You’ve got to love ’em

I love hanging out at neighbourhood and country markets or fairs.

I’m excited by food cooked on the spot or freshly baked in the wee hours of the morning when most of us are still asleep.

Fruit and vegetables crisp and fresh from the land find their way into my basket of goodies.

The many varieties of apples and pears seen at the Warragul Farmers Market.

Beautiful Gippsland-grown garlic at the market.

But most of all, I enjoy the friendly “hello” that’s tossed my way from the farmers, the growers and the food artisans.

Make time to listen, and they will proudly tell you their experiences and share their knowledge.

Strolling through the Warragul Farmers Market one fine Saturday, I stopped by the Cannibal Creek Bakehouse stall and was instantly charmed by Tamsin and her little angel, Kit.

It’s easy to warm to Tamsin and little Kit at the Cannibal Creek Bakehouse stall where the wood-fired oven-baked goods sell like hot cakes.

I also met grower, Rod Plant, who with his wife Anne produces essential oil products derived from a native plant known as Kanuka or white tea-tree.

Rod Plant harvesting Kanuka plants on his property. Photo source: Kanuka Australia.

Rod told me their 16-hectare property at the foothills of Mt Baw Baw in West Gippsland was ravaged by bushfires in 2009.

Wild Kanuka growing on their property quickly regenerated and brought a new lease of life to their land – and the birth of their holistic Kanuka Australia range of products.

Quynh O’Sullivan had a ready smile waiting when I stopped to admire her flower stall of Proteas and Calla Lillies.

Quynh O’Sullivan’s stunning display of Australian Protea flowers brings colour to the farmers market.

Quynh and husband Neil grow orchids and over 40 varieties of mostly native flowers on their 10-hectare Allambee flower farm.

She was happy to share her wealth of knowledge, explaining everything from flowering periods and bumper growing months to climate-sensitive characteristics of these showy flowers.

Giant pumpkin and marrow master, Paul Latham of Atlantic Seeds, was a good sport when he posed for me at the Pakenham Show recently.

“Hats off” to Paul Latham of Atlantic Seeds for growing show-worthy pumpkins and marrows. In this photo and below, a hollowed-out giant gourd is his crowning glory.

Look at the size of these pumpkins!

Paul said the secret to growing these monster vegetables was to feed them lots of water and nutrients.

“You really have to tend to them,” he said.