Adelaide Showground Farmers Market: With Keith Conlon in the Adelaide City region of South Australia

All farmer's markets have their own atmosphere as they showcase the best produce of a region. Tourists love them and dedicated locals get in early to buy direct from the growers and the makers. The latest farmer's market to open is at the Adelaide Showgrounds. Every Sunday morning thousands of people turn up to get a bargain and soak up the atmosphere.

It was a hot summer's morning then the Postcards crew rolled up but that didn't stop the market die hards filing in briskly to beat the heat. You can tell the regulars - they know which stall is which and which one has exactly what they need. You can literally smell the freshness of the fruit and veg in the bulk produce section.

"Have a taste of the berries," called one of the stallholders as he stacked his table with strawberries. "Try one. They have a beautiful flavour because they are straight from the farm."

Fresh is a vital part of the market. You're buying produce directly from the people who grow it, make it and bake and both side of the trestle get a good deal.

The Showgrounds Farmers Market is a Sunday morning tour of the sights, the smells and the tastes of South Australia - from the Gulf to the Riverland, from the mid north to Robe.

We came across a stall selling freshly baked bread "It's got a good crust. It works really well with game meat and really soft cheeses," said Dieter. The breads, including a pink colourful beetroot loaf come all the way from the 1852 baker's oven at the historic Magpie and Stump Hotel at Mintaro in the Clare Valley.

"We've been baking bread for two or three years for the pub but the cost of the firewood was getting too high," explained Dieter. "So we decided to increase the bake sell the bread at the market."

South Australia has never tasted more delicious. Got a sweet tooth? Make a beeline for Sweettart - but here's a tip - get in early - their goodies made from organic spelt flour and wonderful Fleurieu produce can sell pretty fast. Especially their flourless chocolate almond cakes with raspberries from Mount Compass and almonds from Port Willunga.

That's dessert taken care of. What about a main course? Fancy a cheese and chive rabbit snag? Well plenty do because Chris Bushell of Bushman Farmed Rabbits at Long Plains, churns out more than 45-kilos of rabbit sausages a week - just for this market. He reckons whole rabbits are becoming popular too. "You cook them like you'd cook a chicken - just don't overcook them otherwise they'll go a bit dry," he advised.

Become a member of the market for $55 you get a ten percent discount at all of the 70 to 80 stalls.

There's plenty of free advice too. Head to the Royal Show Dairy Shed and resident chef in the Market Kitchen, Aaron Roussos will teach you and the kids how to cook what you've just bought.

In summer one of the most popular stalls is the Bush Tucker Ice Cream stall. Just look for man in the big brimmed hat - he's retired agricultural scientist Ian Pickett and he makes everything from plum, quandong and even lemon myrtle ice cream. But his latest flavour is a tastebud triumph - strawberry gum.

"It comes from the leaf of the Eucalyptus Olida," Ian explained. "Wander past a strawberry gum tree and you can smell a strong strawberry scent. We've used that in our ice cream.'

Ian produced a tube of powder made of crushed leaves from the Eucalyptus Olida and it really did smell of strawberries. "That's what we use to flavour the ice cream." The taste test proved he was right - the strawberry flavour is strong and is followed by a hint of gum leaf.

The market has its own friendly feel and has plenty of characters like Rosie and Keith from Rosie's Free-range Eggs at Eudunda. Since coming to the Showgrounds Farmers Markets they've had to get more chooks.

"We got another 600 last Wednesday and there's another thousand coming in July," said Keith. "And they're all still named the same."

What are their names? I asked. "Chook, chook, chook..." answered Rosie with a cheeky laugh.

"I'd advise you not to come up to our place," said Keith in a serious tone. "The fowl language is shocking."

Bad jokes but good eggs! And plenty of other great taste sensations at the market.

They say if you buy something direct from the producer it always tastes better and that's certainly the case on Sunday mornings at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market.

Gates open 9 o'clock and close at 1pm. The market fills the Showground Dairy Cattle lawns and pavilion. Enter from Leader Street. Entry is free.

Adelaide Showground Farmers Market
Sundays 9am-1pm
Entry via Leader Street
Wayville

Published 18th Feb 2007