THE next Wingham Farmers' Market is this Saturday, March 1.
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This month's feature stall holder is John Lee from Chichester, who sells vegetables.
John produces chemical free vegetables off his 400 acre property north of Dungog. Fifteen of those acres are fertile river flats dedicated to the production of vegetables which John sells through several of the local farmers' markets. He has been doing this full time for the last three years, and selling through Wingham since 2013. The property also supports beef cattle.
John's spray philosophy stems from past experience. He tells of being a young man working on a wheat property out west back in the 70's, where he used to spray the crops for weeds. He ended up coated in herbicide and subsequently spent a week in bed with migraines, and vowed to be chemical free ever since!
He says "everything grown you should be able to eat. If worst comes to worst, you end up with a paddock full of food." His pest control techniques now include using a biodegradable black cover to suppress weeds, and insect proof netting.
John Lee will be at the Wingham Farmers' Market this Saturday, weather permitting.
The long dry spell has impacted production, meaning vegetable supply could be limited.
Normally he would have things such as onions, potatoes, basil, rhubarb and silverbeet.
The Wingham Farmers' Market is on this Saturday from 8 am till midday at the Wingham Showground.
New stallholders are always welcome, with site fees waived at your first market. Direct stall holder enquiries to Annette on 6550 7213. Don't forget if you have any excess produce to sell you can drop it at the community stall.
There is more information online at www.winghamfarmersmarket.org.au and on Facebook.