When hail stones came hurtling down on the city’s food bowl last week farmers were holding their breath.
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It’s a farmer’s worst enemy, and this time it had its sights on the superfoods.
She’ll also add some end of season pumpkin to the dish, and a lot of eggs.
Then she’ll make a side of green salad, so Oakhampton farmer Austin Breiner’s lettuce crop isn’t left to die after it copped a bashing from the hail.
“The hail absolutely shredded Austin’s lettuce crop – it was looking so good before that happened, and it was ready to sell at the market on Thursday – so i’ll make a green salad with the lettuce,” Ms Dempster said.
“It’s already shredded, so all i’ll have to do is wash it – and ill add avocado and pepitas and zucchini and anything else that’s green.
“I’ll use the red onion that I’ve already got, and add some more.
“There’s some old pumpkin that needs to be used as well – it’s all that end of season fruit and vegetables
“Every chicken has realised its spring and is laying so many eggs – everybody has eggs. This is the opportunity to make use of them.”
Ms Dempster said the dish showed how farmers and chefs should be working together to combat food waste.
She urged chefs across the city to start talking with local producers and finding out how they can help combat food waste.
“If we weren’t going to do this the crops would be wasted and the farmer wouldn’t earn any money for his efforts,” Ms Dempster said.
“We can’t let that happen because that’s how the farmer earns his income.
“There’s nothing wrong with this food, except that it’s been shredded by the hail – it will still make a tasty and nutritious meal.
Read more: Broth helps make a tasty feast
The market starts at 2pm and runs until 7pm.
It will offer a wide range of fruit and vegetables, honey, meat, bread and pastries, eggs, olive oil, flowers and much more.
Use the interactive shopping list below to plan your visit.
What can I buy there?
Maitland’s fresh food revolution is the culmination of a long journey that started in early 2016.
It has gradually transformed into a twice monthly market, which usually works out to fall fortnightly.
Click on the picture below to read everything you need to know about the market, and Maitland’s fresh food revolution.
The market helps 14 producers, and a handful of backyard growers, to earn some money from the land.
There’s long-time farmers like Oakhampton’s Austin Breiner and East Maitland’s Matthew Dennis.
Then there’s those who are paving their own farming path after growing up in the city, like Tom Christie and Dominique Northam.
Click on the picture below to meet the producers