Hi there

We look forward to seeing you on the weekend if you are in town.  It will be a smaller Market to our usual but all your essential supplies will be there and some lovely brunch & treat options.  Have a little taste of the Dunedin Craft Distillers Hazelnut Liqueur (with hazelnuts from Hazelnut Estate), I had a little sniff test & it smells delicious!  Lovely to see Esther (Company of Flowers) last weekend with our latest Market bubba Mahala.  Esther says the flowers have almost finished from the gardens as she has had less time to plant (for obvious reasons!) so this weekend will be the last of the season.  She has some gorgeous, dried flower bouquets - which are very fashionable right now and she’s looking forward to planting in all her tulip bulbs shortly so we will see her back in a few months.  I tried out the smoked Hungarian Kolbasz sausage from Blue Mountain Butchery last week, very tasty – while you are there check out my favourite venison garlic chilli salami for a nice treat – great if you are going away tramping or camping for Easter.  And if you feel like a hot, nourishing hearty lentil soup Boden Deli make a lovely one - I had it last weekend & it was full of fresh ginger, turmeric & spices to warm the cockles. 

Thanks to Alyson Willocks Flowers, Moturata Gardens & Waitaki Orchards for their season which has just finished.  We will see Harbour Fish, Tartan Sari, Princes St Butcher, Waewae, Stonehurst, Earnscleugh, Janefield’s, Bagelo’s, Classic & GUD Coffee (Gilbert’s Coffee Cart will be there for Easter in the Classic spot) all NEXT weekend as they are taking an Easter break.

Just a reminder, as so many of you are getting to the Market earlier & earlier, that officially we open at 8am so our vendors don't have to start trading or be ready before then (although I know many are), so please be patient - thank you.  Gilbert’s Fine Food, Blue Mountain Butchery, Agreeable Nature Free Range Eggs & many others all start around 8am so please respect this.  We are trying to manage this so people don’t keep coming earlier & earlier and hopefully soon this will balance out to make it more user friendly for our customers & vendors.  NB: Last weekend I walked over at 8:55am to get my eggs – no queue – just straight in. 

For those of you who maybe isolating or homebound we have a few vendors that can deliver to your door during the week, Brightside Microgreens, Gilberts Fine Foods, Ettrick Gardens (vege boxes), Waewae Permaculture (vege boxes), Ronia & Pippi, Agreeable Nature Eggs, Blue Mountain Butchery, Tartan Sari, Dunford Grove, Evansdale Cheese, Oamaru Organics, Port Larder, Harbour Fish, Havoc Pork, Blueskin Bay Honey, Ginger Fox Foods Peanut Butter, Wild Dispensary, Judge Rock Wines, Hazelnut Estate, Matheson & Roberts, Bennies Honey, Whitestone Cheese, Waitaki Orchard, NZ Nuts, Breads & More, Dunedin Craft Distillery, Princes St Butchery & others.  You can find their details in the ORDER NOW button on our website or in the vendor profiles.

Bring CASH as some of our vendors are cash only.  And remember your containers, produce bags, berry punnets, plant pottles, jars, bottles, keep cup, etc look for the ReUse posters on vendors that accept packaging back.  Remember to try to return the correct packaging to those that you brought off if you remember (e.g. supermarket branded strawberries punnets can’t be reused by some of our vendors).  And borrow a keep cup from our cup library or coffee / chai vendors.  If you want to BORROW A PLATE or CUTLERY for ready to eats just swing by the caravan for a clean one (& return back there for cleaning later), we also have bags you can borrow for produce or shopping too if you forget. 

Remember, that only all our authenticated, verified Otago Farmers Market vendors are all within our gates who have our tick of approval.  Make sure you support them inside the Market carpark & platform & you will get a quality product.  We thank you for your loyal support!

And check out the generous goodies that were donated to Kiwi Harvest last weekend in the photo below.  We have some lovely customers!  Kiwi Harvest will collect from the 'Pay it Forward Crate' by the Market caravan at main front gate this weekend to distribute to charity as they do each week.

Please respect everyone’s space & feel free to wear your mask.

Shop your way around Otago this weekend…. at the Market!  Have a happy, safe Easter.

Ngā mihi

Michele

Market Manager

Header Image:  Gilberts Fine Food

Insert Image: Esther, Jamie & Mahala at Company of Flowers

This Week in the kitchen

PUMPKIN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

Produce from Rosedale Orchard Oamaru Organics Ettrick Gardens

Bruschetta of ricotta hazelnuts and honey

Produce from Blueskin Bay Honey Hazelnut Estate Bennie's Honey Gilbert's Fine Food Beano's Bakery Breads & More

Dunedin Craft Distillers

Come and pick up an Easter treat at our stall!

We will have our Hazelnut Liqueur for you to taste, made from our delicious Naked Spirit, Cacao nibs from OCHO and Hazelnut Estate roasted hazelnuts. It is quite scrumptious! We will also have our other spirits for you to savour.

We will look forward to seeing you on the platform.

Jenny, Sue and Bastien

Hazelnut Estate

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the OFM on Easter Saturday. We will be there with freshly roasted hazelnuts and hazelnut chocolate spread - which would be a great accompaniment for your Easter pancakes!  

We will be packing up just before 11am as we need to get along to the Edgar Centre to support our daughter and her team, the Southern Blast playing in a National Netball League game. So make sure you get in early and get all of your Hazelnut supplies.

Wishing you all a happy and safe Easter.  Janine and Roger

Ettrick Gardens Market Specials

Buy direct from the grower!!! Better quality at a better price!!

Lots of pumpkin and sweetcorn 

Leeks & spinach are back - both spray free

Fresh blackberries and raspberries!

Cauliflower & broccoflower spray free 

Green and Red cabbage spray free

Beetroot - Round, Cylindra, Gold, and Candy - all spray free

Tomatoes - cherry, gourmet, table, all soil grown -spray free

Jalopeno, extra hot and cayenne chillies and capsicums are IN SEASON now!

Celery and parsley spray free

Frost sweetened parsnips

Shallots, garlic, and onions

Agria & Heather potatoes, spray free and delicious 

Spray free courgettes & zucchini

Cavolo Nero and kale spray free

Orange and coloured carrots - sweet and tasty 

Royal gala, sweet beauty, pacific beauty and cox orange apples

Beurre hardy, beurrebosc, doyenne du comice and taylors gold pears

Omega plums

Walnuts spray free and shelled

Most of our vegetables are spray-free! 

Our courier service to your door is available anytime. Or “click & collect” from us at the Otago Farmers Market or our Ettrick shop. Email j.hpreedyege@actrix.co.nz for our latest order form and we can add you to our weekly update.

Ettrick Gardens: On your right at the main gate, or rapid 5104 Roxburgh - Ettrick Highway, State Highway 8, Ettrick. Central Otago. 03 446 6863 or 021 151 8203. 

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook.

Who Ate All the Pies?

Back by popular demand and of course the new season …..

“Steak & Bluff Oyster” Pies $8.00 each or 3 for $21.00.

We expect to have these in stock on a first come first serve basis for the next few months 😁

Best wishes Steven & Team

No.8 Distillery

Earnscleugh Orchard Co-op

Hello our lovely customers. 

Unfortunately we will be away Easter Saturday due to family commitments. 

We will be back the following week with our great range of Organic Apples. Plus new season Pears and Plums. Remember you can text to Pre Order and we will pack your order to collect. Text 021455341.

Have a happy and safe Easter weekend. 

See you all Saturday 15th April.  Sher, Rob and family. 

Kiwi Harvest ‘Pay it Forward Crate’

The crate will be near the Market caravan at the main middle gate - look for a flag on top & if you feel like donating something extra from your shopping then Kiwi Harvest will collect each Saturday lunchtime & it gets distributed out to local charities for those in need this week.

Stonehurst Gourmet - Herb of the Week

HAWTHORN (Cratageus monogyna)

Also know as 'Mayflower' in Britain this tree was once used to symbolize the beginning and the hopefulness of spring - the early pilgrims that set sail to America named their now famous boat with this 'hope' in mind. 

Hawthorn is a deciduous, hardy, small tree that is covered in large thorns. In spring, scented white blooms (some cultivars are pink or shades of red) cover the tree over the deep green, trifolate leaves - come Autumn these blooms turn into bright red berries.

The red berries - haws - carry a single large seed inside, with a tart almost lemony-plum flavor - ideal for jams, jellies, wine, liqueurs, tonics and sauces.

History has shown that hawthorn berries (which are full of Vit. C) were once used in herbal medicine to help with digestion and blood issues. Modern research has shown the hawthorn is best used for treating heart conditions - lowering or raising blood pressure as needed. Studies have shown that it is not just the berries that contain the heart helping chemicals but all parts of the hawthorn tree - berries, blooms and leaves!

While once used extensively for hedging (and it is an effective use!) it is often only the coloured cultivars that are now planted on purpose - birds however are quite effective in spreading seeds of all the varieties far and wide! 

Hawthorn will tolerate most soil types and temperatures. It also tolerates partial shade to full sun. Wind and frost hardy.

The wood is classed as 'hard" making it ideal for box making and it is said that when hawthorn is used as a fuel it burns hotter than oak!

Ht at 5yr: approx 3m. Full ht: 6-7m

WARNING: If you plan to take hawthorn medically and you're currently taking prescription medication please consult your health care provider first. 

I hope you all have a happy and safe Easter - we're away from the OFM this weekend on a wild fungi foraging expedition and will be back next week with a variety of new 'wild' tastes for you all - Wild Haw Ketchup included!

Cheers, Kate

Waewae Permaculture

We will not be at this Easter weekend market but are back the following week. The gardens and us need a week to catch our breath. The gardens at Waewae are still producing well, with many autumn roots to look forward to as well as our usual range. Have a great weekend! 

Regenerative & Diverse farming, local & Agri-chemical free. Organically grown (non-certified-talk to us!)  Fiona, Lian & Arne.

Keeping Well

Everyone welcome but PLEASE STAY AWAY IF UNWELL (vendors & customers).

Please only handle food & produce that you are going to buy.  

Please respect everyone’s space & feel free to wear your mask. 

Please sneeze into your elbow.

Wishing you well!

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No Dogs allowed in the Market apart from care dogs.

No Fliers / Pamphlets to be distributed at the Market please.