Since moving to the beaches and discovering the Frenchs Forest Organic Markets, Sunday just isn’t Sunday without a trip, rain hail or shine.
Even if I have no intention to buy, it’s just so nice taking a wonder amongst the community, and it’s somewhere I can let my little Miss 2 run amok, chase after dogs and taste test the many delicious samples on offer. That said, I’ve never returned home empty handed, my basket is full laden with fresh artisan breads, eggs, honey and of course the fabulous fruit and vegetables on offer.
The Parkway Hotel comes alive every Sunday from 8am to 1pm with fresh food produce, organic; some certified and some conventional (I hear getting certification is both costly and time consuming) but never the less fresh and chemical free. Most stall holders recognise the regulars, calling them by name and always up for a chat.
Aside from the obvious fruit and veg, there are a couple of butchers selling grass fed beef, organic free range chickens and wonderful sausage and rissole flavours, marinated olives, arts and crafts, hemp clothing, handmade soaps, a nursery section to buy your seedlings along with medicinal herbs and many other eco friendly items on offer.
As with most markets, there’s also a great variety of hot and cold food on offer for those brunch time tummy tingles. From Japanese Omelettes, to fabulous Indian Rotis, the larakin boys at Pizza Party’s woodfire pizza’s and to the always present and reliable Gozleme stand, it’s also a great place to grab a cuppa and catch up with friends on the grass while enjoying a casual meal.
Here is a small sample of the many delights on offer
John from The Mushroom Depot grows mushrooms through abandoned railway tunnels in Glenbrook, in the Blue Mountains. The tunnels are 700 metres long and he grows Namenko, King Brown Oyster, Portobello, Enoki, Shemiji to name a few. He can be found at both Flemington Markets as well as Frenchs Forest every Sunday.
Graeme Sanders a garlic grower has been selling his prized garlic, as well as Pariva Produce raw organic honey, jams and preserves. His garlic is grown on his property in Napoleon Reef, 20 north east of Bathurst. He makes the weekly trip to Frenchs Forest, a 5 hour return trip every week.
Bread, lots and lots of delicious sourdough breads! Gluten Free varities available too!
A little French flair, It’s Bastille Day and Frenchs Forest after all!
Organic Coconut Oil seems to be all the rage and the flavour of the moment!
Lots of beans and winter warmers with Pod Cuisine
The always present and delicious range of Pukara Estate olive oil and vinegar range from Muswellbrook
I regularly buy my Baby Green extra virgin olive oil from the markets and it never dissapoints. I can’t get enough of this tart goodness
The craze that is Kombucha, a fermetend green tea, said to have super cleansing powers. Here it is offered in a ginger tea brew, low GI and detoxing qualities assured.
5 Frenchs Forest Rd E, Frenchs Forest. Every Sunday, 8am – 1pm
Art & Craft, Artisans, Baby & Kids/Children, General, Vintage/Retro, Farmers, Produce, Organic, Fashion, Handmade, *Wheel Chair Friendly, Food
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I love farmers markets. My favourite up here is the one in Noosa. All food, no crap and much of it is organic.
They’re great Maureen, a wonderful way to spend a lazy weekend morning!
What a treasure to have a farmer’s market close by!
I am lucky indeed! It’s within walking distance!
Looks fabulous, Lisa! How great to have access to so much fresh and interesting produce!
It really is fabulous Celia, you should join me one Sunday! It would be so lovely to meet you 🙂
I’m not surprised you don’t leave the market without buying a basketful of produce – it looks like there’s a very tempting array of tasty good to take home.
oh yes! Tempting indeed!
What a wonderful market. I’d so love to have something like that nearby. It’s hard to find good organic produce in Brisbane sadly. I’m probably not looking hard enough but I wouldn’t say it’s readily available. Looks like you had perfect weather on your last visit!
Perfect weather indeed! It really is a shame there isn’t a local option for you Claire, hopefully one day soon there will be, they certainly are becoming more and more popular
Looks like a wonderful farmers market we struggle to find other local organic produce. So many great stalls.
That’s a real shame Liz, every city needs these type of markets to support the local community. Good thing you grow so much of your own veg 😉
I would get mushrooms every week!
They’re fab Tandy! The story is so facinating!
Oh sugar: jeaous to the umpteeth degree! About 125 kms too far away!!!! Love the mushroom seller: the prices too far more reasonable than others I have seen!! Would love the garlic stand also!!
Shame Eha, do you have any markets close by? Yes, the prices are not bad at all. A lot of people ask if the prices are expensive being that they are a organic market, but it really isn’t at all! We’re very lucky to have such fabulous produce close by
Oh, how I’d love to see tis market! My weekends would not be the same if they didn’t include an early Saturday morning trip to the famers market. Yours sounds like a good one with a wide variety of vendors. That’s my kind of place!
Have a great week, Lisa!
You’d love it here John! Definitely my kind of place too. I’ve been frequenting supermarkets less and less these days, only need to go for necessities like toiletries etc because I have so much great produce close by.
A reader just sent me a link to these markets! They look really good and like they have some really interesting finds too 🙂
YAY!! Come by one day Lorraine, you’d love it here!
So great to see a farmers market on the NB, All those stalls look wonderful. I will have to send my mum up there, she is down the road in Dee Why. Love our local one in London, it’s a Sunday morning must!
They’re popping up everywhere Danielle! Dee Why is so close, it’s right next door! Literally only a 5 minutes drive. She’d love it here 🙂
I always wander into our local farmers markets to pick up ‘a thing or two’ and end up walking out with bagfuls of stuff. Its a bit of an obsession! Your market looks like it has a nice mix of fresh produce and ready-made product – it’s nice when there’s a good balance 🙂
oh me too Jas, you can’t help it when they’re all singing ‘buy me, buy me’!! 😉
I love these sorts of markets. The food there is so much better and wholesome. I love French bread. We have a similar market in my town but it is much smaller than that one.
Wonderful post! Take care X
Thanks so much Alida! I love French bread too!
We have a small farmers’ market in our town but nothing like what you have. The Rhinebeck Farmers’ market, about 45 minutes (one way) north of me is a bigger and better one, but that’s quite a drive.
yep 45 minutes is certainly quite the drive. I hope your local one grows Norma!
What a terrific market. Wish we had one like that where I am.
Thanks Karen, farmers markets are certainly proving more and more popular every year. I hope you get some close by one day soon!
The market is terrific! We have some farmers market here in Adelaide but never saw a french one~ How lucky you are in Sydney!
Oh lol, Frenchs Forest is the suburb, but yes they certainly did have a French twist last week to celebrate Bastille Day 🙂
Ha ~~ Got misunderstood. I was thinking French “Forest Organic Markets” cos we have a German one here in Adelaide ~~LOL
Like Karen I wish we had such good markets near us, a couple have opened but the selection is a bit hit and miss, so I’ll just enjoy yours! Love your words “brunch time tummy tingles” 🙂
Thanks Claire! Come to Sydney, we have them all over 🙂
Its always hard to leave the markets empty handed. I love the markets.
Great looking market! It is my favorite way to start the weekend with a visit to one of my local ones too. Inspires my cooking for the weekend, especially when the garden is not producing so much in the Winter months and in Summer it is the chance to grab ingredients I have not grown.
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