Old church, same hill, new market

THE Old Church on the Hill along with Regional Victorians of Colour have launched a monthly Growers’ Market that will be held on church grounds on the last Saturday of every month.

Church CEO Rosita Vincent said having a regular community market had been a goal for a while now.

“It’s been in the pipeline and a community dream for at least two years,” she said.

“There have been little pop-up markets where a producer has arrived and sold veggies or one of the local Hazara women might have cooked a batch of Afghan bread and brought it into the pantry.

“We’ve never held anything with a continuous supply, we’ll have a little pop-up event that sells out quickly, but we haven’t got the storage to be able to store and sell products through the week.

“So, to now have this place where farmers and backyard growers can come and sell regularly is great.”

Ms Vincent said it was a benefit to consumers and producers to establish the market.

“Growers want an outlet,” she said. “We also know the community has identified that they’re looking for places where they can connect with local farmers and help strengthen that local food basket.

“People are thinking a lot more about where their food comes from. Why not get olive oil from a local olive farm? Why not get eggs from a local or backyard producer?”

Regional Victorian of Colour director Linto Thomas said helping establish the market was also a way to meet the needs of the multicultural community.

“By letting growers know there’s an appetite for things like water spinach or pumpkin leaves,” he said. “We’ve been able to supply some of these staples for multicultural communities.

“We’ve also been able to connect communities cross-culturally through what we have in common, a love of gardening and good food.”

The next monthly Growers Marker is on Saturday morning, 24 June at The Old Church on the Hill, 36 Russell Street in Quarry Hill.