March News from Melbourne Community Farmers’ Markets

At last a little Autumnal respite from the heat and humidity of the last few months...now some gentle rain but not too much to affect grape ripening and soft fruits in season. Every season has it’s sensitive balances; when one variety needs a particular set of conditions, sure enough the next needs just the opposite.

So make the most of the most prolific time of year while we’re spoilt by it; stone fruit is sensational, berries are in with a vengeance, the quality of early apples is superb and the variety & quantity of tomatoes is staggering! On that note, the Kennedy family from Corop are back with their roma tomatoes for sauce and bottling at just two markets this year- Sat 6 Veg Out & Sat 20 Gasworks.10 kilo boxes are just $12 or $10 for over 5. Call Pat to order on 5484 8293.

Also at Veg Out will be Rippon Lea Estate having a stall with heritage apple tree display and sales. It’s leading up to the Open Day in Elsternwick on 14th March. That’s two weeks before Petty’s Orchard Open Day in Templestowe on the 28th. It may seem surprising that these two orchards are in the inner ’burbs but not so long ago, before the sea of housing estates gobbled up farmland, there were many more. Melbourne itself, of course, was sensibly sited with easy proximity to the productive land. Makes you question the sense of all that housing sprawl now right on top of it as we have to bring food to the city from further and further afield ...

In triumphs of the month, the fabulous Holy Goat cheese and Gundowring Icecream have done it again at the Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and walked away with Champion Cheese and Icecream respectiveley. Congrats also to Berry’s Creek (who are joining us from this month at Gasworks) for 3 gold medal blues and Boosey Creek for a swag of silverware.

Please don’t forget all the markets are plastic bag free so get into the swing and BYO!

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