This morning we were at the farmer’s market early enough to get the pick of the produce. A lot of the stalls sell out early, especially the organic stalls, so it’s good to get there as its opening.

We’re passioate about sourcing organic food, and prefer it to be local, so the farmer’s market is our best chance of finding great food in this town. Winter at the markets was a bit slow and disappointing, meaning we had to shop at the (too) expensive organic store or the (awful, awful!) supermarket to supplement what we could compensate for what we couldn’t get at the farmer’s market.

Today though, we had such a brilliant haul that we won’t need to shop anywhere else for fresh produce all week. Hurrah!

We got some more of the delicious local macadamias. I actually had a dream nightmare last night that we got to the market too late and missed out on them! We also got some lovely new season Norland potatoes, 3 bunches of carrots, some cabbage, some baby spinnach, and some broccolini from the lovely Bathgate Farm stall. From the Payneham Vale Organics stall we got delicious jumbo eggs, some sausages, gravy beef, and olive oil. From Gilgie Farm we got some leaks to make potato and leak soup with. Altogether now… YUUUUUUUMMM!

While at the market we ran in to a woman I knew in the years before we both became mothers. Her sprogs are the same age as our sprogs. We were quite pleased to find each other, both living here now, and she’s invited us to their place for a Moroccan dinner tonight.I love the farmer’s market. It’s a place to get delicious fresh food, with very low carbon miles but it’s more than just that. The farmer’s market is a place with soul, a place for the community to gather and be together. It’s so enriching to buy the food we’re currently unable to produce for ourselves from the wonderful people who produce it for us. Shopping at the supermarket is a chore, and shopping at the farmer’s market is a joy.

As the inspiring (and sadly, no longer blogging) Farmama says,

“Communities that support farms have farms that support communities!”