n for

Early starts (probably 4am!) each morning as we drive the trucks from Clevedon every day over the hills and then back in the afternoon to restock for the next day.  Its times like these we are thankful for having five children!  One team harvesting and packing while the other team are at a market.

Hopefully the weather will improve and we will have sunny days!

We will see you all there!

Coromandel Keltic Fair

2 January 2012, 9am-4pm.

http://www.kelticfair.co.nz/

Pauanui Market Day

3 January 2012, 9am-3pm.

http://pauanuiclub.co.nz/pauanui-summer-series/pauanui-market-day

Cooks Beach Summer Gala

4 January 2012, 9am-3pm.

http://www.cooksbeachsummergala.co.nz/

Hahei Market

6 January 2012, 9am-3pm.

http://www.whitianga.co.nz/haheipage.html

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Theresa Stanley in front of the Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club. Photo / Richard Robinson

A great thing about living in Mairangi Bay is leaving work behind at the end of the day by crossing the bridge. The North Shore has a relaxed atmosphere, and Mairangi Bay especially has a real holiday feel to it.

I’ve lived here for six years, but I’ve spent plenty of time living on the North Shore. I moved here from Albany, as it’s a bit closer to the city for my work. It’s also equidistant to all the pools and beaches where the children swim and train for water polo and surfing. It’s close to Massey University, too, and some great schools: Campbells Bay Primary, Murrays Bay Intermediate and Rangitoto College. They have excellent facilities and caring teachers with high expectations. Murrays Bay Intermediate, especially, has led the way in using technology for developing well-rounded individuals.

My favourite shopping spots in the area are the farmers market on Saturdays, for fresh fruit and vegetables. Farro Fresh is great for meat and fruit and vegetables too, and there’s a great sushi shop called Hiroba Sushi.

I go to Paper Moon for coffee; it’s a treat to grab one on my way to work in the morning. It’s good for evening drinks, too. Pattaya Thai has beautiful food – try the pad thai – and Zavitos has fantastic pizzas and salads, as well as a buzzy atmosphere.

There are lots of takeaways in Mairangi Bay – Burger Wisconsin is always good, and the Mairangi Bay Fisheries has lovely fresh fish for fish and chips on the beach.

There are some beautiful clothes shops; the women’s clothing store Poetic Justice always has something I’d like to take home.

I love Mairangi Bay beach. It’s a beautiful place to relax in and watch all the activity, or alternatively get out in the water for a swim or paddle. Both my children are members of Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club and so they spend quite a bit of time training at the beach.

Also close by to us is the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health, where I swim. The children are members of North Shore Swimming and North Harbour Water Polo so they also spend plenty of time at MISH, along with other pools on the Shore, training and competing for swimming and water polo.

The coastline really is Mairangi Bay’s best asset. You can go for lovely walks along the beach or up and around the cliff. And there are the most beautiful views if you go out running. Pupuke Golf Course on East Coast Road is a great spot to run or walk around, too.

Teresa’s picks

Zavito: 404 Beach Rd, Mairangi Bay, Ph 478 4080.

Farro Fresh Constellation Drive: 70 Parkway Drive, Mairangi Bay, Ph 478 0020

Millennium Institute of Sport & Health: 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay, Ph 477 2000

Mairangi Bay Farmers Market: Every Saturday 8am-noon. Bayleys and Harcourts Real Estate car parks email mairangi.coord@xtra.co.nz

* Teresa is the business manager for WaterSafe Auckland, a regional water safety organisation developing a water safety culture in our area.

By Rebecca Kamm

• All of these buckets are suitable for your garden, your back porch or on your balcony – pretty much anywhere!
• They are also perfect for taking away on holiday or giving to your friends and family as gifts.
• Just leave them in the buckets and water every day, there are holes at the bottom so excess water will drain out.
• When growth slows, give them another kick start with liquid fertilizer such as nitrosol. Just make sure you follow the instructions!

The buckets we have for sale are:

Mixed Lettuce    Usually 4 varieties of lettuce, pick the outside leaves and they will keep on growing!

Perpetual Spinach     smoother and milder than silverbeet. a great substitute for spinach. Pick the outside leaves and the plant will keep on growing!

Minibelle Tomatoes    A dwarf variety of cherry tomatoes.

Mesculun    small, young leaves added to salads. Includes  lettuce, rocket, mustard streaks, coriander, sorrel and chervil. Cut above the new growth so younger leaves can grow.

Rocket    has a rich peppery taste, strong in flavour and is used in salads. Also cut above the new growth so the younger leaves can grow.

Mixed herbs     a selection of these herbs; Basil, Coriander, Curly Parsley, Italian flat leaf parsley and Dill.

• Ø We also have buckets of Spring Onions, Green Beans Basil, Mint, Curly Parsley, Thyme, Oregano, Chives and Sage.

PLANTERS $28

• Perfect for your kitchen bench, a centre piece for your table or for your balcony or garden.
• These planters are  …………. And are available in red or black.
• Great for giving to friends and family as a gift.

The planters we have for sale are:

Gourmet Basil Blend     A combination of about 8 different types of Basil including Fine Leaved Purple, Tulsi, Osmin, Ararat, Yiotis and Turks Fine Green…….

Mixed Herbs    A selection of 3 varieties of herbs.

Greek/Bush Basil

All buckets and planters are subject to availability

Britomart

• Saturday 17 December, 8:30am-12:30pm http://britomart.org/whats-on/britomart-christmas-market
• Last market for 2011 – Saturday 24 December, 8:30am-12:30pm
• First market for 2012 – Saturday 14 January, 8:30am-12:30pm

Howick

• Saturday 17 December, 8:30am-12:30pm
• Last market for 2011, Saturday 24 December, 8:30am-12:30pm
• First market for 2012 – Saturday 7 January, 8:30am-12:30pm

Mairangi Bay

• Saturday 17 December, 8:00am-12:00pm
• Last market for 2011, Saturday 24 December, 8:00am-12:00pm
• First market for 2012, Saturday 14 January, 8:00am-12:00pm

Clevedon

• Sunday 18 December, 8:30am-12:00pm
• Last market for 2011, Friday 23 December, 4:00pm – 7:00pm
• First market for 2012, Sunday 15 January, 8:30am-12:00pm

St Heliers - Tamaki Ex-Services Association Hall & Carpark, Cnr Turua St & Polygon Rd, St Heliers Bay Village, St Heliers, Auckland

• Sunday 18 December, 10:00am-3:00pm

Fresh produce you can’t beat

Producing a wide range of herbs and produce, some all year round and others depending on the season, Clevedon Herbs and Produce are stallholders at a number of markets. These include the Clevedon Village Farmers , Mairangi Bay Farmers, the Britomart City Farmers and the Howick Village. Started as a supplier of Hydroponic fancy lettuce to the Auckland produce markets, then direct to supermarkets, a change in focus saw a wider range of products to farmers markets.

Products now include a wide variety of lettuce, beans, beetroot, carrots, fennel bulb, kale, turnips, watercress, pak choy plus others.
Herbs include basil, chervil, coriander, lemon grass, tarragon, marjoram, sage and thyme.

The products are nicely presented, always fresh, and have that old fashioned home grown flavour and are well priced. The buckets of assorted lettuce and herbs make great gifts or are ideal if you want to grow your own but have limited space of time.

Click here to take you to the review on The List’s website.

We still have plenty of tomato plants and various herb and vegetable seedlings available for sale at the markets so make sure you prepare your garden and come along and see us at either the Howick Village market, Mairangi Bay Village Market or Britomart Farmers Market on Saturday or the Clevedon Farmers Market on Sunday.

We have loads of seedlings for sale at the market this weekend so make sure you have prepared your gardens!

Beans

Scarlett Runners

Dwarf Green

Beetroot

Detroit – traditional dark red

Chioggia – red and white striped with cut open

Herbs

Basil

Coriander

Dill

Marjoram

Mint

Oregano

Parsley (Curley)

Parsley (Italian/Flat leaf)

Sage

Tarragon

Thai Basil

Thyme (German)

Mesclun Mix

Peas

Pea (Wanda)

Snow

Sweet

Rocket

Spinach

Summer Spinach

Perpetual

Silverbeet

Tomatoes

Roma – Pear shaped fruit are produced on a vigorous plant.  Good preserving and home garden variety. Acid free.

Moneymaker – Large vigorous plants producing globe shaped fruit.  This popular plant sets under most conditions making it very popular. Value for money.

Beefsteak – Kidney-bean shape, spreading out to the sides. It has numerous compact seed cavities and the core is practically non-existent. Because of this it holds together well when cut, and so is particularly well suited for slicing and eating raw.

Big Beef – Produces large juicy tomatoes, combined with the old-fashioned beefsteak flavour – very tasty. Plants are multi-disease resistant and produce high yields. Big Beef is the perfect sandwich tomato.

Zola – Medium to large sized fruit, excellent flavour and colour. Determinate bush habit so no stringing or lateraling!  Widely disease resistant.

Petula – Best suited to unheated greenhouses or outdoor crops.  Medium sized fruit, strong against cracking.  Very early maturing.  Attractive fruit with good flavour.

We will have the following tomato plants for sale for the next few weekends at the markets.  All $3.00 each.

Roma – Pear shaped fruit are produced on a vigorous plant.  Good preserving and home garden variety. Acid free.

Moneymaker – Large vigorous plants producing globe shaped fruit.  This popular plant sets under most conditions making it very popular. Value for money.

Big Beef - Produces large juicy tomatoes, combined with the old-fashioned beefsteak flavour – very tasty. Plants are multi-disease resistant and produce high yields. Big Beef is the perfect sandwich tomato.

Zola – Medium to large sized fruit, excellent flavour and colour. Determinate bush habit so no stringing or lateraling!  Widely disease resistant.

Sweet Million – Produces dark red fruit 2.5cm in diameter. Vigorous plants with increased disease resistance and improved tolerance to cracking. Very sweet tasting.

Petula – Best suited to unheated greenhouses or outdoor crops.  Medium sized fruit, strong against cracking.  Very early maturing.  Attractive fruit with good flavour.

Beefsteak – Kidney-bean shape, spreading out to the sides. It has numerous compact seed cavities and the core is practically non-existent. Because of this it holds together well when cut, and so is particularly well suited for slicing and eating raw.