Seasonal Food Events: The Grain Store's Full Moon Dinner
Despite the widely held belief that the full moon encourages people to misbehave like lunatics, farmers almanacs have been recommending planting and harvesting by the moon for centuries. Far from lunacy, it is simply common sense as tides swell and sap rises in plants. It has long been recognised by farmers that a full moon is […]
Two lights from under a tomato bushel. Re-introducing the Medium Veg Only.
In the beginning there were a couple of young CERES farmers. One day while they were out farmering they came across an empty polytunnel and thought, “Yea verily, that empty polytunnel would make a splendid place to grow our heirloom tomato seedlings.” And so it came to pass and all who laid eyes upon their tomato seedlings […]
CERES Harvest Festival – Peace, prosperity & an eBay goddess
A few weeks ago in a newsletter I was digressing about the joy of discovering the cornucopia that’s depicted on our very own Victorian coat of arms. Seemingly mundane at first glance, on closer examination I was struck by its offbeat imagery; a kangaroo levitating in a lavishly decorated medieval jousting helmet while two toga-clad ladies nonchalantly showed off olive leaves and […]
Fresh pistachios – once in a lifetime. A pantheon of coffee heroes
The other day Shane O’Dea, in his business shirt and slacks (he’s a paediatrician by day), wandered into the Fair Food warehouse with a 5kg box of shiny pink and white fresh pistachios (like those in the pic up there) and asked if we were interested in trying some. Now you could quite easily live your […]
Fairtrade, Max Havelaar and life after Pink Bag. Last Step to Intestinal Heaven
Pink Bag is going and we need some help. Pink Bag is Universal Village’s Fairtrade coffee beans which you might know better as Rhino Coffee – it’s packed in bright pink packaging, hence various expressions commonly heard at the Fair Food warehouse such as “Do you want a Pink Bag?” or “There’s a fresh pot of […]
Our little grocery grows up. Feeling well, insane, but well.
Fourteen years ago when CERES Grocery (known then as CERES Market) opened its doors – or more accurately its gate, it was like so many things at CERES – a triumph of optimism and enthusiasm over common-sense and business planning. There was no market testing, no SWOT analysis, no unique value proposition, nobody knew how […]
