Collingwood Chefs Create 5 Winter Dishes With Local Produce

Collingwood markets opened their July stalls this week with crates of local beets, kale bunches and blood oranges ready for five simple seasonal dishes.

Winter produce peaks in the first week of July when soil temperatures drop and root vegetables sweeten, giving residents a direct way to cut grocery bills while supporting nearby farms.

Shoppers on Smith Street can stop at the Collingwood Farmers Market every Saturday morning while the wellness program at the Johnston Street Community Centre runs free tasting sessions on Tuesdays using the same harvest.

Market Finds This Week

Beets sell for $3.50 a bunch at the Smith Street stalls, kale runs $2.80 per large bunch and blood oranges cost $6 per kilo, all harvested within 50 kilometres of the suburb.

Five Seasonal Recipes

The first dish roasts beets with rosemary from the same market stall and serves them over local kale for a 20-minute lunch. The second combines blood orange segments with shaved fennel for a bright winter salad. The third turns root vegetables into a slow-cooked stew seasoned only with garlic and thyme. The fourth folds kale into a barley risotto finished with orange zest. The fifth blends roasted beets into a simple dip with yoghurt and walnuts for evening snacks.

These five recipes use produce that stays fresh for five days when stored in the crisper drawer, cutting household food waste by roughly one-third according to a 2025 Collingwood waste audit.

Residents can pick up the listed ingredients at the Saturday market before 10 a.m. and test one recipe at home, then consult a local medical professional for any personal dietary changes.