The Saturday September 3 Wingham Farmers’ Market is all about spring!
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Lisa Hayes from Dyers Crossing is the feature producer, growing heirloom seedlings and produce. At 10am she will join Lee Fieldhouse from Islands in the Stream Vermiculture to talk about growing some great home veggies this season.
Lisa has 16 acres which has her nursery and 400 fruit trees. This includes 80 macadamia trees which she sells unhulled at the market. Three to four acres are dedicated to sprawling plants like pumpkins and watermelons, and she is about to trial a few varieties of gourds.
She speaks passionately about the range of plants she has available, of vegetables and herbs. She grows heirloom varieties and loves diversity.
For example at the next market she hopes to have 20 varieties of tomato seedlings ready, which she says are just the most popular ones.
She also hopes to have four to five varieties of cucumber, and eight types of basil coming on, if not for this market then the next.
All her seedlings are grown outdoors to make them hardy, as she’s had bad experiences with transplanting indoor plants to outdoor beds in the past. She grows everything spray free, and is a big believer in promoting soil health through using worm castings and lots of mulch.
As a professional worm farmer, Lee will be able to add to that conversation. He has lots of fascinating insights about ways to work with worm products to get plants thriving, without needing any synthetic chemicals. He currently has a tomato plant in his greenhouse which is three metres tall. Graeme Young representing Greenpatch Organic Seeds will also be at the market.
Wingham Farmers’ Market is currently seeking expressions of interest from potential growers. All you need is some space in your backyard. To get advice on where the gaps are in the market and selling through the community go and have a chat with volunteers at the community stall on Saturday.
Wingham Farmers’ Market is on Saturday September 3 at Wingham Showground, between 8am and noon. If you have something to sell at the markets new stallholders are always welcome, with site fees waived at your first market.
Direct stall holder enquiries to Annette 6550 7213. Don’t forget if you have any excess produce to sell you can drop it at the community stall to sell on your behalf. More information online at www.winghamfarmersmarket.org.au and on Facebook.