On Supporting Farmer’s Markets
Nov 14th, 2008 by Dani
Supporting local farmers is something I feel strongly about. Eating locally, supporting the broader community in which you live, educating your children about real food, reducing packaging, reducing transport miles, encouraging the reintroduction of sustainable farming methods, giving the finger to multinational supermarkets who treat farmers unfairly. So many positives can be contributed to by supporting your local farmes market. Besides, it’s much more pleasant than shopping from homogenised stacks of produce under fluorescent strip lighting.
I recently discovered a wonderfully comprehensive list of Victorian farmer’s markets. I was pleased to discover a third Saturday of the month market at Carlton Garden’s Primary School. Boroondara had been my usual for this Saturday but it is a little further than I would ideally like to drive. So the Ankle Biters and I arrived at Carlton Gardens Primary at a little after 8.30 to find an awfully sparse market. There was a stall selling both free range chicken and duck eggs, a stall of mixed vegetables, one of seedlings and a couple of stalls selling general second hand items. As for customers, well, we were there.
photo by darkstream, some rights reserved
We bought what we needed from the mixed vegetable stall and a couple of seedlings as well. I couldn’t help the egg man as I got a bargain on a couple of dozen organic eggs mid week. I asked the stall holders if this was usual and apparently the market is dying a slow death. If you are in the inner city Melbourne area, or know people who are, please give the market a chance, it would be great to see it revived. Unfortunately, for me, it’s not worth going back to in its current state. It’s still a reasonable drive and I had to go to the green grocers on the way home which doesn’t sit well with me. I would happily go back if it could grow enough to meet my needs. Carlton, Fitzroy and city locals are needed to re-energise it to that point.
It’s unfortunate that the Farmer’s Market isn’t doing so well. I might check it out in future because that’s very close to us. But with CERES a stone’s throw away from my home, it’s what I tend to stick to.
Docwitchs last blog post..The Week that Has Been.
CERES is very hard to resist Docwitch. I understand your plight.
It’s sad isn’t it. The Essendon Farmers’ Market vanished a few years ago (but I think it’s still listed on some market lists). It’d be interesting to know more about what it takes to make a local market viable.
That’s a shame Duncan. I want to see them grow, not vanish. I wonder if marketing is a big issue?