***Oh no! Sorry everyone, the apple mint was apparently very tasty as the bugs have eaten it all before it got to us! We’ve replaced the mint with coriander from Rita for all boxes.

***Hiccup in the paddocks! Last minute changes this week, mangoes have been replaced with apricots and passionfruit. Fruit boxes will be getting a few plums from Imago Forest too, enjoy!

Veggies- Large boxes

Rainbow Chard, Zucchinis, Savoy Cabbage, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Onions. Cucumbers, Corn, Broccoli, Beetroot and Apple Mint

Medium Boxes-

Corn, Broccoli, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Green Beans and Apple Mint

Small Boxes-

Corn, Broccoli, Onions, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Zucchini, Green Beans and Apple Mint.

Fruit Boxes- Mangoes, Bananas and Avocados

Goodbye from Rosada

This is the last day for me at Foodconnect as I move into other areas of my life, namely cookery and finishing a cookbook in it’s final stages. My replacement is the lovely Ian MacGregor formally of Mamre Farm. Yes, he was one of the famous farmers who grew gorgeous lettuces in the early stages of  Foodconnect. Thank you for reading my tidbits each week, I’ve really enjoyed putting this blog together and may not want to discontinue blogging as a result.

I hope you feed yourselves and your families well with the box this week which has some lovely new season beans and fresh organic broccoli from our old favorites in Bathurst, Kurrawong Organics. Cool down with a juice mixed with the apple mint and dine on a Greek salad with all the cucumbers and Tomatoes.

Rajan our warehouse coodinator showing off this week's medium box contents

Veggies large boxes-

Zucchini, Onions, Tomatoes, Broad Beans, Potatoes, Watercress, Lettuce, Red Cabbage, Cucumbers, Corn, Boc choy and Broccoli

Medium Boxes-

Zucchini, Watercress, Potatoes, Broad Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumber, Corn, Red Cabbage, Boc choy and Broccoli.

Small Boxes-

Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Corn, Cucumbers, Onions, Lettuce, Broad Beans, Potatoes and Watercress.

Fruit- All boxes contain Bananas, Mangoes and Avocadoes

In Season

The sun is finally convincing us that it will spend some time heating up the crops in between the enormous bouts of rain that are reaping havoc with them. My poor cherry growing is coming to terms with tons of destroyed produce and the local growers are hoping for dryer weather so that the crops don’t rot and they are able to harvest for us. Fortunately we have some sweet corn that is ready for this week and more lovely broad beans coming from Bathurst. Onions are also finally in season for all who have had to abstain from these culinary necessities. We can’t really go on any longer without them!

Direct from the local farmers

It is from Lily’s plot that we are to receive those lovely yellow ears of corn this week combined with her potatoes, red cabbage and broccoli. Rita will come up trumps with the perfect cucumbers and plentiful bunches of watercress. Our newest farmers Gina and Neil Wiseman from Coleambally will be supplying us with their premium onions.

A Wise decision

The Wiseman’s converted their conventional farming practices to certified organic back in 1998. It was at this point in their farming life where the quality of their soil, which was very poor in nutrients making the texture as hard as concrete, in conjunction with disease affecting their crops, they needed to look for alternative solutions. Since the transformation to organic they haven’t looked back. The soil is fertile and healthy, their crops are blooming and they are attracting all the right insects. The Wiseman’s grow primarily onions and soybeans, which are used in Vitasoy. They have grown other pulses and grains including rice and spelt wheat.

There are many health benefits connected to onions, one being that they are an anti-inflammatory and that they are very healing when it comes to sore throats, coughs and colds. They also contain bone strengthening qualities and are used in Chinese medicine for breathing ailments such as asthma. So what can we do with these bulbs that were such a highly regarded  food that people used to pay rent with them and they were used as gifts, that’s a thought for christmas.

Try making caramelised onion feta and chickpea salad. Another of my favorite vegetables in the box this week are the broad beans and watercress. Salads all week if the weather keeps up, or soup if it dampens. I can see fish with watercress and broad beans either mixed with blanched broccoli in a salad or mixed with a pickled red cabbage salad. The onions, being a staple will be around for a few months so enjoy the pungent aromas in you cooking again.

Spot the mango? Lilly displays this week's box contents -yum!

Changes to the box this week due to weather and Cockatoo’s- No oranges or strawberries for boxes but all boxes will have new season Queensland Mangoes as a treat. Although a bit further away, they are the closest we can source commercially grown organic mangoes. Orders for extra strawberry punnets will still be delivered.

Veggies large boxes-

Pak Choy or Choy Sum, Tomatoes, Carrots, Basil, Broccoli, Beetroot, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Shallots, Potatoes, Silverbeet, Zucchinis and Beans

Medium boxes-

Pak Choy, Tomatoes, Carrots, Basil, Broccoli, Beetroot, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Silverbeet, Zucchinis, Leeks and Lettuce.

Small Boxes- Boc choy, Tomatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Zucchini, Beetroot, Cucumber, Potatoes, Lettuce and Silverbeet

Fruit- All boxes will have Oranges, Bananas, Avocados. the large boxes contain Strawberries.

In Season

It’s time for salads and lighter cooking, I say as I whip up a batch of gnocchi to be served with a pesto from the basil from this weeks box. Corn is very much on its way and beans are due next week. The large boxes do get a snippet of beans from Mamre this week because they are lucky people. They will comprise of green beans and butter beans and that really is the extent of what’s on Mamres vines for next week, but Lily will be harvesting more the following week. It’s time to come clean about the cherries and I have solid information that they will be good enough for our boxes next order, this week their water content is still bursting so they have to be thrown out, wouldn’t you like to be their pigs right now, literally tons have been donated to their table, as Michelle puts it ” you can only freeze so many”. Also coming next order will be new season onions from Wisemans in Coleambally, I’ve been waiting a year for these.

Direct from the local farmers

We have some lovely carrots coming from a couple of farmers at Mamre, Rachel and Wemor are growing purple and orange carrots so we will be getting a delightful mix of these as well as the beans for the large boxes. We have some more freshly dug sebago potatoes from Lily with her abundant looking silverbeet. Lin’s organic have a batch of red oak lettuces this week as well as the boc choy for the small boxes. Lin’s Organics  are A certified which means absolutely everything they use and their practices are A standard. There is no cheap route for them, Belinda works extremely hard without machinery and uses products that are acceptable by the certification bodies, it’s a pleasure to eat their lettuces knowing how much dedication goes into it.

Now for the sauce

Native to the Americas, tomatoes eventually found their way to Europe and became intimately connected to Italy. The first pizza was created in Naples to celebrate the visit of the Queen Margarite. The ingredients therefore represented the colors of the flag, red with the tomato, white with the mozzarella and green with the basil. This is how the famous margarita pizza came to be known.

Tomatoes are a close relative to chili, potatoes and eggplant, so they are part of the nightshade family. Rich in Vitamin A and C, but due to it’s nightshade connections I find it essential to combine it with dairy or calcium rich foods, such as beans and pulses. Tomatoes contain a carotenoid phytochemical called Lycopene, which studies have shown to be a potent protector against cancer, particularly prostate.

Plenty of things you can create with tomatoes, fresh or cooked. Gazpacho if you include the cucumbers or try a salad with halomi and shredded sauteed silverbeet with the tomatoes. What about a salsa or guacamole with tomatoes. Of course, you also have the ingredients to make an Italian flag pizza, okay the small boxes didn’t get the basil this week, so use the silverbeet, Viva Italia!

Mushrooms, tomatoes and basil for this weeks boxes...who smells pizza?

Veggies- Large boxes

Cucumbers, Baby Carrots, Boc Choy, Red Cabbage, Basil, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Leeks, Lettuce, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini and Mushrooms.

Medium Boxes- Cucumbers, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Basil, Baby Carrots, Shallots, Lettuce, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchinis, and Mushrooms.

Small Boxes- Broccoli, Basil, Shallots, Cucumber, Lettuce, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini and Mushrooms.

Fruit-All boxes contain Oranges, bananas and Avocados.

In Season

My position with food connect over the past 11 months has given me such insight into the difficulties the farmers have to endure on a daily basis. The seasons can no longer be depended upon for regularity and predictability. I was all set on getting cherries in the boxes this week as a real expression of spring only the amount of rain that has fallen on the Young area has forced Michelle from Cherry Blitz, to cancel her delivery to us. The cherries are looking beautiful and plump and ready to eat, says Michelle but the water content in them will rot them before they reach us. She will persevere over the next few weeks, with help from a few warm rays from the sun to get a good harvest for us. Mountain View are expecting corn and beans in the next few weeks and we have hit the season for the aromatic, aniseed aromas of basil.

Direct from the local farmers

We are expecting some more delectable hass avocados coming from Red Plateau Organics. We’ll have  more local potatoes coming from Lily’s farm, these will be sebago and they are just being dug up today ready for next week, nothing like a fresh spud. Also more tomatoes and cucumbers being plucked from Rita’s vines.

Little green courgette

Or zucchinis, to this side of the globe, are members of the cucumber and melon family and have been consumed in Central and South America for several thousands of years. Later they became a popular vegetable in Europe, namely Italy and then France where they were named courgettes. These summer squash are a wonderfully versatile vegetable offering a soft texture when added to cakes and banana breads or adapted in many savory dishes including fritters, fritatta, pancakes, char grilled and added to a salad, shredded into pasta sauces or simply steamed and served with rice dishes. I also lightly cook them in Thai curries with coconut milk or stir fry strips and toss in lightly fried garlic, chickpeas and lemon zest. Grilled and added to a pizza topping or you could succumb to the pleasures of crumbed and fried zucchini.

Referred to as the holy herb in many traditions

Basil can be traced back to 907 AD in some ancient records. Known as St Joseph’s Wort, basil is a multipurpose herb, used in sweet and savory foods and most recently it extends its tantalizing aromas to perfumes and soaps and wouldn’t you? I might add holistic remedies also and toothpaste. Related to mint, basil is native to central and tropical Asia and Africa. As a herbal preparation it is known for relieving dysentery, gas pains and nausea.  But the really valuable thing that you can do with this gorgeous herb is to chop it up and throw it into a pasta or make a pesto out of it, otherwise just smell it and dream of Italy.

Delicious bounty in this weeks large box

Veggies-Large box

Beetroot, Broccoli, Boc choy, Celery, Cucumbers, Kale, Lettuce, Potatoes (dutch cream), Radishes, Green Cabbage, Tomatoes and Zucchini.

Medium Box- Beetroot, Broccoli, Boc choy, Cucumber, Lettuce, Potatoes (Pontiac), Radish, Green Cabbage, Tomatoes, Coriander and Zucchini.

Small Boxes- Beetroot, Broccoli, Boc choy, Cucumber, Lettuce, Potatoes (Pontiac), Green Cabbage and Tomatoes.

Fruit- All boxes contain Bananas, Oranges and Avocados.

In Season

I have to state what a tough time the fruit growers are experiencing at the moment which is why we aren’t able to offer such a variety as I would like to. The stone fruit have not come into fruition, excuse the pun and I am waiting on the cherry market to burst forth. One local farmer has assured me he has sweet potato in two weeks so this is uplifting news, also the news that basil is a week or two away from two local farms sends spurts of joy through my fingertips as I write.

Direct from the local farmers

Now that the warm weather is upon us we can embrace the season of salads. Rita will treat us with the first of her tomatoes that taste so sweet you could call them a fruit, which it officially is of course. With these lovely vine delights, she will also bring more of those amazingly crisps and fresh cucumbers along with zucchinis and some aromatic coriander. The Mamre team will deliver an enormous quantity of beetroot to add to your iron levels.

Salad Days

Originating in India cucumbers soon spread to Greece and Italy, then later to China. The Romans used cucumbers to treat scorpion bites, bad eyesight and to scare away mice. Also seen as a helpful device to have them wrapped around you if you were a woman trying to conceive. Columbus introduced them to Haiti in 1494 and a french explorer Jacques Cartier found them growing on a site that is now known as the city of Montreal.

Cucumbers are made up of 96% water which is why they are naturally hydrating and extremely healing as a topical cooler for sunburn and swollen eyes. Full of silica, which is a necessary element for healthy connective tissue and great for the complexion. Although cucumbers are classified as one of the oldest vegetables they are in fact a fruit. They are a helpful digestive aid, and have a cleansing effect on the bowel. They age faster when stored for any length of time with tomatoes, melons or apples.  Culinary ideas for cucumbers range from simply chopped into a salad or pickled. Chopped finely with coriander and mixed with yogurt for a raita to be served with a potato curry.

Some of the boxes contain radishes and these are really delicious finely sliced with the cucumbers then sprinkled with a little salt, cover with a plate and weight for pressure. Leave for an hour and then drain off the salty water and add these instant pickles to a noodle salad or a pressed cabbage salad, or put them into a sandwich. I also add radishes to miso soup instead of daikon. You could chop them into tiny pieces and sprinkle them over a potato salad or try baking the beetroot and mix in some feta and make a dressing of coriander and radish with plenty of olive oil. Radishes are native to Asia where they spread to Japan, they are also a good aid for digestion and possess significant amounts of calcium, iron and thiamine as well at being high in vitamin C.

Veggies- Large boxes

Silverbeet, Shallots, Potatoes, Lettuces, Cucumbers, Carrots, Asparagus, Chinese Broccoli, Cauliflower, Alfalfa Sprouts and Coriander.

Medium Boxes- Silverbeet, Shallots, Alfalfa Sprouts, Potatoes, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Cauliflower, Chinese Broccoli  and Asparagus.

Small boxes- Silverbeet, Shallots, Potatoes, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Chinese Broccoli and Asparagus.

Fruit-All boxes contain Bananas, Tangelos, Avocados and Oranges. The large also have Lemons

In Season

The onset of spring produces a range of crispy, fresh and sweet flavored vegetables, mainly from the bean family. This weeks spring vegetable is asparagus coming from Orange. Also in season are pristine looking cucumbers from Rita’s endless vines that are delicately suspended like mobiles throughout her greenhouse. Bananas are back and now the wait for cherries which are due at the end of November. Due to colder and wetter than expected weather this time of year, a lot of crops are getting understandably confused as we are too. We have experienced very late season broccoli as the weather hasn’t been hot enough for it to go to seed and the stone fruits are taking a lot longer to grow and ripen. The rain also rots crops and destroys the blossoms that are crucial for pollination with the pumpkins and zucchinis.

Direct from the local farmers

Very excited about having some very local carrots grown and delivered by Lily of Mountain View farm in  Richmond for our boxes this week. Rita will be supplying some of the boxes with some lovely large cauliflowers and the ‘very’ delicious chinese broccoli. Great to have some produce once again from Greg from Gaskill Greens in Orange. Greg is personally dropping off the asparagus that should feature in our boxes up until December.

Spearheading  into Spring

Asparagus is a member of the Lily family , I know a few lily’s, and first appeared in English print around 1000 AD. Roman emperors were partial to asparagus and it became popular in Northern Italy during the renaissance period, to grow rather large beds of these beautiful spears. Offered to the gods by the Egyptians during their rituals as it was highly revered.

There are many ways that one can consume asparagus, simply eaten raw is wonderful as it is like eating fresh peas, so sweet. You could steam or lightly boil and try and leave the tips above water to avoid over cooking. Hollandaise is very popular to pour over the steaming stems, I love to roast them with a bit of olive oil and sea salt then throw them into a salad. Also great in a pasta with toasted pine nuts. Cream of asparagus soup is another suggestion or even risotto or try it in a tart. Anyway you cook it, stir fried, or grilled, remember when cutting off the heavier end just break it at the point at which it easily breaks and then you won’t have any woody bits. Try to use within 3 or so days and wrap the spears in a damp cloth to prolong it’s freshness. Being an underground plant you need to make sure you wash it carefully. This is a premium product as its season is short lived so make the most of it’s days.

We have shallots in the boxes this week also as we are patiently waiting on the appearance of onions. These shallots are here to satisfy the Allium family cravings. They seemed to possess many names, shallots, spring onions, scallions, salad onions, or just thick chives, no, I didn’t make that up. Most have been breed from the Welsh onion. Chop finely and sprinkle over noodle dishes or soups, especially miso. Crispy fried and added to peanut sauce or just added to any salad, great with avocado!

November 3rd bounty - bring on the broad beans!

Veggies Large Boxes-

Red Cabbage, Mushrooms, English Spinach, Broccoli, Boc Choy, Baby Carrots, Leeks, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Broad Beans, Potatoes, and  Zucchinis.

Medium Boxes- Beetroot, Mushrooms, Broccoli, English Spinach, Cucumbers, Broad Beans, Potatoes, Zucchinis, Leeks and Apple Mint.

Small Boxes-Red Cabbage, English Spinach, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Broad Beans, Leeks, Potatoes, Zucchinis and Parsley.

Fruit- All boxes contain Oranges, Tangelos, Avocados and Lemons.

In Season

We are at the height of those high climber types, ordinarily referred to as beans. We will experience those fresh and crispy new broad beans this week along with the long anticipated (for me anyway) Zucchinis. In another month I expect the resurgence of its orange relative, that being the pumpkin, and I know we’ve all missed this little treasure in our boxes. The early season ones being exquisite in flavour and barely needing any seasoning. Cherries and other berries I’m told are just around the corner, just not sure which one…looking right now.

Direct from the local farmers

Lilly one of the newest farmers that we have had the pleasure of buying from is delivering a supply of that lovely fresh broccoli that we consumed or haven’t yet, but promise that I will this weekend. She’ll also be bringing zucchinis from her farm and plenty of red cabbages. More wonderfully fresh lettuces from Lin’s Organics and Bolis, from Mamre. Also Wemor  from Mamre farm will drop off a supply of baby carrots, parsley and cabbages. The Potatoes that are coming from Crookwell this week are the Kipfler variety which have a more gourmet reputation. Not just your average spud in other words. Great for salads and roasting with garlic and rosemary. Back with more bananas the following week.

A Broad Fava

Another old bean dating back 6000 years and originating in the mediterranean, it has been a staple in this region ever since. It’s botanical name is fava and it is used in Egyptian cooking as the principal ingredient for their national dish Ful Medames, also used in falafel. Great source of protein, fibre, vitamins C and A, Potassium and Iron. The Vitamin A content does wonders to our skin and bone development, low in calories and with no cholesterol makes this a very healthy bean. Another feature of the broad bean is it’s amazing ability to improve the quality of the soil that it grows in by absorbing nitrogen from the atmosphere with it’s root nodules. I eat them raw but am aware that there is a rare heredity condition known as G6PD which when ingested can cause a type of anaemia referred to as “Favism”, which can sometimes be fatal.

The method to prepare broad beans is to open the shell and with each bean peel off the cover as this can sometimes be a bit bitter. One way is to lightly blanch and remove the peeling which may be an easier way to do it. I make a dip by lightly boiling the beans, then peeling and mashing them with garlic, lemon zest and mint leaves in the pestle and mortar. Cooked into a risotto is delectable as it melts in your mouth. After lightly cooking them you can simply pour a bit of olive oil or butter  on them or toss into a salad. Another idea is to slice and bake the leeks in the oven under cover, with balsamic vinegar and sea salt, then add this to the  beans and slice in some avocado oh and squeeze that lovely lemon from Bellingen onto it. This could be on toast as a starter or a finisher, I know I wouldn’t be able to stop finishing it. Also very popular with pancetta and ricotta if you are inclined toward the more carnivorous of tastes.

Lilly working hard and early packing the small boxes for today

Updates for boxes

The zucchinis weren’t in good enough condition for Rita to send out to us so we have doubled up on the fresh cucumbers.

Veggies Large boxes

Silverbeet, Boc choy, Carrots, Broccoli, Cucumber, Potatoes, Shallots, Alfalfa Sprouts, Lettuce, Zucchini, Sugarloaf Cabbage, and Fennel.

Medium Boxes

Silverbeet, Carrots, Lettuce, Potatoes, Fennel, Cucumber, Broccoli, Boc choy, Zucchini and Sugarloaf Cabbage.

Small boxes

Mushrooms, Silverbeet, Carrots, Broccoli, Beetroot, Boc choy, Cucumber, Lettuce, and Potatoes

Fruit All boxes contain Bananas, Oranges, Tangelos, and Avocados

In Season

Many tangelos to be picked, up at Red Plateau whose season is at it’s peak right now. Sandra keeps telling me that they give her an added amount of energy when she eats them, one by one and all her friends concur that there is something in this fruit, quite possibly the sugar content. Zucchinis are arriving slowly at Rita’s farm, but only enough for the large and Medium boxes this week, I’m hoping she will have a larger yield soon. We will get mulberries in the next few weeks.I tasted my first one recently from someone’s tree and didn’t realize how pleasant they were, I think I’ll have to make a cheesecake when they make their appearance. Still much fennel to be had from Lin’s organics where its always crisp and the flavor always distinctive. For all the garlic and onion devotees we won’t be seeing any until late November early December when the new local crops of these long awaited, pungent, necessities are harvested. This week we have bananas however due to reduced stock for a couple of weeks there may be a shortage for a short time.

Direct from the local farmers

We have silverbeet coming from Rita, Boc choy, sugarloaf and fennel from Lin’s Organics, beetroot and brocoli coming from Mountain view. All of these farmers growing in the Sydney basin and making local possible. Our potatoes are coming from Crookwell and this week we are getting dutch creams as we did last week. Belinda and May from Lin’s are also delivering hundreds of red oak and coral lettuces.

The joy of bok choy

Commonly referred to as snow cabbage, bok choy was cultivated 6000 years ago by the Chinese. With definite brassica connections, this lovely vegetable is high in Vitamin C which acts as a natural antioxidant and helps to remove toxins from body. Soaring in calcium which helps to keep our teeth and bones strong.  Also featured heavily are glucosinolates and Vitamin A, the former, which you will find in all members of the cabbage family is a cancer preventative.

I lightly fry mine with garlic in sesame oil and cook the white stems first as they take longer and then add the greens and delicately cook until they have a wilted appearance, then add sea salt or tamari. Great in curries thrown in at the last minute so they don’t overcook. Try it for breakfast  sauteed with scrambled tofu accompanied by avocado on sourdough. Or blanch and serve with brown rice and peanut sauce.

We have the sugar loaf cabbages in the large and medium boxes this week from Lin’s Organics. This unusual looking cabbage, a little like a pointed spinning top, is actually quite sweet hence the name. It cooks extremely fast as unlike other cabbages it is very soft. Also great raw in salads or finely chop, saute, then toss it through hokkien or udon noodles with sesame seeds. It’s a delight to have broccoli this time of year and so close to home. We eat an inordinate amount of broccoli in our house so to see it appear two weeks in a row for me is a good thing. Also great to have ample beetroot to make into salads or bake or chop finely and saute into a risotto. I grate mine and add apple cider vinegar and sea salt and then massage it for a few moments to get the juices flowing and then quite happily I consume it with rapidity.

Rita’s parsley was discovered to have a fungus and so I have swapped this for coriander. Some of the pak choy had been eaten by something other than us and so these boxes have been substituted with more avocados and tangelos. Also the grapefruit wasn’t able to be picked this week so I have allocated more of the other citrus to these boxes

A delightful array of goodies for this weeks box

Veggies- Large Boxes

Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Beetroot, Pak choy, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Leeks, Lettuce, Potatoes and Parsley.

Medium Boxes- Cauliflower, Beetroot, Mushrooms, Pak choy, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Leeks, Lettuce, Potatoes and Parsley.

Small Boxes- Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Pak choy, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Potatoes and Parsley.

Fruit- All boxes will have Bananas, Oranges, Tangelos, Avocados and Lemons. The large and Medium will also have Pink Grapefruit.

In Season

Bananas are back and they’re not going away at least while the rains have ceased in the Coffs Harbour region. Cucumbers are here and Zucchinis are around the corner, many more beans on the way and not just has beens. I spoke with a cherry grower today who expects a good crop with many varieties of her cherries in early November, so watch this space. Also due to arrive in the coming weeks, first class only, are more cabbages, celery, tomatoes and more carrots only larger than the previous ones.

Direct from the local farmers

A brand new farmer this week coming from the Windsor/ Richmond area who grows chemical free produce. Lily and her sons from Mountain View grow a huge range of produce and for our first week they are providing us with cauliflower and broccoli which they are delivering directly to the warehouse. We also have some gorgeous organic lettuces coming from Lin’s and an amazing array of vegetables being dropped off by Rita or her Husband George.

Herbivore

A member of the carrot family, also related to celery, yes I’m talking parsley!  The great companion plant for tomatoes that happens to be a biennial which means it continues to thrive year after year once you plant it.  Charlemagne popularized it by growing it on his estate, like myself.  There are 2 common types of parsley, curly and flat leaf. Curly conjures up images of garnishes nestled on food in restaurants in the 1970′s. I see flat leaf rather more sophisticated and use it in cooking rather than just looking at it. Rich in Vitamin C which helps to maintain a healthy immune system. Parsley tea is also good for lowering high blood pressure. Historically parsley has acted as a neutralizer or concealer of unpleasant smells, we know it well as a breath freshner, especially after consuming garlic. It used to be sprinkled over corpses to deodorize them, hmm… interesting.

Back to how I would use parsley-  A salsa verde wouldn’t go astray, plenty of chopped garlic, parsley and lemon juice with olive oil and sea salt, throw in some chili if you need to. Try making a gluten free tabouli with Quinoa roast tomatoes and loads of finely chopped parsley with lemon zest and toasted pumpkin seeds. Add it to stews and soups and make cauliflower cheese and sprinkle chopped parsley on top. Great on scrambled eggs or last minute added to a pasta for that earthy, fresh taste.

The mellow tangelo

These orange like fruits are in all boxes this week as the weather has allowed Sandra to pick her fruit for us. They were meant for our boxes last week with the avocados, grapefruit and lemons but they experienced non stop rain which, if you pick avocados they will develop black spots and go rotten so they had to wait it out. The fruit that is a cross between the pomelo, mandarin and orange is here. They are excessively juicy and easy to peel, like mandarins. Delicious eaten and perfect for juice, you could also cook them and add them to a chocolate almond cake. They are also beneficial for the immune system as they are full of vitamin C and protect against viral infections.

Lilly, Lathi and Awatif working hard of the packing line

Veggies- Large boxes

Red Cabbage, Bunching Broccoli, Cucumber, Lettuce, Potatoes, Broad Beans, Boc choy, Beetroot, Snow Pea sprouts, Shallots and Coriander.

Medium Boxes- Watercress, Snow Pea Sprouts, Chinese Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Lettuce, Coriander, Shallots, Cucumber, Potatoes and Broad Beans.

Small Boxes- Beetroot, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chinese Broccoli, Cucumber, Mesclun salad mix, Potatoes, Watercress and Coriander.

Fruit- All boxes contain Avocados, Oranges, Tangelos and Lemons. Large and Medium also contain Pink Grapefruit.

In Season

Beans and peas are sprouting like fleas! Snow peas last week and this week Broad beans , shelling peas round the corner and if you didn’t get your fill of snow peas last week the large and medium boxes get to try snow pea sprouts, which cheer  up the taste buds immeasurably. More berries on the horizon and new this week are cucumbers, as Rita’s vines start to weave and climb around the greenhouse. Still plenty of citrus around to combat and heal all those change of season flues from navel oranges, early season valencias, pink grapefruit, lemons and this week we have a new zesty fruit , bulging with juice and vitamin C, it’s the tangelo. Due to the abundance of rain in the Coffs Harbour area recently we haven’t been able to get bananas this week as it’s too difficult to pick them. I have been assured they will be back next week if the weather is dryer.

Direct from local farmers

A thriving array of greens will be coming from all the regular local farms. Rita is harvesting some new season chinese broccoli, coriander and watercress, then at Lins Organics, Belinda will be avoiding puddles to pull forth the first of their beetroot meanwhile tending to her enormous quantity of sprouts, alfalfa and snow peas. Next weeks large and medium boxes will also have broad beans coming from Champion Organics on the Central Coast where I sourced our snow peas from last week.

The riches of the red soil

A new grower this week by the name of Sandra Fishwick from Mooral Creek. Only four hours away, the rich red soil of Red Plateau in the Comboyne area is the home of hundreds of hass and reed avocado trees as well as tangelo and macadamia nut trees. Situated on 80 acres of volcanic, fertile, red soil which is ideal for avocado, nuts and tropical fruit growing, Sandra has been farming for 23 years. Her property is surrounded by acres of bush which adds to the premium quality of her fruit trees. We are also tasting her tangelos, lemons and grapefruit this week. She tells me her tangelos are a treat, really juicy and sweet and the lemons succulent and she expects persimmons at the end of the year, so you should too!

My other new farmer is a potato grower from the pastoral lands of Crookwell.  Crookwell is the birthplace of the Australian potato industry that began in 1828. Joy and Lester Price grow a numerous range of organic potatoes and copious quantities. The variety we are getting this week is called Coliban, which is a white skinned spud and an all rounder. Especially good for chips apparently, but also great boiled and mashed.

Plenty of lovely spring vegetables for this week, lots of potential for salads with beetroot or dips. I love lettuce mixed with alfalfa, cucumber and feta cheese and then dress it with a squirt of lemon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Or boil beetroot till soft, then pour a dressing of tahini, sea salt, olive oil and finely chopped shallots. I always pickle my red cabbages or press them with sea salt and sometimes add it to soba noodles. Lots of options for the broad beans, especially if you have some mint left over. Lemon zest always combines well with broad beans and of course avocados go well with everything….yes I can’t think of anything that wouldn’t go with avocados.