Tamborine Mt avocados at roadside stalls near accommodation at Amore BNB

This popular roadside stall is on the right between Short Street and Paradise Drive is the first stop referred to on your Harvest Trail Map. Feast your eyes on the most delicious avocados and linger to enjoy the picturesque views over the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Tamborine Mountain is one of the main avocado growing areas in Queensland. Many different varieties are grown, but most of the industry is made up of Hass, Sharwil, Wurtz, Reed and Shepard.

It is estimated that about 70% of avocados produced are sold through supermarkets. Only a small tonnage of fruit is exported overseas.

We are indeed lucky to have a variety of farm gate stalls stocked in season with fresh avos.

The most popular varieties are:
Haas – Appearance: Distinctive pebbly skin and more oval shape than other varieties. Sometimes referred to as the ‘black sheep of the family’, the Hass turns a rich purple when ripe and ready to eat.

Shepard – Appearance: Smooth, green skin with a golden buttery flesh. This variety has the unique distinction of being the only Avocado that doesn’t turn brown when cut. They are often referred to as ‘greenskins’.

Reed – Appearance: A medium skin texture with pale flesh and a distinct round shape. This variety is well known for remaining green even when fully ripened.

We at Amore B&B grow the Haas variety and we are very satisfied with the end result - no sprays of course.

Stock up on wholesome and affordable, fresh local produce at this colourful, rustic stall on the Tamborine Mountain Harvest Trail. Ripe, juicy fruit and flavorsome vegetables abound at this well-loved organic farm stall. Great value. If you are heading back to the M1 you will pass it on your travels.

Load your Veggie. basket with goodies, there is always a interesting variety to choose from, always fresh, good quality and value for money.

Now that you are all stocked up how about preparing a hearty vegetable soup or one of the all time favorites -  Avocado and Chicken Caesar Salad.

Ingredients

Dhalias flower from Christmas until May; however a range of gorgeous flowers is available all year-round. Also avos and seasonal fruits.

These passionate gardeners often open their garden to the public for the "Springtime on the Mountain" Festival.

For dramatic spreads of colour in summer and autumn dahlias are hard to beat. Named after the Swedish botanist, Dr Anders Dahl, they’re in the family Asteraceae, which is part of the daisy family. These wonderful flowers originated in the mountain ranges of Mexico, Guatemala and Columbia, before becoming popular throughout the world.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different cultivars and hybrids of dahlias. There are about 30 species of Dahlia. This tuberous-rooted perennial plant is characterised by the different flower types. Dahlias come in many lovely shades including one that’s nearly black, and there are bi-colour ones as well.

Dahlias are brilliant garden plants. They are long flowering, with lush foliage, easy to flower and care for and come in a huge array of colours shapes and sizes.

Dahlias tubers take around 8 weeks from planting to flowering.

The Dahlia tuber needs a sunny spot and moist, humus rich, well drained soil. Number 7 Hartley Road obviously ticks all of the boxes so far as Dahlias are concerned.

Dahlia flowers are excellent for cutting, and last well in a vase.

On Tamborine Mountain vegetable growing as you would expect is on a small farm production basis – tender hands and utmost care.

A food lover’s heaven, Bernie’s Fruit Store specialises in rhubarb and garlic but also stocks fresh seasonal produce including pumpkin, avocados, zucchini, ginger and cucumber and occasionally there are rhubarb plants available for sale.

Vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked and play an important role in human nutrition, being mostly low in fat and carbohydrates, but high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Not preaching but vegetables are really good for you!

Everything at Bernie’s is a bargain... all items are just $2.50!

Farmer Les sells a little bit of everything. Take home a pumpkin for a hearty soup or fill a bag with juicy citrus fruits when in season. If Les is restocking his stall when you stop get ready for a chat. Les is proud of his farm and has a wealth of knowledge. If you would like to meet Les give Kay or John a call and we will make the introduction.

Do we here at Amore B&B frequent Farmer Les’s stall — yes we do and if you have elected to avail yourself of one of our breakfast options you may well be sampling fruit picked and packed by Les’s large but gentle hands.

When Avocados and Citrus are in season we here at Amore B&B welcome guests to take with them when they leave a selection of produce (complimentary of course) grown within Amore B&B’s grounds. If we have a basket of creamy Avocados and juicy lemons sitting in our entry patio — they are not there for long. The basket needs to be refilled regularly.

Cottage-style flowers, plants and quaint posies are available most of the year. Whatever you choose will be a beautiful and sweet-smelling reminder of your time on the mountain.

Many flowers have important symbolic meanings in Western culture. The practice of assigning meanings to flowers is known as floriography. Some of the more common examples include:

• Red roses are given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion.
• Poppies are a symbol of consolation in time of death. In the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, red poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in times of war.
• Irises/Lily are used as a symbol referring to "resurrection/life".
• Daisies are a symbol of innocence.

The great variety of delicate and beautiful flowers has inspired the works of numerous poets, especially from the 18th-19th century Romanticera. Famous examples include William Wordsworth's I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and William Blake's Ah! Sun-Flower.

Because of their varied and colorful appearance, flowers have long been a favorite subject of visual artists as well. Some of the most celebrated paintings from well-known painters are of flowers, such as Van Gogh's sunflowers series or Monet's water lilies. Flowers are also dried, freeze dried and pressed in order to create permanent, three-dimensional pieces of flower art.

The Roman goddess of flowers, gardens, and the season of Spring is Flora.

A collective of local farmers, the Green Shed is open at every Sunday from 7.00am to 12 noon and features an extensive range of freshly-picked produce. Everything you see was lovingly grown and harvested on Tamborine Mountain.

The “Green Shed”, located at The Showground, 386-398 Main Western Rd, Mount Tamborine, Queensland, is the local market for fresh fruit & vegetables.

Flowers, honey, nuts, herbs and plants are also in bountiful supply. A wide variety of high quality, freshly picked produce, is always available. The range available, depends on the season.

Prices are set at a level which provide farmers a return sufficient to encourage them to continue their farming activities and provide exceptional value to their customers.

Tamborine Mountain provides an enormous variety of agricultural produce: avocados, asparagus, asian greens, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower and we haven’t even got past the C vegetables! There are many large orchards, but much of the production comes from boutique farming operations.

Agricultural activities are synonymous with the green, lush, vibrant character that typifies Tamborine Mountain and the green shed provides local and visitors alike with the opportunity to purchase a variety of fresh produce.

9 Mont View Farm Produce Stall: Siganto Street at the southern end of the Mountain.

Enjoy quality organic fruit and vegetables. Just about every variety of vegetable imaginable is available here. As fresh as fresh can be with some produce grown only a short distance from the stall itself.

Vegetables in season - pumpkins, spinach, beetroot, avocados, rhubarb and the list goes on. Fill a bag with fresh, healthy and delicious green leafy vegies. Flowers, plants or quality organic fruit are plentiful.

The farmers are passionate about their produce and are always willing to pass on their knowledge. Glen knows his product and the farmers who supply the stall are locals who have pride in the fruit and vegetables that they grow. That's Glen in the photo holding the carrots.

Farming is part of their DNA and it shows . Ask and learn -- you will be amazed as to how knowable these guys are.

And now for Amore B&B's best All Season Salad.

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Salad

• 1 lb chicken, grilled
• 9 oz baby spinach
• 2 medium avocados, cored and diced
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• Imperial weights show my age.

Directions

• Add olive oil, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard and salt to a blender. Pulse until well emulsified. Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.