Thanks to everyone who supported our group and activities last year. The Food Affair was a great success and created a great vibe in town. Well done to the small group of committed volunteers who made it happen. (Tilly’s won the Scarecrow Comp!)
The Growers Stall is running over the summer hols so please continue to attend. Tomatoes are beginning to build momentum and there is still a great range and variety of produce each week.
All the Fun of the Dungog Food Affair
By Chris Priday
Grow locally and produce locally are the key themes of the first Dungog Food Affair to be held on 2 November 2013.
“Kick off time is 8.30am when the Food Market opens for business”, said Loo Boothroyd, one of the organisers. “There will be a human bumble bee buzzing around with information about when talks, films, demonstrations and bus tours start as well”, she said, “along with some Scarecrows competing for the Peoples’ Choice Award”.
The main site for the inaugural Dungog Food Affair is the Uniting Church garden and hall opposite the IGA in Dowling Street where there will be a Local Food Market and a program of short food films, childrens activities and the scarecrow competition. The two other key sites are the Visitors Information Centre from where the bus tours will depart and the CWA where there will be Devonshire Teas, an Apron Exhibition and a scone making demonstration.
Purchase fresh, locally grown produce
The Local Food Market will be showcasing our main local growers and producers, including the popular Local Growers Stall (moving from outside Chillbillies to the Food Market this Saturday only), Bunna Bunoo Olive Grove, Tar 10, Camyr Allyn Wines, Chichester Tops Honey, Cornucopia Eggs, Destiny Haven Chocolates, Fosterton Farm Bakery, Marrook Farm Cheese, Natures Harvest Seedlings and Tristania Tops Beef information stall. Dungog Public School will have a seedling stall, St Josephs Primary will have a fruit and vegetable stall and Dungog High will be producing a delicious lunch of wraps and curries. Local Living Dungog will have an old fashioned Lemonade Stall.
Jon Lee – local organic veggie farmer – Upper Chichester
“The aim of the Dungog Food Affair is to highlight the importance of having local food and hopefully encourage more people to produce food for this area,”
said Loo.
“The courses on Seed-raising and Garlic Growing are two on offer to encourage local growers, while the Traditional Bread Baking and Cheesemaking are for those who like to produce their own food,”she said. It’s still possible to join the Seed and Garlic courses.
Simon Brownbridge – local breadmaker – Fosterton
“While the Dungog Shire grows a lot of beef cattle and dairy, the beef and milk products are not available for local purchase’, said Loo Boothroyd. “The beef cattle are sold at the saleyards and can go anywhere in Australia and overseas. The milk is contracted to the major milk suppliers. We are fortunate to have some smaller producers who make products of a very high quality that are available for local purchase”, she said.
At 10am in the Uniting Church Hall there will be a talk by Amorelle Dempster of Hunter Slow Food on “Biodiversity”, followed by a series of short films about growing and producing food. Visitors can come and go from the hall at their leisure, picking and choosing the films that interest them. “Buy a takeaway coffee from one of the local cafes and come and sit down in the cool and be inspired by the range of food activities we can explore” said Amanda Gale another one of the Food Affair organisers.
Enjoy a bus tour to learn about Dungog’s surrounding farmscapes
The first Bus Tour, Fosterton Loop, starts at 11am, followed by Chichester Dam at 12 and East Gresford at 1.30pm. Tom Boorer, who is a fourth generation farmer, will be the tour guide reflecting on the current and past agriculture. Tickets are $5 per person, (children under 12 free) and can be purchased at the VIC.
“We’ll have some childrens’ activities for pre-schoolers and primary aged children at the Market site as well,” said Helen Rubeli, another organiser. Food Art will also feature along Dowling Street.
Come along and enjoy our first Dungog Food Affair!!! For further information:
Local Living Dungog 