AUSTRALIA’S newly crowned best farmers’ market has issued a fervent plea for more small growers.
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After winning big in the ABC delicious awards this month, the next SAGE Farmers Market in Moruya was swamped with customers, organisers say.
Market coordinator Kate Raymond said the small but enthusiastic market sold out very quickly under the rush from new customers.
“We saw so many new faces,” Ms Raymond said.
“It was fantastic to see just about every stall holder with fresh produce sell out so quickly.”
However, success brought its own complications, with some shoppers arriving too late to fill their baskets.
“The answer is to establish more small diversified farms in the area,” Ms Raymond said.
“There are families and individuals out there growing food because they are passionate about it.
“This is how they make their living and we need more of them.”
Ms Raymond said some customers, used to supermarket convenience and food trucked, out of season, from far afield, might be frustrated with the vagaries of a small market.
“When you are rebuilding a food system from scratch, as we are, it takes a while to get supply up,” she said.
“We know there is a huge demand, but you can’t get new growers up and running overnight.
“SAGE is offering training through market gardening courses, through mentoring, internships, but it all takes time.
“The supporting framework is up and running, through SAGE and the market, and we know the demand is there.”
Ms Raymond wants the market to become mainstream.
“It is about showing people this is not a gourmet, niche activity,” she said.
She hopes buyers will commit to the long-term future of local growers.
SAGE founder Stuart Whitelaw was delighted with the response, but said rebuilding the food economy was a long-term project.
“Even if all the current growers could grow at their max capacity, it is still likely for the next couple of months that we will not have enough to meet demand,” he said.
“We are looking for more people to join in the SAGE market garden workshops.
“There are a still a couple of spots.”
He said SAGE workshops helped those with a basic level of gardening “ramp up to a commercial level”.