Is there room in this neighbourhood for another farmers’ market?
There’s a great big courtyard in the St Margaret’s development on Bourke Street, Surry Hills. It’s occasionally hosted art launches and graduate architecture shows, but there’s a new sign on the wall announcing an application to hold a weekly farmers’ market. The DA says it would be every Saturday from 8am ’til 1pm (set up at 7am and pack down at 2pm), initially with 30 stalls.
It’s great supporting urban agriculture, and I doubt anyone would complain about having access to good, fresh food that’s been grown in the Sydney basin. But how many farmers actually take part in these markets every weekend – is there really enough farming to support yet another?
There are 1050 vegetable farms left in the Sydney basin (according to a NSW Government and Horticulture Australia quoted in the SMH), which is just over half the usual quoted figure of 2000. And the report says it’s falling fast, with current development plans likely to further halve the vegetable growing land over the next 20 years.
That suggests big long term challenges for Sydney in just feeding itself. But in the short term, there are less and less farms, but more farmers’ markets – and it’s a pretty huge time commitment for farmers to drive in from western Sydney, with seven hours from set up to pack down. With the Fitzroy Gardens farmers’ market going strong in Potts Point, do we need another farmers’ market in the neighbourhood?
Hmmm, interesting question. I don’t go to Potts Point, but I will hop on my bike and head to Eveleigh. (feels like a safer ride) Having one near by, as in walking distance, would be great, and I’d rather spend my money there than woolies, but you are indeed right about the farms being shut down by the suburbs spreading. I don’t know what the answer is.
Reemski
1 Nov 09 at 7:57 pm
Such a great question. My parents own an organic farm on the mid north coast of NSW, and it is a massive commitment.
Until very recently they travelled all the way from the farm (4 hours away) on a Friday, stay overnight in Sydney, then get up early and set up at the Orange Grove Markets in Lilyfield. Pack up, back to the hotel, then do it all over again at Marrickville Markets on the Sunday, pack up and drive back to the farm, arriving late on a Sunday night.
I say ‘until very recently’ as they have recently decided to stop doing the Sydney markets – to make it worthwhile they would need to be ‘run off their feet’ both days, and 9 out of 10 days that is just not the case.
People in Sydney are still discovering farmers markets in their areas and getting used to making it a habit to buy food on a regular basis. Another part of the reason is that some of these markets are just not busy enough. Marrickville is very quiet (in terms of turn-over) on most Sundays, so I’ll be very interested to see how the Darlinghurst market fares.
I will definitely buy what I can from the new market, the produce is generally cheaper, fresher and I definitely want to support local growers & farmers.
chickendipper
2 Nov 09 at 8:28 am