Last Tuesday Emily Yarra of Brightside Produce delivered to chef Bernd a box of wonderful, colourful vegetables. There was an obvious respect between the two and Emily said to me, "We have been working with Bernd since we started. He has always been so encouraging and supportive even in the very beginning when we really didn't know what we were doing. His commitment to supporting local producers is genuine and much deeper than just the latest fashion."

Emily and her life and work partner, Michael Kobier, have a two-year-old son Felix and Emily is seven months pregnant. She had spent the morning on her knees harvesting carrots while her husband lifted parsnips from the frosty ground with very cold fingers - you can't wear gloves for these delicate jobs. They have 95 x 20 metre beds on the farm.

In 2015, the couple bought 128 acres of land near Captains Flat and the Tinderry Mountains, close to where Emily grew up and they moved in with snow on the ground. Emily had graduated in law from the ANU and Michael was a massage therapist but after travelling through North America and Europe working on organic farms they were inspired to spend time outdoors, working with their hands and interacting with nature.

Back in Australia they both completed a permaculture design course with Bill Mollison in Melbourne. They learnt practical skills by reading about food forests, fermenting and experimenting in a huge backyard in Canberra. Emily also worked as the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden teacher at Queanbeyan South Public School and they both volunteered at Allsun Farm in Gundaroo.

By December 2015 they were selling produce. Their neighbours on this high grazing country keep cattle and sheep. The sandy soil was decomposing pink granite so at their farm they have added tonnes of organic microbial rich compost and grown green manure crops to incorporate into the soil. They are currently in drought and last winter a tenacious wombat took up residence in a one of the polytunnels.

Emily says they are new wave first generational farmers coming to it with fresh eyes but not the same resources as multi-generational growers.

They grow crops that are high value like heirloom tomatoes, or quick turnaround like radishes, to make the most of the growing space. The winter carrots become sweet with the frosts and varieties include Nantes, baby Amsterdam, rainbow baby carrots, Mokum and Paris Market carrots.

Other crops being harvested include mini purple daikon, green and purple curly kale, Cavolo Nero, conical cabbages plus just finishing black salsify (scorzonera) and kohlrabi.

The fresh organic produce is delivered weekly, on Tuesday afternoons, to eight Canberra cafes and restaurants. They also supply vegie boxes by subscription (for a minimum of eight weeks) to Canberrans and these can be collected weekly from a family home on Canberra's southside.

Bernd Brademann organised a serving of Brightside charred carrots from the Boffins menu for a Kitchen Garden photograph which was then shared by Canberra Times photographer Elesa Kurtz and me. Scrumptious.

Serves 4 as a starter.

Crush hazelnuts making sure to leave some chunks. Toast and crush spices in mortar and pestle. Add all ingredients together and mix well.

Char carrots generously (preferably on a wood grill). Swipe yoghurt onto plate or bowl. Arrange carrots on top. Scatter dukkah over the carrots. Place mint and carrot tops on top. Season with lashings of olive oil and sea salt.