The Green Shed Produce Markets

Every Sunday morning from 7.00am to noon at the Tamborine Mountain Showground, local growers gather in The Green Shed to deliver their homegrown produce. The market is run by the Tamborine Mountain Local Producers Association, a not-for-profit group of mostly mountain-dwelling retirees with one thing in common — a passion for growing organic vegies.

The market, open to the community from seven o’clock, sells freshly picked, seasonal, certified and non-certified organic fruit and vegetables, fresh breads, as well as honey, coffee, jams, preserves, chilled kefir, herbs and plants.

Most produce is picked the day before, or in the early hours of the morning of the market — it couldn’t be fresher.

Local producers bring up produce they’ve grown — no sprays and chemical-free, and members that are certified organic, too. The producers bring up any excess produce they don’t use, and sell it to locals and visitors at The Green Shed.

The Green Shed local producers provide the local community with lovely fresh produce. For most, it’s a hobby and it’s a love of growing fresh vegies. It’s our lifestyle. Dig in the dirt. Play in the dirt. You know, you eat what you grow.

A familiar face at the weekly markets and an avid organic grower is Di Brauer, the president of the Local Producers Association. Some years ago, after battling ill health, Di researched the connection between chemicals, arthritis and inflammation, and consequently stopped using chemical fertilisers. When she started using natural fertilisers, compost and mulch, she believes her health improved.

What’s the most popular vegie?

In summer, it’d have to be lettuce. Lettuce is always popular. Kale’s a big one right through the year. Kale, spinach, chard, lettuce — the greens.

They’re so lovely and fresh; you can’t get them any fresher. We’ve had people come up from the coast and buy greens because they say it lasts a week or two weeks, not like the greens they can buy elsewhere.

Also popular are carrots and beetroot — fresh beetroot. You know what it is like to try to get fresh beetroot or golden beetroot?

A good stayer, every week, is garlic — fresh Australian garlic. People are now realising the benefits and, not only the benefits, the taste.

The growing conditions on the mountain are wonderful with the rich, volcanic soil.

Tamborine Mountain is the source of an enormous variety of horticultural produce: avocados, kiwi fruit, rhubarb, vegetables and flowers. There are many large, specialist orchards, but much of the production comes from small farms or large residential blocks.

About 70% of the land on Mount Tamborine is designated for rural use. Horticultural activities give Tamborine Mountain its green, unspoiled character: one of the reasons for the large numbers of tourists who visit here.

Visit The Green Shed markets every Sunday between 7am and 12 noon for some great fresh produce and flowers. If you visit on either the 2nd Sunday of the month (Country Markets) or the last Sunday of the month (School Markets) then you will be able to also visit the other markets and maybe score some other interesting finds and bargains!