Subscribe      List an Event or Business      Invite a Writer      Write for WN      Writers      Other Locations
list an event      1 million Australian readers every month      facebook

Spring Creek Organic Farm Shop

Home > Melbourne > Organic | Markets | Cafes
by Michellina van Loder (subscribe)
Michellina van Loder is a freelance writer living on the Surf Coast of Victoria, Australia. She’s passionate about wildlife, native bonsais, reading and writing. You can visit her LinkedIn page here: www.linkedin.com/pub/michellina-van-loder/4
Published August 20th 2013
Buy organic vegetables direct from the grower
Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
Spring Creek Organic's Sign

Do you prefer to buy organic? If you love your delicious in-season organic vegetables, then pack up the children—or the fur ones (the dogs!)—into the car, gather together some healthy snacks, grab a picnic basket and take a spin down towards Ballarat, stopping in to visit Spring Creek Organic Farm. Here, you'll find their—recently opened—farmgate shop. From conception to fruition, this produce has been nurtured with the natural, certified biodynamic methods required to grow the juiciest, tastiest, nutrient dense fruit and vegetables possible.

Spring Creek Farm is an eighty-minute (115 km) drive from Melbourne, or seventy minutes (82 km) from Geelong City Centre. Take a scenic drive through the countryside, along roads lined with magnificent old gum trees. Cruise past quaint country pubs and bakeries, or stop for a bite along the way. Think warm coffees, homemade pies and pastry treats. A great place to pull up for a meal is The Mill Cottage restaurant and café, 96 Ingils Street, Ballan. A family run business, in a one hundred and fifty year old cottage, it has a fresh seasonal menu, complimented by fine wines. When your done, travel along the Navigators Dunnstown Road, over the old bluestone bridge and past green hills of undulating countryside. Turn off at Kielys Road, to Navigators. Their farmgate shop can't be missed; look out for the sign.

Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
A Map of the Area

Amongst fresh air, majestic views of Mount Buninyong and Mount Warrenheip, this shop is open seven days a week.

Australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
The View from the Farm's Storage Shed

Here, you can purchase farm fresh, direct from dedicated and ethical growers, Lisa and David Tatman, who produce Australian Certified Organic (ACO), vegetables: pumpkins, squash, spaghetti squash, silverbeet, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and parsley, buk choy (which is baby bok choy), celeriac, dill, celery, turnips, swedes, brussels sprouts, heirloom varieties of carrots (white, yellow and purple), and beetroots (pink, orange and red) and much more—many are grown from heirloom seed (and that's just winter's bounty!) If you are quick, you can still get your hands on some of their scrumptious spaghetti squash.
David Tatman, Australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
David Tatman with Winter's Bounty

Spaghetti squash is a vegetable that's related to the zucchini family; its stringy spaghetti-like flesh is yellow, yummy and yielding of the perfect gluten free, paleo friendly vegetable spaghetti noodles: a lovely accompaniment to simmer along with your favourite pasta sauce (or click here for 'Easy Peasy Organic's' Spaghetti (Squash) with Quinoa Tomato Sauce recipe).

Usually, spaghetti squash is ready to be picked around April to May, depending on the weather. They love the warmer days so until the first frost comes, they will be growing, beautifully swelling in size; and they sure can get huge! The average spaghetti squash weighs in at around 3 kilograms but some can be six, while the smaller ones are under, or around one kilogram (The perfect size to make a meal for two—and with left overs.).

Australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
These Spagetti Squash Weighed in at 3.7 kgs

An easy way to cook spaghetti squash is just wash it (giving it a good scrub), cut it in half, then boil or steam in a pot filled with five centimetres of water: bring to the boil, leaving the lid on, cook for a further 25 minutes. Allow to cool, scrape out the seedy flesh: be ready for warm-yummy-vegetable-pasta strings!

Squash is also perfect for those who are on a low-carb, low-fat diet. It's vegan friendly and can be roasted (with garlic), or thrown into nourishing soups (try a paleo friendly chicken noodle soup).

Paleo Australia have some great recipes for this remarkable vegetable, also.

ACO Certified Organic Pumpkins
During June, July—August you can also select from a variety of pumpkins, including the Japanese black jewel, aurijiman Japanese squash, Kirijiman variety, or Kakai, old greys and the ornamentals.


Ornamental Squash, australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
Ornamental Squash

australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
Kirijiman variety

Store them in a cool, well-ventilated space—the same way you store pumpkins—and you'll get another couple of months out of them. However, the greys will last until Christmas.

Spagetti Squash and Pumpkins on a shelf, australian Certified Organics, Spring Creek Organic Farm, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, organic vegetables, buy local vegetables, heirloom vegetables, Spring Creek Organic Farm Market Times,
Store your Bounty on a Well Ventilated Shelf

Spring Harvest
Spring harvest is coming up: David and Lisa will have started planting already: we can look forward to tasty, fresh salad mix, lettuces, coriander, spinach, radishes and more.

If you can't make the trip, alternatively, you can visit their market stalls, situated around Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat, to buy the freshest, tastiest, in season vegetables:

Market Stall Places and Times
1st Saturday of the Month:
Golden Plains Farmers' Market, Bannockburn.
Daylesford Farmers' Market
Ballarat Bridge Mall Farmers' Market
Woodend Farmers' Market

1st Sunday of the Month:
Castlemaine Farmers' Market

2nd Saturday of the Month:
Ballarat Lakeside Farmers' Market
Bendigo Farmers' Market, Rosalind Park (Click here to join their mailing list for more information about Bendigo Community Farmers' Markets in general.)
Kyneton Farmers' Market

2nd Sunday of the Month:
Mt Alexander Secondary College Farmers' Market

3rd Saturday of the Month:
Gasworks Farmers' Market
Fairfield Farmers' Market, Fairfield Primary School
Smythesdale Farmers' Market

3rd Sunday of the Month:
Talbot Farmers' Market

4th Saturday of the Month:
Ballarat Lakeside Farmers' Market
Newtown Farmers' Market
Coburg Farmers' Market


4th Sunday of the Month:
Mt Alexander Secondary College, Farmers' Market
Please note: due to unseen circumstances, like the weather, these dates are subject to change so please check Spring Creek Organics Facebook page for updates on where and when they will be appearing at the farmers' markets; or email Lisa at [email protected] Or, alternatively, phone 03 53347838

Tuckerberry Hill, Blueberry Farm and Cafe

Tuckerberry Hill, Blueberry Farm and Cafe at Drysdale, on the Bellarine Peninsula stock Spring Creek Organics and are available to take weekly orders, which they are willing to pick up from the market for customers.

Victorian Farmers Markets Association
Click here for more information on markets, including Spring Creek Farm (and more), from the Victorian Farmers Markets Association
Or here for Melbourne Show Grounds Farmers' Markets

Why Buying Local is Important
Buying local is important because for a healthy, fair and delicious food supply we need to support our farmers and our environment. This can be beneficial to everyone but especially for that of your health and that of your families. For another six reasons on why you should buy local, visit the Local Harvest website.

Smart Living Ballarat
You can find more information about buying local, caring for your environment, saving energy and ideas on using water wisely at Smart Living Ballarat, a website that helps people locate where to buy local, shares ideas and promotes great ideas on caring for our precious environment.

But does it have to be organic?
Buying organic is not always possible but it is important to buy fresh and local; and if it's organic too then that's a bonus. The difference between food that's certified organic and food that's organic are the standards by which it's grown by. Only by searching for certified organic products can you be sure of the organic authenticity and integrity.

Note: There have been cases where disingenuous product marketers have used the ACO logo. Often, legal action is taken in cases like these. What this means for consumers like us, is, if you have doubts or would like to double check a product's certification, the ACO website have a search function where consumers can search for products, manufacturers or growers, like Spring Creek Organics (who are definitely certified organic).
Help us improve  Click here if you liked this article  55
Share: email  facebook  twitter
Why? Buy Certified Organic Vegetable Direct from Farmers
When: Seven Days a Week
Where: Kielys Road, Navigators
Your Comment
Also, what are the prices comparatively to buying online through various suppliers?
by Katy Holliday (score: 3|1133) 3589 days ago
Some excellent advice here and the produce looks fabulous. Would love to check it out myself, but unfortunately I am quite without a car!
by Katy Holliday (score: 3|1133) 3589 days ago
well done your English marrows are just like Mum cooked years ago in uk Owen Barber
by bigob (score: 0|2) 3395 days ago
Articles from other cities
Featured
Top Events
Popular Articles
Categories