LOCAL producers and farmers have found a home at the Old Church on the Hill growers\u2019 market.<\/p>\n
The market is run by Bendigo Foodshare and the Neighbourhood Collective, with input from Regional Victorians of Colour.<\/p>\n
Bridget Bentley, community engagement manager at Foodshare, said the market was aimed at increasing access to fresh, culturally appropriate food.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve encouraged and supported all sorts of growers,\u201d she said, \u201cThere\u2019s someone selling olive oil and eggs, there are some hobby farmers, the produce we\u2019re growing at Golden Gums Farm.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegional Victorians of Colour have been supporting some of the multi-cultural communities to sell produce that they\u2019re sourcing, as well as someone that\u2019s selling baclava and another stallholder that\u2019s making Beliani and Afghani bread to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ability for local farmers in this area for example to grow and have a productive and financially viable business has become harder,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As a designated UNESCO creative city of gastronomy, the City of Greater Bendigo has been supporting of the initiative.<\/p>\n
City of Gastronomy project manager Michelle Symes said the grower\u2019s market enabled customers to access culturally diverse and affordable produce.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt provides a beautiful, safe, familiar space for our migrant community to be able to buy some vegetables that perhaps they can\u2019t get at the supermarket,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very fortunate to have a strong Karen community, Afghan community, a growing Indian community and Chinese community,<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to eat the food that you grew up with in your mother country in the country that you\u2019ve chosen to call home is a really special connection.\u201d<\/p>\n
The growers\u2019 market will be on this Sunday 26 August from 9am to 12.30pm at the Old Church on the Hill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LOCAL producers and farmers have found a home at the Old Church on the Hill growers\u2019 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. […]<\/p>\n