What’s New this week?
White radish available at Bio Organic Farm (see an inspired spicy carrot and radish recipe below). 
This fresh crunchy vegetable with less heat than the regular red radish is wonderful in any salad. For example – try combining it with cucumber, celery, cos lettuce or rocket torn (my fav) and fennel (when available). Add a fresh mustard salad dressing made with a ratio of 4:3 oil to vinegar plus a dash of honey, wholegrain mustard and season with salt and pepper. Shake vigorously and add to salad. Simply delicious!
Also in are sweet red capsicums found at Jumping Red Ant, cecil Farm and Bio Organic Farm stalls. 
Last week for black muscat grapes – These sweet grapes have a relatively short season so this is the last week for this very popular fruit.
Mangoes – Everest Farm and Rainbow Fruit Flats have superb mangoes for another couple of weeks. Finger limes will be at the market for another couple of weeks also – they put the perfect zing into a cooling glass of chilled mineral water or filtered water.
Chai Harem are introducing “Classic Ice Chai” – an extra thick chai served with ice and a choice of chocolate, cinnamon and/or nutmeg sprinkles.
Stallholder changes – Spice Palace is AWAY! Duska and her family are having a couple of weeks off so they will NOT be at the market this week. We have good news though …..
Back NEXT week – Nudgel Nuts will be back a little earlier than expected. Ian has let me know that he will have new season macadamias next week – 18th March so we are very excited and looking forward to his return. New season nuts are so popular and soooo delicious.
Why Eat Locally Grown and Produced?
Over the past two weeks we looked at four of the six reasons for eating locally grown and produced food. This week we consider reasons 5&6:
- Local Foods Creates Community
Knowing where your food is grown connects you to the people who grow or raise it. You build relationships with the many vendors at the Murwillumbah Farmers’ Market: the local cheese producer, the egg farmer, bee keeper who provides raw honey with local flavours, your vegie growers, artisan bakers, tropical fruit producers and the many personalities that provide you with seasonal food choices.
Farmers love to receive your personal appreciation for the passion that goes into producing your food.
- Eating Local Preserves Farmland and Green Space and Equals Less Food Miles.
Knowing where your food comes from is more than just knowing its ‘carbon footprint’. Eating local foods grown and raised closer to where you live helps you maintain the local farmlands and green space in your area. It is also about being more aware of your food and how it gets to you.
Most of the foods consumed in Australia are grown or produced are ‘out of sight’ and therefore ‘out of mind’. Being virtually invisible to us means that we are unaware of the long distances that are required to transport food to our location using fossil fuels. Buying food at your farmer’s market puts a face to what you are eating – a face to the farmer, a face to how it is grown or produced. And the food miles are local, not multinational.
Knowing that you have the power to make a difference, even in a small way helps to protect your community. So THANK YOU for supporting your local farmers.
Entertainment this week: Guy Kach
el (picture of Guy at Tamworth this year)
Supporting the Community
This week the market will be support Dragons Abreast Mt Warning with their stall at the market. Please stop and support secretary Meg Main and president Anne Bowden in their efforts to raise awareness and funding for the great work they do.
Dragons Abreast Mt Warning is a group of breast cancer survivors who paddle for friendship, fun and fitness. They paddle on the beautiful Tweed River each Saturday morning at Condong at 7:30am.
They welcome those who have undergone treatment for breast cancer and their supporters to come join us any Saturday.
It is a great way to return to fitness after treatment. All levels of fitness and ability are catered for. Paddling can also lead to competition in regattas locally and overseas. For further information please phone Anne Bowden 0428 446482. They are on Face Book.
So let’s all get behind this worthwhile cause.
Seasonal vegie recipe:
Carrot and radish salad
- Ingredients
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon rosewater essence (optional) (see note)
- 3 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced crossways
- 1 bunch radish, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- Method
- Step 1
Whisk oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and rosewater, if desired, in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 2
Combine the carrot and radish in a large bowl.
- Step 3
Add dressing and mint to the salad. Toss to combine. Serve.
Recipe is from: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22432/carrot+and+radish+salad
Produce of the week (newest season produce is in bold):
- Bananas
- Beans
- Corn
- Cucumbers (Lebanese)
- Dragon Fruit
- Finger limes
- Mangoes
- Passionfruit
- Paw Paw
- Radish
- Sprouts
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
Seasonal Produce List Updated:
Vegetables
Beans (+organic), Beetroot (+organic), Broccoli, Cabbage, Capsicum, Cauliflower, Chard (organic), Chilli, Cucumber (+organic), Corn (+organic), Eggplant (+organic), Garlic (+organic), Herbs (basil + organic basil, coriander, ginger, rocket, turmeric and more), Kale (+organic), Lettuce (cos organic), Fancy Lettuce and mixed salad greens, Micro greens (+ wide variety of organic such as alfalfa, barley greens, sunflower, broccoli, chick pea), Mizuna, Onion (+organic), Pak Choi (organic), Potato (Sebago) , Pumpkin (+organic), Salad Mix, Silver Beet, Sprouts (+organic), Spinach (+organic), Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato (+organic), Tatsoi (organic) Tomatoes (+organic), Taro, Watercress, Wheat grass, Zucchini (+organic).
Fruit
Apples, Avocados, Bananas (Cavendish, Lady Fingers and Little Gem), Blueberries, Dragon Fruit, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Mandoes, Oranges (organic), Passionfruit, Paw Paw, Pears, Rock melons, Strawberries, watermelons.
Nuts
Pecan nuts and macadamia nuts (back in April)
Dairy
Cows milk, cheeses and yoghurt, kefir.
Goats milk and soft cheeses, kefir
Honey
Raw unprocessed honey, creamed honey and creamed honey with cinnamon! And bees wax candles also.
Breads
A variety of artisan sour dough breads baked with organic flours and flavours that use local market products including macadamia nut bread!
Meat
Beef, lamb and pork (All Natural Meat Company), Salami (Nimbin Valley Diary)