farmers market

Our local farmers market has grown over the years from humble beginnings of a few apples and a handful of pears sold out in three minutes to a veritable cornucopia of locally grown seasonal flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Side by side in the mall, the stalls burst with heritage seedlings and herbs, artisan breads and pastries, South African pickles and pastes, bottles of unpasteurised milks and creams, home made dog treats, half metre lengths of Turkish bread and pots of hummus, and award winning goats cheeses. Oh, and usually local fish and shellfish but today featuring Queensland mud crabs with claws the size of bolt cutters.

To stave of the hunger pangs from schlepping through all these delights there are bite size croissant, Koeksisters and heart stopping bratwurst hot dogs. All washed down with icy fresh orange juice sold from a giant orange by a jolly fellow with a santa beard, coffee or seriously good hot chocolate (think Juliette Binoche in Chocolat).

And purple carrots?? Now where did they sneak in from? Well, according to the World Carrot Museum, the carrot probably originated in Afghanistan and the first cultivated carrots were purple or yellow and purple carrots were used as a clothing dye for Afghan royalty. The orange carrot probalby genetically appeared on the scene from natural and then selective mutations of the yellow variety.
The poor purple relation is struggling with not being orange apparently!! and I have to admit it does look a tad odd. It is however sweet and absolutely delicious.

Give the purple carrot a go if you stumble across a bunch.