getting a sunday off in my world doesn’t happen very often. but when it does I try and force my way out of bed to get down to the Adelaide Farmers Market at the showgrounds. It’s held every Sunday morning, rain hail or shine (excluding a couple of public holidays) and hosts a long list of local business that sell everything from seasonal veggies, flowers, cheese, meat, eggs, wines and coffee.

I can be a creature of habit so I generally shop at the same places each time, but that’s only because the produce is always fresh and it gives me no reason to go else where. So here’s a little list of my favourite places to shop at and what to expect..

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Looking for: Vegetables

Look no further that Patlin Gardens. You may not actually be able to see the stall on first glance as their line goes around their whole stall and generally into the neighbouring ones. Here you can find seasonal produce, picked fresh the day before. I find their veggies last longer than any of the others I have purchased at the markets. While you wait to pick your produce listen to the farmer talk about his favourite picks of the weekend and try some of their homegrown olive oil or a slice of kohlrabi. They also have a variety of olives, chilli, herbs and sauces on offer.

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When it comes to baby spinach and leafy stuff for salads I always stop at Salad Greens and Kitchen Herbs. There baby spinach lasts a thousand times longer than any of the pre packaged junk you’ll find at a supermarket and is a fraction of the price. They also stock a excellent selection of herbs (as the name suggests) as well as seasonal veg.

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If your after mushrooms then there is only one stall to shop at that is dedicated to mushrooms. I can never see the name but it is the only mushroom stall there and is located just across from Patlin Gardens. The girls there are super lovely and always greet you with a smile. They have a range of mushys and different bag sizes to keep every mushroom lover happy.

Looking for: Fruit

My favourite of the lot is Otherwood Orchards from Lenswood. All their fruit is unwaxed, lasts forever and is sold at a very reasonable price. If you are on the juicing bandwagon they also sell seconds which in my opinion taste just as good as the real thing just a big uglier. There pink lady apples are the crunchiest I have ever tasted. You can find apples, pears, lemons and other delights depending on the time of year. My hot tip- try the dried apple, it is sensational.

Another favourite of mine is Kalangadoo Organic– a variety of apples in little brown boxes. To cute!

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Looking for: Cheese

I’m rather partial of supporting locals from the Fleurieu Peninsula, so that’s why the Alexandrina Cheese Company takes the cake on this one. You can find their stall just inside the hall on the left hand side. Sample some of their delicious cheeses (feta, edam, gouda to name a few) and read about how all their Jersey cows that live on the farm are individually named- adorable right? The stallholders are always happy to help and give out any recommendations so you can have the perfect cheese platter.

Looking for: Sweets & Snacks

One of my favourite things to talk about, so i’ll try and keep this relatively short.

Jamface is ran by one of my favourite people Poh Ling Yeow (excuse me sounding like a celebrity stalker). Man this lady can cook. As well as paint, do makeup, have her own tv series and still be super nice and friendly to people like me who when they see her dishing up paella are star struck. Anyways, enough of sounding like a crazy woman.

The Jamface stall started small, selling delicious home made cakes and sweets, but has now grown into something much more than that. Think paella, juices, HUGE hearty pies and other warm meals, still with the addition of cakes and sweets. The stall also incorporates seating so you can mung down on your paella while you people watch (or Poh stalk). Other than the ready to eat options they also stock a variety of Jams, Chutneys and tomato sauces.

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One of my other favourites from the markets is the Fleurieu Lavender. The man who runs the stall is super lovely and you can tell hes so passionate about what he does. There is not a large selection of products to choose from, but when you taste how good they are you know why he keeps it simple. Every one of my market trips consists of a Lavender Brownie, and usually a piece of Lavender Fudge. He also offers gluten free lavender brownies to that taste just as good as the real thing. You can find him inside the market hall.

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Looking for: Pasta and Bread

When it comes to bread then your choices are endless. I don’t have a dead set favourite when it comes to the breads- when I have the time the other half and I will wander around and see what jumps out at us. One place however that always keeps us coming back is From The Grain.

I had never bought myself fresh pasta until I came here, and now it kills me to have to buy it from the supermarket. They have a variety of flavours of Tagliatelle- chilli, spinach, mushroom, plain, or my favourite- beetroot. The pasta freezes well so I stock up as its the easiest thing to defrost. It is sold at a really cheap price- less than $1.50 per serve (and that’s a proper serve). This stall also sells heaps of different breads which are just as delicious and the perfect accompaniment to the pasta- my pick, the olive bread.

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Looking for: Coffee

I really should have put this on the top of the list as we know it’s generally a priority. The only place we stop at these days is Mem Coffee. They use Mahalia coffee beans and B.d Farm Paris Creek milk- that combination alone, plus the addition of baristas that know their stuff is a guarantee that your going to get a good brew. The wait time for coffee can be anywhere from 5-15 minutes- but its worth the wait and when you taste it you’ll under stand why everyone goes here. They also stock a variety of milks- soy, rice, and even do a affogatto. Look for the bright purple stand with a crowd of people surrounding it.

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there is so much variety to choose from at this market- I’m forever discovering new stalls and are yet to try so many things. If it doesn’t come in a packet you will generally find it here. Give yourself a full morning to get amongst it and bring the granny trolley to make things easier. You’ll find the Adelaide Farmers Market at the Adelaide Showgrounds, between 9am and 1pm on Sundays.

Written by Jess

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