I was very excited to go to the first Shire Farmers Market on Saturday in Sutherland.
The Shire hasn’t had a fresh produce market for ages from what I heard and looking at the unbelievable crowds and the empty stall at mid-morning, I guess it really needed one!
Next time I’ll go earlier though and hopefully the stall holders will have learnt from this first very successful day and will triple the stock.
I loved that there was a large variety of stalls. Being used to the French “marché” I would love to see a “fresh product” to “food court” ratio more in the favour of the Jerusalem Artichoke, but I’m sure they will get there. They still need more fruit and veggie sellers and the fine sort, the type you can’t really find at the supermarket. I’d love to see a few cheese mongers too.
There were some very great guys and products out there: amazing dry sausages (I took the one covered in white pepper, soooooo good), Rudy the German butcher from Kirrawee and his sausages, flavoursome Aussie bush tucker dukkahs, Emu’s rubs for our BBQ experimentation, Pepe Saya‘s butter, a fantastic young farmer and his wife from Tathra place, a fishmonger, a lovely lady who makes table runners with very pretty fabrics, a flavoured honey stall and many other great stuff.
Another thing that I would find practical is if stalls were organised by “theme”. If the ready-to-eat guys were in a sort of open air food court area with milk crates for seats and large cable bobbins for tables or haystacks, whatever is cheap and easy to install and take down. If the meat and sausage people were on one side and the veggie farmers on another it would be fantastic. I’m probably being too French here but I find it much easier to circulate and buy things that way.
One thing is certain, I am so glad to have this market very close to Grays Point. It is a huge luxury. I will come as regularly as I can and help in any way I can.
NOTE: this post is not sponsored
MORE INFO
web
The Shire Farmers Market’s website
Their Facebook page
Their Instagram
address
Flora Street carpark in Sutherland
Behind the Entertainment Centre.
Just 100m from the train station and buses
opening days and hours
Every Saturday from 8am-1pm
i’m loving your presentation videos thankyou Flo!
they capture the moment and your French sensibility!
looks like the market was successful, but it’s not France hun!
we love French markets!
much love m:)X
You’re so right Merilyn! It’s not France. But you know, I’ve lived in many places in the world and the prettiest and most amazing markets are pretty much organised that way. I think markets are a new thing to Australia and still a small thing here compared to Europe. The organisers will surely learn from their experience and make things easier for the visitors :)
Thank you for your kind words on my videos. It’s something I love to make…