Hello everyone. Last week I shared the news that some of the Roadside Stalls are stocking the illustrated totes and it has been so wonderful hearing about the love you’ve thrown their way, dropping by to check them out - thank you! This week I have a special announcement about a new collaboration and product in the works. Plus a workshop in woodturning that caught my attention and I thought you might like it too. There are so many events happening across the region at the moment, if you’re up for getting out and about there is something for everyone across out beautiful region at the moment!
Let’s get into it.
BIRDS OF THE MOUNT LOFTY RANGES
Beautiful art turned into a memory card game
I wanted to share something special. While it’s unfolding. While it’s still being made, slowly and with a lot of care.
A new Adelaide Hills Pantry collaboration is officially in the works, and it’s one I’ve been quietly excited about for a while. I’m working with local Adelaide Hills artist Rebecca Prince on a memory card game celebrating 20 native birds from the Mount Lofty Ranges.
Rebecca is currently painting each bird by hand, one at a time. These are not generic illustrations. They’re birds with posture and personality. The ones you hear calling through the trees. The ones that stop you mid-walk because you recognise them as neighbours.
At its heart, it’s a classic memory matching game. Simple, familiar, and made for sharing around the table. But the magic is in the details. The cards will feature familiar species like Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Superb Fairy Wrens, Scarlet Robins and Tawny Frogmouths, alongside birds that are part of rewilding programs working to protect and nurture vulnerable populations back into the landscape. A portion of each sale will support this work, quietly closing the loop between noticing, learning and caring.
Once the artwork is complete, the next stage will be manufacturing the cards themselves. I’m aiming for an April launch. As with all of the Adelaide Hills Pantry products this card game will be another high-quality, uniquely Adelaide Hills keepsake to sit alongside the puzzle, the roadside stall tea towels and the totes. Something you keep in your home. Something you pull out again and again. Something you give to someone who loves the Hills and the birds that belong here.
This is the first announcement. The first glimpse. I’ll share more as the birds take shape and the project continues to unfold. Watch this space! In the meantime check out Rebecca’s Portfolio to get an idea of how beautiful this card game is going to be.
WOODTURNING WORKSHOP
Learn the art of making beautiful things from wood
If you’ve ever picked up a beautiful timber bowl or vase and thought, how on earth is that made, this one’s for you.
Tucked into the Adelaide Hills, the Hills Woodworkers are running a hands on weekend workshop that takes you right back to basics. Think raw timber, spinning lathes, sawdust in your hair and the quiet satisfaction of making something with your own two hands.
Over two full days, you’ll learn the art of woodturning from experienced instructors who genuinely love what they do. This is not a watch from the side lines situation. Every participant gets their own lathe and tools, with plenty of guidance as you go.
You’ll cover all the essentials, from safety and understanding the lathe, through to choosing the right timber and learning how grain, hardness and moisture change the way wood behaves. You’ll practise classic turning techniques and work towards creating practical pieces like bowls, boxes, spindles and platters. There’s also an introduction to sanding and finishing so your pieces are ready to take home and show off.
The workshops are a small group experience that allows for plenty of one on one support. Tools, timber and refreshments are included, plus a bonus membership to Hills Woodworkers until the end of the club year.
The workshop runs Saturday and Sunday from 9.00am to 4.30pm at the Laratinga Community Shed in Mount Barker. Cost is $250.
A perfect excuse to slow down, learn a new skill and create something truly special in the Hills. Find out more or book your spot here.
Got an event coming up? Let’s get the word out to thousands of people who love the Adelaide Hills.
Stirling Laneways is putting a special edition this Sunday 18th January extending down to the Stirling Library Lawns for a relaxed Spin Social, featuring extra stalls, activities, music, and space for the community to gather. Perfectly timed for the school holidays and ahead of Stirling hosting the Tour Down Under finish the following weekend, the event celebrates summer, bikes, and community spirit. With a Think Pink theme and pinwheel-making to dress up the village, it’s an easy excuse to linger, explore, and soak up the laneways atmosphere. Find out more here.
Kitchen Farm’s Mini Farmer event invites kids to step into the heart of the garden for a hands-on morning of farm life, where they can experience real farm chores, animal care, and discovery. The morning begins on the lawns in front of the restaurant, where children receive their farm baskets and tasks before heading into the garden to meet the farm team. Along the way, they will learn how to care for animals, tend to crops, and get a genuine feel for what life is like on a working farm. Find out more here.
MARKETS
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY
🌽 Adelaide Hills Farmers Market, 23 Mann Street, Mount Barker - from 8am to 12:30pm learn more.
🛍️ Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, Mount Pleasant – from 8:30am to 12:30pm learn more.
🧺Woodside Market, Woodside Institute Hall – from 8am to 1pm learn more learn more.
SATURDAY18TH JANUARY
🛍️Stirling Laneways, Sitlring from 9am to 3pm learn more.
🥳 The Spin Social Coventry Library Lawns, Stirling – from 9am to 3pm learn more.
🧺 Uraidla Market, Uraidla Institute, Uraidla – from 10am to 3pm learn more.
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY 14TH JANUARY
🌿 School Holidays Scrub Club – Laratinga Wetlands, Mount Barker from 10:00am to 11:30am learn more.
🎨 Kids Summer School Art Classes – Stirling in various times learn more.
🎭 Seussical the Musical by HYT – Stirling Community Thetare, Stirling on Tuesday 14 to Sunday 18 January in various times learn more.
🎨 School Holiday Paint a Set of Ceramic Trinket Trays – Torrens Valley Community Centre, Gumeracha on Tuesday 14 to Friday 23 January from 10:30am to 12pm learn more.
🕺 Funky Families Dance Party – Aldgate from 11am to 12pm learn more.
THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY
🏺 Finding Your Way With Clay – Red Bird Studio, Hawthorndene – on Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 January from 10am to 4pm learn more.
FRIDAY 16TH JANUARY
🖌️ Paint & Protect Possum Box Workshop – Laratinga Community Shed, Mount Barker from 10am to 12pm learn more.
🌱 Kitchen Farm Mini Farmers – Kitchen Farm, Mount Barker from 10am to 12pm. learn more.
🍝 Pasta Making the Italian Way – Stirling from 6pm to 10pm learn more.
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY
🐟 Pescatarian Feast – Stirling from 10am to 2pm learn more.
🌿 Immersion Day – The Farm For Wellbeing, Flaxley from 10am to 4pm learn more.
🎉 Mexican Fiesta Party Members Draw – Beer Garden at Auchendarroch House, Mount Barker from 2pm to 5pm learn more.
🎵 Bondi Cigars live – The Three Brothers Arms, Macclesfield at 6pm learn more.
🎤 Karaoke Night – The Haus Restaurant, Hahndorf from 6pm to 10pm learn more.
SUNDAY 18TH JANUARY
💍 Ring Making Workshop – Okay Kathigitis Studio, Bridgewater from 10am to 3pm learn more.
🍱 Lunch Box Made Easy for Work or School – Duck Flat Community Gardens, Mount Barker from 11am to 1pm learn more.
🍤 Prawns on the Lawns – Karrawatta, Meadows from 12pm learn more.
🎸 Grooves Under the Gums with Slipway – Sinclairs Gully, Norton Summit from 1pm to 4pm learn more.
🌿 The Balanced Woman – Mindful Impact Wellness Hub, Crafers from 1:45pm to 5pm learn more.
MONDAY 19TH JANUARY
🥗 Making Healthy Holiday Snacks – Mount Barker Community Library, Mount Barker in various times learn more.
🎨 School Holiday Purrfect Cat Prints – The Summit Community Centre, Norton Summit from 10am to 12pm learn more.
TUESDAY 20TH JANUARY
🌿 Nature Craft and Play – Mount Barker Community Library, Mount Barkerin various times learn more.
🍣 Sushi School Holiday Cooking WorkshopMount Barker Community Centre, Mount Barker – from 10am to 11am learn more.
📸 The Image Collector Exhibition Launch – Mount Barker Community Library, Mount Barker from 6:30pm to 8pm learn more.
Thanks for reading Adelaide Hills Pantry. I hope it added a moment of enjoyment to your day.
