Morning all, hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine.
We headed to the Rudolf Steiner Fair which was great on Sunday, then to Hygge for live music and a platter with friends to finish off the afternoon.
I thought today I would share some of my exciting news. I (Krystie) am starting an Organic Farmers Market in Te Awanga. This will be a mid week Summer market – Wednesday from 4pm through to 7pm. The first market kicks off Wednesday 12th December and runs every Wednesday (except Dec 26th) until the end of February.
An interview from the paper, was published on Saturday, so for those who did not see this, I have put it below for you to read – pretty much sums up what the market is about 🙂
1) What was the spark for your new market?
I love Farmers Markets, I love buying organic and I am passionate about health, so bringing the three together was a real dream of mine. Te Awanga currently does not have any farmers markets, so I thought how lovely it would be to bring a natural, organic market to a beautiful beachside community.
2) Is it exclusively organic?
95% of the market is organic. Some stalls have not purchased the “organic” certification, however work with the organic methods and principals. The 5% is conscious of their ingredients and little processing is involved. Every stall within the market is focused on producing the best, nutrient dense foods for optimal health and wellbeing.
3) Do you think organic food is better because it’s organic – or because its producers are passionate about what they do?
I agree with both of the above statements. We are what our animals and plants eat. If they are consuming foods laden with chemicals, then we will be ingesting these. If the soil has been cleared of all nutrients from harsh sprays, then we will be getting little to no nourishment from the foods we eat. Organic producers also generally have a passion for health. They want to produce the most nutrient dense foods possible. Organic Farming works with Mother Nature, not against her.
4) What separates the pending Te Awanga market from other markets in the Bay – and why did you decide to run it midweek?
Te Awanga Market’s focus is local nutrient dense foods, sustainability and community involvement. I love that you can head to any stall and know that the produce/ingredients is to the highest and freshest quality. You can be rest assured the producers have taken pride in nurturing the soil, sowing the seeds, harvesting crops and raising animals with both compassion and respect. There will be no plastic, only compostable/recyclable materials so please bring your own basket. We will have a trading table where locals can bring excess home grown spray free produce to swap. We hope this will become a local hang out spot over the Summer for Hawkes Bay people, where they can meet friends/family and listen to live local musicians while enjoying a delicious picnic dinner by the beach. Over the months of Jan and Feb, we will also be offering a yoga session, food demonstrations, workshops etc. My goal is to make this a real health hub. Somewhere you can come and learn more about where your food has come from, why it is so good and support the local businesses. We are also kid friendly and have a enclosed playground next door as an added bonus ????
We have great Farmers Markets every weekend, however if you wish to eat fresh, you need to shop more often. It is common to run out of food during the week. This Wednesday Market is perfect for restocking until the weekend. Instead of having to stop at a butcher then a vegetable shop etc, or even a supermarket, this market will provide you with everything you need to continue eating healthy throughout the week. Foods grown locally, sustainably, and picked fresh offer their peak nutrition, flavor and texture to the consumer.
5) What’s your favourite artisan food produced/made/grown in this region? Why?
Oh this is a hard question. I love food and every stall I have picked to be in this market, offers something different and yummy. That said I am a sucker for good quality dark chocolate – and yes we have this at the market.
I would love for you to come along on the first market day (Wed 12th Dec at 4pm-7pm) to check it out. Please like my facebook page to check out what’s happening each week at the market. F: tafarmersmarket
That’s it for today!
Krystie “to market to market” and Paul “to buy an organic pig” Miller
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