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After just six events, the Heathcote Region Farmers’ Market has achieved full accreditation with the Victorian Farmers’ Market Association.

Heathcote market co-ordinator Sherrie Coote said the VFMA accreditation gave the market access to wider benefits of promoting it on the VFMA website, phone app and monthly metropolitan media.

‘‘Accreditation also protects the integrity of the ‘farmers’ market name’, which is widely accepted as the label for a market where farmers and food producers sell their product directly to customers,’’ she said.

‘‘This way, customers are reassured that they are only buying from genuine producers.’’

One of the accredited stallholders is Heathcote Junction producer Pieter Siebel who makes Pete’s Travelling Pans, a range of curry pastes.

Mr Siebel grew up in the hills of Sri-Lanka and some of his earliest memories are of family gatherings in the kitchen with everyone getting involved in the process of producing the family meal.

‘‘The job of peeling the onions, garlic and ginger always ended up with us, the ‘little ones’,’’ he said.

‘‘Not a job I looked forward to then and I still don’t.’’

All of his curry pastes are based on traditional Sri-Lankan village recipes where precise measures were unheard of.

A pinch of this and a handful of that has been the norm for generations.

When Mr Siebel completed his education, he gravitated towards the hospitality industry and has worked as everything from a dishwasher to resort manager and restaurateur.

He is well known in Kilmore where he ran the Old Town Hall as a cafe and fine dining restaurant for many years.

His broad work experience and travel in Asia and the sub-continent have given him an in-depth knowledge of the flavours of regional cooking which he has recreated in his range of 17 curry pastes.

He also produces gourmet pizzas, chilli sauces, chilli jam and onion marmalade.

The next Heathcote Farmers’ Market will be held on Saturday from 9am to 1pm.