The star of SBS series Gourmet Farmer will turn seasonal produce into a scrumptious lunch at the Albury Community Wood Fired Oven on September 9.

It is part of the Write Around The Murray Festival.

Evans said he would cook seasonal produce readily available on the Border.

“Things like wood-roasted fennel with local olive oil and herbs,” he said.

“Pumpkin roasted through a wood oven with a blue cheese sauce over the top.

“Perhaps a chickpea casserole and free-range pork.”

The owner of Fat Pig Farm in southern Tasmania will share stories from his time as a food critic and writer.

“When I got into writing about food I wanted to connect people with good food,” he said.

“I grew up in Canberra on not great food, 1970s food.

“Then I discovered good food, which can be as noble as a truffle or as humble as a potato.

“There’s an Italian saying that we should eat well three times a day; that can be anything as simple as cheese and bread.

“The fact you want to eat well shouldn’t be determined by your income or geography.”

Evans said his food philosophy had changed.

“I now understand what seasons are,” Evans said.

“You can eat food out of season but the cost is the loss of flavour and nutrient density.”

Evans said some animals were now being reared for their instinctual wellbeing rather than farm output.

“If you’re going to eat meat it’s good to have an ethical standpoint; that goes for vegetables too,” he said.

“Every time you eat something that’s not ethically-grown you’re depleting the world’s resources.”

Evans said people had the power to change agricultural systems.

“Eating is an agricultural act; eating is a political act,” he said.

“It takes 15 to 20 regular customers to keep a farmers’ market gardener in business.

“Every time you buy local produce you’re keeping a local family afloat.”

Evans said they grew many crops on Fat Pig Farm in the Huon Valley but never aimed for a subsistence system.

“I really like pinot noir and I’m pretty partial to a mango in season, but we don’t grow them,” he said.

“If you can grow something that’s great but if you can know the grower that’s also great; we don’t produce olive oil or enough nuts for our needs.”

Evans is working on the fifth series of Gourmet Farmer.

He will be at the Community Wood Fired Oven on September 9, noon-3pm.