 5

Beans (+organic), Beetroot (+organic), Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Capsicum, Cauliflower, Chard (organic), Chilli, Cucumber (+organic), Corn (+organic), Eggplant (+organic), Garlic (+organic), Herbs (basil + organic basil, coriander, fennel, ginger, rocket, turmeric and more), Kale (+organic), Kang kong, Lettuce (cos organic), Fancy Lettuce and mixed salad greens, Micro greens (+ wide variety of organic such as alfalfa, barley greens, sunflower, broccoli, chick pea), Peas incl snow peas (+organic), Mizuna, Onion (+organic), Mushrooms, Pak Choi (organic), Potato (Sebago) , Potatoes (kipfler ++), Pumpkin (+organic), Salad Mix, Silver Beet, Sprouts (+organic), Spinach (+organic), Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato (+organic), Tatsoi (organic) Swedes, Tomatoes (+organic), Taro, Watercress, Wheat grass, Zucchini (+organic).

Fruitlimes

Apples, Avocados, Bananas (Cavendish, Lady Fingers (organic also) and Little Gem), Blueberries, Carambola (star fruit), Custard apples, Dragon Fruit, Grapefruit, Grapes, Kiwi fruit (organic), Lemons + Limes (incl organic), Mangoes, Mandarin (organic), Oranges (organic), Passionfruit, Paw Paw, Pears, Rock melons, Strawberries, Watermelons.

Flowers

Gerberas, Lisianthus, Roses, Tropical flowers – currently red and yellow heliconias.IMG_3675

Eggs – including organic

Nuts

Pecan nuts and macadamia nuts, nut oils, butters and choc coated nuts

Dairy

Cows milk, cheeses and yoghurt, kefir, cultured butter ++

Goats milk and soft cheeses, kefir

Honey

Raw unprocessed honey, creamed honey and creamed honey with cinnamon! And bees wax candles.

Baguttes, Spelt and QuinoaRice and Breads

A variety of artisan sour dough breads baked with a range of organic flours (including spelt and rye) and flavours that use local market products including macadamia nut bread!

Meat

Beef, lamb and pork (All Natural Meat Company) and goat, Salami (Nimbin Valley Diary) periodically. + lamb and chicken sourced within the broader market radius and locally caught fish – very seasonal).

Seafoodgrilled-white-snapper-fresh-vegetable-22440428-1

Locally harvested oysters by Noel Baggalay from his Brunswick and Tweed Rivers oyster farm. Seasonally caught local fish, prawns and other seafood as it becomes locally available.