Hi there,

Everyone is saying it seems this year we only needed to blink and suddenly it was Christmas! Even though it seems just a few days since last Christmas, this newsletter comes wishing you all the very best for a fantastic  festive season and new year.

The country has been ravaged by floods and storms and lost crops and it points up very clearly how much farmers (and all the other industries dependant on them) can be affected by nature.

The Australian Regional Food Guide website has been having its own storms and tribulations too.

You may have been wondering what has been happening with it over the past three months!

In case you haven't heard, in September the site was severely hacked by some unknown 'hacker'. Initially we thought it was some sort of prank-hacking but as we attempted to alter things and fix the damage, more began to go wrong. It appears that the hacker must have inserted some sort of robot or worm which continued to corrupt the files over time.

The server we were using had lost their key expert in the sort of database we run and they had no answers for us. For a while the site did not even appear when people tried to log on, and then for an even longer time we could not get access – initially even to put up a message to explain why it was in such a mess.

Slowly, with an immense amount of work from Gordon and a 'genius' of an IT person based in Hanoi, Vietnam, the site has slowly been rebuilt. It has been an ongoing saga where at every turn, just as we thought it was going to be OK again, ('within 24 hours', Gordon would say) something else would be discovered, need to be relicensed, require reinstallation – you name it!

The important thing for you to know – and to pass on to anyone who asks – is that there was never any danger to your systems in using the old site after it was hacked, and there is NO virus, worm or any 'nasty' that can be passed on by using the new site. It has been totally reconstructed and is not with the previous server. It is secure and completely safe to visit and use.

The database has been painstakingly checked and reinstalled There are consmetic changes still happening and some fine tuning to do, but the search function is considerably improved, including addtional search options from the home page. We would really appreciate it if sometime early in the New Year you could look at your listing and any others you know of in your area and see if there are any discrepancies which we should know about.

It has been a setback, but not all bad news. We were able to salvage most of the files and we have used this as an opportunity to construct a much better site. The latest software has some very cool features, some of which will be visible, others which make administering the site more efficient.

Now the site is back to normal and workable, we would really appreciate it if you could encourage as many people as you know in your area to become listed on the site.

OUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO YOU ALL is the news that from now on we offering a simplified system of either a free listing or a "one size fits all" Premier Listing for $132.50 (GST included) with a one-off payment and no renewal costs. (see Where are We Headed in 2011 in column opposite)

There’s a lot for you in this last newsletter for 2010. FOUR chances to win a prize, and an easy Christmassy recipe, and MUCH MORE!

May we wish you the best, the happiest, the most relaxing Christmas ever, and a new year that is all you could ever want it to be.

Cheers for now and thank you so much for your invaluable support in the past, and looking forward to a bright and exciting 2011,

SUMMER FRUIT TRIVIA

Blueberries are in season in Australia right now, just in time for Christmas. Of course I will be making our family’s traditional Christmas breakfast of blueberry hotcakes  again this year.

But did you know in addition to tasting fantastic:

• Blueberries contain a natural chemical shown to prevent colon cancer.
• A half-cup of blueberries packs plenty of fibre, vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants into only 40 sweet calories (168kJ).
• Blueberries contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than red wine or green tea.
• Half a cup of blueberries a day may help improve brain function plus help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia, according to independent university studies.
• Blueberries not only lower risk of heart disease and cancer, they are anti-inflammatory.
• Some scientific evidence suggests that blueberries may be beneficial for the skin. New skin care treatments include blueberry extracts to help revitalize the skin and hasten healing.
• Blueberries are as effective as cranberries to help guard against urinary tract infections.
• Blueberries are considered a "superfood" by leading nutrition and medical experts and a recommended diet staple for health, skin care and longevity.

(above information used by kind permission of Chilean Blueberries)

BRIGHT IDEAS & OTHER TIPS

This month it’s a favourite weekly e-newsletter from Victorian Farmers Markets Association. Visit their site and sign up online. It has heaps of interesting information about the state’s markets and also produce notes.

PRIZES

Christmas is all about goodies so here are FOUR great chances to win something ready for the new year.

LAST MONTH"S WINNERS

Bev Ruskey, from Spring Creek Mountain Cafe & Cottages, Killarney, Qld; Margarita Carrick, Pine End Farm, The Oaks, NSW; and Sharon Vesey, Manly, NSW all won a wonderful Pastilla Nash prune and walnut roll, ideal for serving with their Christmas cheeses or coffee. That’s if they have been able to resist it this long!

NOW, HERE IS YOUR FINAL CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE IN 2010!

On offer are TWO truly beautiful calendars from Wholistic Harvest™ which has created a 2011 calendar to celebrate the changing seasons and nature’s harvest. It was launched at The Age Harvest Picnic at Werribee Park on November 28, the calendar features original, hand-written quotations and photographs. It is printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. The calendar retails at $25 and is the perfect Christmas gift for foodie lovers.

AND from Foodscape Tours two gift certificates, with 30 June 2011 expiry, for 'Indulgence' tours that can be taken in either Byron Bay or the South Coast. The  Indulgence tour is a full day tour of either region, meeting producers, tasting local products and generally being spoiled for choice with all that’s on offer.

Foodscape Tours offers gourmet food tours around Byron Bay and its hinterland, and along the South Coast of NSW, where you can taste your way around towns like Kiama, Gerringong and Berry, or venture to Kangaroo Valley. On a Foodscape tour you'll explore the local food scene, meet a feast of food producers, go behind the scenes and sample an array of local fare. Visiting plantations, orchards, commercial kitchens or specialty stores, some of them open to you exclusively through Foodscape Tours, you'll discover the best of what's in season and have the opportunity to sample and shop from the source. All tours include a delicious lunch featuring local produce.

To win the tour be the first Australian resident who has NOT won a prize this year to tell us how many Byron Bay listings are on the Australian Regional Food Guide website. HINT: use the Home Page search function. AND How many different bus tours does Foodscape Tours offer? Be the first to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it your answer.

ALL YOU have to do to win the calendar is be the first Australian resident to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it what fruit is pictured on the calendar’s page for March.

When answering, please also give your address so your prize can be posted to you.

WHERE WE ARE HEADED IN 2011

Our goal is to provide the best resource and directory for Regional Food in Australia. As we expand we realise that we cannot achieve this on our own. It needs to be a joint effort.

Over the next few months we will be simplifying and streamlining our activity by inviting users to manage their own listings, whether it be a Premier Listing or a simple free listing. We will be introducing a "one size fits all" Premier Listing with a one-off payment. Listees will be provided with a Username and Password with certain user priviliges whereby they will be able to:

• Update content and key data
• Enter keywords for the site's search facility
• Add Metadata for Search Engine Optimisation
• Upgrade from a free listing to a Premier Listing online
• Make online payments
• Add new listings online

The formula is straight forward. As the number of Premier Listings increases we will add value and depth to the site. Financial bouyancy will in turn result in further investment in the growth and effectiveness of the service. You benefit, the public benefits, and Australia benefits.

In an age where information is paramount we believe that we need an even more powerful, world wide directory which points people to the amazing food in our abundant country. Join us for the ride and expect to hear more soon.