Farmers’ markets head online following shut down

AS the COVID-19 pandemic impacts life in almost every way, one group of small business owners are getting a grassroots helping hand.

When the City of Ballarat suspended operating approval for the Ballarat Farmers Market and the Brown Hill Market – the latter had planned to relocate to Lake Wendouree, one area resident took to Facebook to connect stallholders with customers.

“There’s a group, We Love Ballarat Regional Produce. It was started by a friend of mine who’s a keen market-goer, Lisa Martin,” said Steve Burns, who runs both events.

“I then sat down and invited a whole strong of people who had connections and were strong supporters of the markets to join.

“We hit a thousand members in 24 hours and now were over 2000. It shows there’s an enthusiasm from the public who want to connect with local produce.”

Despite farmers’ markets being declared an essential service by the Federal government, akin to supermarkets, the City of Ballarat has not allowed any of the open-air events to take place on its property.

A spokesperson for the municipality said council was listening to overall messaging on COVID-19 preventive measures.

“With the advice from the Federal and State governments in relation to limiting public gatherings to reduce the risk of infecting people with the COVID-19 virus, the City of Ballarat has taken the step of not permitting farmers’ markets to be undertaken on council land at this point in time,” said Terry Demeo, director of infrastructure and environment.

As a result of COVID-19 pandemic Mr Burns said he developed protocols to keep the markets running and put them to the municipality, but city was sticking to its guns.

“What I’m envisioning is something on an oval, the stalls are five meters apart, it’s cash free with everything by eftpos, customers are in the centre keeping social distancing and head to the stall one at a time,” he said.

“Minimize kids, no buskers, no raffles. It’s not business as usual.”

With the indefinite closure, some 100 or so stallholders and about 50 regulars at each market have been impacted and the results has been challenging.

While there are some sellers who use their stalls as a side hustle, Mr Burns said that for most stallholders the markets were their main source of income.

“The idea that it’s just a bit of pocket money is the minority,” he said.

“For the core of stallholders, this is their business, and this is their only business. They are being massively impacted. Some of them are quite tech-savvy with social media, so they’ve jumped on and have the online stuff happening. Others don’t even have a Facebook page, so they’re really struggling.

“It’s having a profound affect and I’m quite sure that if we don’t find a way to operate, they won’t be coming back.”

With the return of the markets looking less and less likely in the short to medium term, the Facebook group We Love Ballarat Regional Produce was set up as a way directly connecting stallholders with consumers.

Organiser, Lisa Martin, said the online community was working well.

“It’s been great,” she said. “A lot of stallholders have jumped on the page to let people know they are doing contactless delivery.

“I had a dumpling maker come out to my house and dropped off dumplings last week. I left the money on the porch and she left the dumplings and the chair. Then we waved at each other from five meters away and she shouted out the cooking instructions from the car window.

“It’s been really lovely.”

The initial concept for the group came from Ms Martin’s own experience at the start of the COVID-19 restrictions.

“The idea came about when I ran out of my favourite pasta sauce that I normally get from the Bridge Mall and Brown Hill markets,” she said. “It’s made by this lovely mother and son. I sent them a message on Facebook to see if they had any sauce. They did, so I went out to their house and brought 10 jars.

“Then I thought I could use my power as a consumer to make sure I was supporting local produce and my local farmers.”

Find We Love Ballarat Regional Produce on Facebook.