Global foods delight at growers’ market

LOCAL producers and farmers have found a home at the Old Church on the Hill growers’ market.

The market is run by Bendigo Foodshare and the Neighbourhood Collective, with input from Regional Victorians of Colour.

Bridget Bentley, community engagement manager at Foodshare, said the market was aimed at increasing access to fresh, culturally appropriate food.

“We’ve encouraged and supported all sorts of growers,” she said, “There’s someone selling olive oil and eggs, there are some hobby farmers, the produce we’re growing at Golden Gums Farm.

“Regional Victorians of Colour have been supporting some of the multi-cultural communities to sell produce that they’re sourcing, as well as someone that’s selling baclava and another stallholder that’s making Beliani and Afghani bread to sell.”

Ms Bentley said it was important to have small markets in easily accessible locations to encourage a local market that holds up against larger competitors.

“The ability for local farmers in this area for example to grow and have a productive and financially viable business has become harder,” she said.

As a designated UNESCO creative city of gastronomy, the City of Greater Bendigo has been supporting of the initiative.

City of Gastronomy project manager Michelle Symes said the grower’s market enabled customers to access culturally diverse and affordable produce.

“It provides a beautiful, safe, familiar space for our migrant community to be able to buy some vegetables that perhaps they can’t get at the supermarket,” she said.

“We are very fortunate to have a strong Karen community, Afghan community, a growing Indian community and Chinese community,

“Being able to eat the food that you grew up with in your mother country in the country that you’ve chosen to call home is a really special connection.”

The growers’ market will be on this Sunday 26 August from 9am to 12.30pm at the Old Church on the Hill.