It’s the first year the Forrests have had a go at growing Brussels sprouts. ‘We’re coming into
the season of abundance’, Sue tells me at their stall, where there’s every sign of it: great
bunches of green onions and fat fennel, beets and sweet potatoes and radishes, plump
parsnips and baby carrots and sleek leeks – and of course the brassicas. Of which Brussels
sprouts are a member, the miniature tightly furled cabbages beloved by the British but not
until recently making their presence felt on fashionable restaurant menus. At Trouble San in
Brunswick Heads they come tempura-ed and piled high with kimchi and spicy mayo, the
burst of sprout juiciness as you bite into the crisp batter a gorgeous contrast to the spicy
sour tang of the fermented cabbage. The Eltham pub offers them in a creamy miso dressing
with the nutty umami crunch of the Japanese seasoning furikake, another blast of fabulous
flavourings to elevate the Brussel sprout to gourmet heights.
Sue and Dave Forrest have been at the forefront of organic production in the region for
decades, Dave himself an educator and mentor for later generations of farmers and
growers. I ask him for tips on preparing soil for planting at this time of year. He says the
important thing is to add organic matter – ‘preferably well-finished compost’, before sharing
his recipe: 200 grams of lime (which neutralises soil acidity and raises soil pH), 50 grams of
rock phosphate per square meter, and 3 litres of compost. He recommends putting in green
manure such as lupin as well, a carbon crop to improve the soil. Dave’s enthusiasm for
growing things is almost palpable, his grin wide and his skin gleaming. ‘Enjoying the garden’,
says this shining example, ‘is the path to good health!’
Forrest Organics are at New Brighton every Tuesday from 8 – 11am and Mullumbimby every
Friday from 7 – 11am
Victoria Cosford
