Seen and Heard at the Dunedin Stadium Markets (Every Sunday)

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It was a very quiet day for the stall holders at the markets on Sunday. The weather kept Dunedinites indoors and many vendors were unhappy by the end of the day.  Most of the people who were  around had attended the rugby match the evening before and came in for a quick feed before leaving for home and the food vendors did brisk business for a while.

I took along my new pet quail house that is for sale with one quail inside who embarrassed me by behaving like the juvenile delinquent he is. Promoting quails as pets and egg producers in small back yards is something I feel strongly about. Most urban gardeners have the vegetable part of their diet covered but need to add protein –  quails are ideal for this, producing an egg a day. I also took my usual quail eggs packaged by the dozen.  Should you need more information about quails and the Pet Quail House go to my blog, http://www.backyardfarmer.co.nz

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The fruit farmer had lovely large quinces as promised for a very good price, and he will be picking quinces for a few weeks from now on. He also brought fresh corn that he had picked the night before, sweet red plums. I could not resist and brought a lot of things home.

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Because it was quieter today I could wander around a bit and have a look at the local artists who work on site. Suzanne Emslie from SOFT CURVES sculpts her lovely stone figures at the markets every week. Have a look at her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.emslie and her phone number is 027 739 6531

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Another interesting local artist is Tony Rowe with his colourful stencil art. Everything is priced at $10 so if you want to pick up a fun, original artwork as a gift or for yourself, this is a must see.

There are many more stalls to talk about next week!

QUAIL PETS

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As result of many requests for Quails as pets, I have designed and built a Quail Pet House, which comes complete with four Quails ready to start laying eggs.

Quails (Coturnix coturnix) make the perfect pet. Not only are they docile, quiet, inquisitive and clean, but each quail will also give you a delicious egg every day, so they pay for their own upkeep;  how many pets can claim that!  Quails become very tame and by nature are relaxed and adaptable little animals. They are amazingly efficient and incredibly interesting little creatures.

Small incubators for people that are interested in hatching their own quail babies are available, which is an excellent child project that teaches them the basic principles of breeding and rearing, apart from just looking after and enjoying a pet.

This little Quail House ( under 1 x 1 meters) fits into any small area and can stand in a bedroom, in the garage, on the veranda or  under a tree in the garden. They are  strong and built to withstand all weather conditions. Made from tanalised and double oiled wood, this pet house is durable and will last for a long long time. A roof door and easily replaceable floor (extra floor included) makes cleaning an easy and quick task.  Also included is a sand bath and water and food feeders.

The ideal pet accommodation for all needs. The ideal mini aviary.

Goatherd’s Lunch

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Today’s lunch is unusual because nothing was from my garden apart from the apples. In Italy the herders travel  light, climbing up the mountains with their animals carrying  a lunch of cheese, bread, fruit and wine in a bag. I did not travel on foot, but, on my way to get fresh milk I passed the farm of a friend who makes delicious cheese from the milk of her own goats and sheep and brought some home.  All organic of course, from happy sheep and goats, and she learnt her craft in Switzerland so I could not miss. I rushed home, started my ricotta and spread my treasures on the table along with my own bread and apples, and the neighbour’s pears. A true feast!

I took pictures of the stunning scenery on the way there – it was a bit misty but beautiful still – and only about 10 minutes from my house. Dunedin surprises me every day, it certainly is not only a small university city, it has many talented and gifted residents that revel the lifestyle that can only be had in this rather isolated beauty spot.

Calabrian Stewed and Roasted Hare – Liepru all’Antica

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Rabbit is another of my favorites and fortunately readily available if not farmed yourself, and though Artusi mentions a well-to-do person’s being put off by the latter, they have always been popular out in the country because they’re easy to catch or raise. This recipe for stewed and roasted hare is Calabrian, but works equally well for rabbit, chicken or even quail

1 hare, chopped

2 Sweet Red onions, sliced

3 bay leaves

4 sprigs mint

Marjoram to taste

Thyme to taste

Flour

Slices of toasted bread

1/4 cup olive oil or rendered lard

A bottle of Ciró Rosso or any other good red wine

Salt

Marinate the hare in the wine with the onions and the herbs for two days, turning the meat occasionally.

Pat the meat dry, flour it, and brown it in the fat, using an oven-proof pot. Once the pieces are all browned stir in the marinade, bring to a simmer (you may want to heat the marinade separately while the meat is browning), and transfer the hare to a preheated 350 F (175 C) oven. Roast until done, spooning the liquid over the meat occasionally to keep it moist.

When the meat is done remove it to a platter and keep it warm – strain the liquid and reduce it over medium heat until it is quite thick. Spread it over the toasted bread, and serve it with the meat.

A wine? Another bottle or two of Ciró Rosso.