We were on our way to Picton to catch the ferry to Wellington but I couldn’t leave without popping into the Blenheim farmers market. As we walked past fresh vegetables, apricots, cherries and nectarines a friendly lady offered me a plate of pikelets topped with chunky apricot and rhubarb & ginger jam. “Would you like to try one? It will go well with your bottle of Riesling.” I was momentarily flummoxed. How did she know I’d bought Riesling? Then I recognised her. It was Chris from the Vavasour winery. I’d staggered in there yesterday on my brief afternoon cycle around the local wineries. “This is my other job,” she explained. “I make my jam without water – just fruit and sugar, cooked slowly over a low heat. You get a much more intense flavour – no watering down.” She was right – delicious!

I know jam doesn’t rate too high in the nutrition stakes, nor the latte and pain au chocolat we relished while listening to an energetic elderly man playing the saxophone. But the market did have plenty to keep a nutritionist happy: locally grown raspberries, organic black amber plums, hazelnuts and almonds – the salted ones were fantastic. “The almonds in the supermarket are imported and have been pasteurised to kill any salmonella. Ours are untouched but unfortunately you can’t get them in the North Island,” the almond-growing couple told me. I bought a pack. As I turned away I overheard another customer’s conversation: “I eat ten almonds every day”. “They’re very good for your heart,” was the reply. I wouldn’t rely solely on almonds to protect my heart but it’s true that eating a small handful of a variety of nuts each day is an excellent health habit. Nuts provide antioxidants (so long as they are fresh), a range of vitamins and minerals, and essential fats that our body needs to stay healthy.

I passed by the Premium Games Wild Meats stall. There was goat, hare, venison, rabbit chipolatas and pork – all caught by registered hunters – and not a shred of fat to be seen. Incredibly healthy – if you’re game enough to try it.

I really wanted to buy a bottle of Stanton olive oil. They have a FYOFB policy – fill your own bottle – and the prices were the cheapest I’d seen for such top quality olive oil. Alas, my suitcase was already full of wine and olive oil.

In the past three years the number of farmers markets in New Zealand has escalated from 15 to over 50. I’ve decided that whenever I visit a new area I’m going to try to get to the farmer’s market. It’s a great way to meet the locals and pick up some yummy, fresh, locally produced food.

For more info: www.farmersmarkets.org.nz