Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Markets

To be a locavore, one really needs to find their local market, or if they can buy produce in their local town. I live at Baralaba, which makes it difficult to buy local produce. I do remember years ago a family moved here from Victoria and they put a lot of effort into planting grapes, growing asparagus and other vegetables.  Unfortunately they didn't last.....was it to soon or was it just too far  to transport  their product. I do know that I did buy their produce then, but maybe not enough people did. Incidentally some of the asparagus I have in my garden now was dug out of their paddocks long after they left.

Because I take our meat to the markets in Rockhampton and Yeppoon, I am lucky that I go to the markets often enough (every two weeks) to be able to get all my fruit and veg there.



I find that the local market (farmers market if you are lucky enough to have one) is the best place to buy your produce. You can and should engage with the stall holder. Ask them if the produce is theirs, ask them how they grow it, ask them whatever you want. If they are open to your questions (provided they are about their produce and not the meaning of life) then you will be able to make the judgement whether you want to buy their product. For instance, they may not be organics, but may try to reduce and limit the amount of chemicals used.



As a stall holder myself, I know how important relationships are. I know how great it is to have conversations about food. I know that the customer needs to have the peace of mind to know that what you tell them is fair dinkum and that you are farming responsibly. If they aren't completely transparent, maybe you need to wonder whether what they are saying is correct. If your market is not a designated farmers market or if said farmers market allows wholesalers in, you as the customer really need to shop where you feel that you can trust that the stall holder is telling you the facts.




I've gotten to know who is who at the markets and I've worked out who's fruit and veg will last the best. Although I like to support everyone and I just make sure I use the shorter life stuff first! Also keep in mind that some of the wholesalers do also sell local produce, alongside the non local. If they are wise, they will label the local stuff.


And of course don't forget the people that make stuff! It's not just about the food, but supporting local businesses.





Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Chickens and Roosters

This afternoon we processed 7 poultry. We have had an explosion of chooks over the last 12 months and have been trying very hard to cull them all before Easter. I can just imagine one of our guests walking into their tent (a lot of the family are camping) and standing on an egg, or  a chicken walking in and scaring the heck out of one of the kids......this is what happens when you have real free range chicken. In the past we've really just done the roosters, but numbers are ridiculous, so hens are going too.

Tonight I decided to just put all the feet and necks into the crock pot and I'm going to have a go at a continuous broth. It won't be continuous for too long, probably only about 3 days - I'll see how it goes. I normally mix it up a bit and use chicken carcasses, feet, trotters, pork bones and beef bones. The idea of a continuous broth, is that after the first 12 hours, you start drawing stock off and using it. Then you top up with more water and throw in any bones or vegetable water that you have. Make sure that you cook it for several hours before using it, if they are bones that have already been chewed on!


Dinner was pork osso bucco, stir fried vegies and mashed potato and pumpkin. Potatoes were the only thing not local, except for all the spices etc in the osso bucco. I threw the bones into the crock pot too.



I went to the markets last weekend and stocked up on LOTS of fruit and veg for the party.
My list:
zuchini
button squash
snake beans
guada beans
carrots
lettuce
capsicum
tomatoes
pumpkin
sweet corn
baby corn
cucumber
chilli
eggplant
red onions (this will be the last of them)
avocado
sweet potato - white and orange
pineapple
banana
passionfruit
pawpaw
mango

If I can't prepare a feast with that, then I'm no sort of cook!!! These are all grown Locally, so I'm very lucky to have such good farmers in the area. In my garden I have lettuce, ceylon spinach, kankong, perenial spinach, silver beet (not much of these two survived summer, but what's left is going well now), kale, eggplant and plenty of herbs.