Sally and the farmers market part

IT’S been a labour of foodie love, but Ocean Grove’s Sally Waites has announced this Saturday’s Bellarine Community Farmers’ Market (BCFsM) will be her last.

 

 

So I’ve finally decided that this is it. After nearly six and half years, this Saturday is to be my last BCFsM as its “CEO”. The weight of this choice has obviously not been an overnight inspiration, in fact it’s probably taken me just as long to bite the bullet as my decision to initially start the market, but I do feel that it’s the right time.

Right for me, right for my family and right for the market.  It’s definitely been a labour of foodie love.  Starting with the heady, exciting honeymoon days of romantic notions, to the settling in cosy days of really getting to know each other, right up to those last familiar days of comfortable intimacy whereby the shopping trolley wheels were still firmly on but perhaps showing the first signs of being wobbly.

I thought it best at this point to leave on a nice note before I lost the love altogether. So we’re in a good place, my little market and I, we’re still very good friends with a healthy respect for each other and I’m happy to say that we’ll part amicably. Looking back, I didn’t really have much idea of how to turn this dream of mine into a small business.

I was very happy as a stay-at-home mum, but I knew that all those daydreams and thoughts would keep buzzing around in my head until I gave it a go.  Coupled with a whole heap of research and some very firm ideals, I was fortunate to have the practical backing of a great network of knowledgeable people to get me going, including the local women’s small business group, lots of friends and of course my ever-supportive husband and family.

However, it still had to be my choice to get right out of my comfort zone and jump off that cliff which is still one of the scariest yet best things I’ve ever done. Since then, market week became a familiar staple in our household.

From the rounding up of the “stallie” troops, the catch up with my suppliers, and my favourite – Friday scrumping day where I got to drive around this beautiful peninsula to gather locally grown fruit and veg.  I’ve discovered some fantastic, hard-working producers, often in hidden little pockets but always with interesting stories, which reminds me every time of the truly amazing place we choose to live in.

And the learning never really stopped. There were new ideas, new stallholders and new produce to hunt and gather; some were winners, some weren’t, but it was almost always within the parameters that I initially set – supporting local food, the community and our environment while sharing with family and friends.

These stayed at the top of my list for every decision I made.  It was oh so tempting to stray at times, to take that easier road when other delicious, crunchy carrots were being dangled before my eyes, but apart from a few hiccups, I think I mostly stayed straight and true.

Knowing what I know now, would I do it all again? Without a doubt. Will I miss it?  Probably. But when that 6am alarm goes off on Saturday morning, I have no doubt as to how my day will go and how I’ll feel later that afternoon when I roll the ute out of the park gate for the last time.

I’ll feel like the cat that’s got the cream and very comfortable in the knowledge that the BCFsM will still live on, every third Saturday of the month in another pair of trusted, capable hands. So thank you one and all for coming along this ride with me – for your support, your kindness, your belief and your love.

I’m now looking forward to this one last hurrah at the market dining table and then I’ll happily be another face in the crowd, doing my monthly local shop, ”fresh from our backyard”.

Cheers, Sally.