The longer, warmer days of spring offer a delightful respite from the cold of winter. Make the most of this season’s locally grown tender greens, plump mussels and delicious lamb.

Local farms are enjoying the first flush of spring produce including broad beans and spring greens and are currently harvesting Swiss chard and silver beet. These are perfect cooked in a little cheese sauce and grilled under a golden, cheesy layer of breadcrumbs. Also in season now are radishes, spring onions, broccoli, many different varieties of lettuce, and flavoursome bok choy, stock up at Peninsula Fresh Organics.

Spring weather sees the mussels in our Port Phillip and Western Port farms fattening up. Blue mussels, native to the bays, are grown at various aquaculture sites. These fat and juicy mussels thrive in the free-flowing currents and make a great and affordable seafood meal, whether you cook them in white wine with fresh herbs, or simply grill them on the barbecue, Yumbah Sea Farms have you covered.

Spring is also the season for lamb, and we have quite a few farmers on the Peninsula producing high quality meat that that is full-flavoured and beautifully textured, perfect for feeding family and friends this barbeque season, head online for Binbarra Farm lamb.

By Richard Cornish