Lazy long weekends are made for wandering the aisles of fresh produce and tasty delights at your local farmers’ market.

Words Zoe Rice

Eating is high on the agenda on a chilly long weekend, so start your weekend of shopping on Saturday morning – or even Friday night – at the Adelaide Central Market; always the perfect place to pick up ingredients for a platter to impress your guests. Discover all there is to offer at Say Cheese, with tastings on offer from Thursday to Saturday. Nearby, pick up some fig and walnut loaf, or the traditional sourdough, from Wild Loaf and top it all off with a visit to Con’s Fine Foods for smallgoods, sliced meats and antipasto. On Saturday the KI Stall will be hosting a gin masterclass to celebrate World Gin Day.

Then head out to the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market on Sunday before breakfast, and have someone else make your first meal for you. Poh Ling Yeow’s JamFace stall has a delicious dairy-free porridge, and stop by Kuhl Kooking for a steaming coffee. Then seek out Lato Cakery and take home the handmade five-layered Slavic honey cake for an afternoon treat.

If you’re planning on cooking up a storm at home, the market is full of the vibrant colours of winter fruit and vegetables this time of year – purple cauliflower, heirloom carrots, pumpkins, kale, celery, apples, oranges and pears. However, if cooking really isn’t on the agenda, try the Semaphore Pantry stall, where chef Dave Matthews sells ready-made soups, curries and risottos.

With that extra day to get out in the garden, stop by McLaren Vale Natives or Falg Nurseries for some new seedlings to get in the ground. Or if you want fresh flowers but don’t have a green thumb, there will be plenty of blooms on offer at Gooseberry Hill Farm or Rich Pickings.

Markets are all about getting involved, and there is a collage craft session for the kids at 10am. For the foodies, there’s a Yorkshire pudding and roast beef demo at 11am ¾ the perfect long weekend fare. There’s even free “pooch parking”, where your pet can be cared for in comfort while you shop.

If you’re out and about in the regions, local produce markets will see bumper numbers of visitors this long weekend. Markets to be held on Saturday include the Barossa Farmers Market at Angaston (7.30am to 11.30am), Victor Harbor Farmers’ Markets at Grosvenor Gardens (8.30am to 12.30pm); Willunga Farmers’ Markets in Willunga Town Square (8am to 12.30pm); Adelaide Hills Farmers’ Market at Mount Barker (8.30am to 12.30pm); and the Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Markets at Talunga Park Showgrounds (8am to noon). The Barmera Main Street Markets will be held on Sunday, June 9 (9am to 1pm).