Wednesday, October 29

bulk buying


Tuesday is Central Market Day and since B1 has been schooling at home, she has been coming along too. Once a fortnight or so we make the 'trip into town' down the freeway and we get a bit excited; abundance is on its way. Being on leave has made it easier to be able to shop for items in bulk more regularly. Goodies and Grains is my favourite shop and its certainly an advertisement for buying like this. Looking at all the stuff they have in there is certainly inspiring; although lots most of it i would never use, like the fruit and veg washing gel!? sheesh. Im of the one surface cleaning product can do it all ilk. Been there with the baking soda but if i want to get simon or the girls in on the cleaning action, then its citrus spray all the way.

(Im being very brave in posting this pic of me. B1 took it. she's getting braver in her old age, wandering around taking random pics in public. She wouldnt have been caught dead doing anything 'attention drawing' 6 months ago, hmm, me neither).

So far, we buy in bulk the following, organic and australian produced where i can, yahdah yahdah...

:: flour - pasta
:: flour - bread
:: flour - bakers
:: flour - chick pea
:: sugar
:: pasta
:: lentils
:: beans
:: weet bix
:: oats
:: semolina
:: rice - jasmine
:: rice - brown
:: muesli
:: on-the-spot peanut butter
:: dates
:: eco dishwasher powder
:: eco hand dishwashing liquid
:: eco clothes washing powder
:: eco bodywash liquid
:: yeast/spices/tea/chocolate/oil/tamari/miso/tahini

The olive oil selection is very impressive, lots of locally grown and pressing varietals to choose from and some really high quality.


Discounts are given for bringing your own containers and bags and extra discount for spending over $50.00. Its great incentive. I take along plastic or thin cloth bags , empty bottles and empty tubs/jars and empty them when i get home. the kids actually love doing this, tipping the loaded bags in to the bins; its the whole abundance thing im sure. we wash/dust out the bags and store them in the granny trolley,ready for next time.

slowly i have increased what we purchase in bulk and having food grade bins and a good selection of really large jars in the pantry is certainly a great help, well having a pantry full stop really helps and its a luxury. The pantry is built utilising passive solar or biological design. Its walling is in the earth as the lower level of the house is built into the side of the valley. The window is actually just at foot height if youre out the front of the house. So, its really cold in there and makes for a great cellar for storing fruit and vegetables.

When we first introduced the bins the kids loved it, they felt like they had a shop at home and were quite competitive about who's turn it was to get the flour/pasta! it was the catalyst to get us making our own bread. I included that on B1's must do each week; to keep us in bread now that she is learning at home. She actually loves making it, she feel very competent and like she is contributing meaningfully. There's something very symbolic about bread making and i think she just feels it.

Its quite tragic being so locally minded. the most painful to resist are definitely le fromage. the french cheeses are displayed perfectly, itty bitty little things rolled in ash or herb, shaped like cones, small cylinders or just a fantastic big hunk in black cloth. If we lived in France then we could indulge...whenever...we fantasised how we could make this happen as we walked around.

I have discovered a fantastic stall 'Wild Oz' which sells 'green' meats (ewww) - crocodile, wild boar, wild goat, roo and duck.
The wild boar and goat taste fantastic and are growing a local economy by removing an incredibly destructive feral pest from the outback. I cant quite come at crocodile myself, its the whole aversion i have to scaly lizard type creatures...

9 comments:

pipnvik said...

The markets are one old haunt that I must revisit when I get there. Croc sausages yum!

Is the kangaroo butcher still there ?

I miss those markets sooooo much.

Kerrie said...

I'm so envious of your pantry...I would so love to shop more in bulk but we really don't have the space to store big bins & jars. Being in a warmer climate makes it hard too.

However...the tropical fruits that are available in abundance kind of make up for it a little...nothing like a tray of mangoes for less than $10.00 from a roadside vendor, or pawpaw, dragonfruit and pineapples.

Okay, must be lunchtime, am getting hungry here now.

BTW...B1 is getting a wonderful education with you...how divine for her to keep the family in bread.

Unknown said...

The Central Market is a fantastic place to visit. Kim and I had a browse through about 3 years ago. Unfortunately we didn't stumble across Goodies & Grains. It would have been such a find. We stayed at Mt Lofty Railway station which is probably just down the road from you. Being a crow-eater from way back (born in Loxton), I just loved getting back to the home state.

BTW, nice photo of you. Only the second one I have seen besides your profile shot!

Gav

Kelly said...

Phil. every time i walk past the roo shop i think of you now! so , affirmative.
Kerrie, thats exactly what i looove about QLD- trays of cheap mangoes. when i was a kid thats what my mum always put in my christmas stocking. other kids got lollies, i got mango! yummo!
Gav, yup, i live just off the main drag in stirling, so very close and i try to NOT post pics of me. ugh. im rather camera shy.

Anonymous said...

Those expeditions sound like a lot of fun, and I'm with Gavin, it was nice to see a picture of you...

Minni Mum said...

That's it, I'm definitely coming to live at your house ;-) I have a serious case of pantry envy, not to mention extreme bring-your-own-bottles-bulk-goods-store envy. *Sigh* Nice to see another photo of you too :-)

Kelly said...

yikes. nearly posted the pic of the back of my head! I liked that one. PE; new disease in eco blog land! Glad a new shot of my mug made so many of you happy- who would a thunk it?

Anonymous said...

Bit of pantry envy here too. Don't tell anyone, but I reckon if I eat lots of home grown or local organic veggies I'm still allowed occasional French cheese. For research purposes you understand. (I don't think I'll finish my Masters without it).

Kelly said...

dang! well if its for research purposes...then i can too!

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