Recently I had a stall at Bathurst Lions Farmers Markets. It was very cold! Driving from Katoomba to Bathurst, I was watching my car’s thermometer display very low temperatures indeed – between 3 degrees and -2 degrees.
Arriving at the markets, it was cheery faces all around. The Lions Club runs a friendly, yet tight, ship and the funds they raise get distributed to very worthy causes. I love the sense of community at these markets, and the range of products is great. The market opens at 8am, but serious shoppers often arrive early to get the best pick of the produce. For me, it’s a waiting game, with my question of “would you like to try some mulled wine” often answered with “it’s too early” or “I have to have my coffee first”. But then there are some that say “it’s never too early”, to which I would add my wholehearted agreement. Besides, the tasting cups are small and nobody is going to get tiddly on my watch! I love that, at whichever time of the morning people try my Glüh-Brew, they invariably say “mmm, it smells so good” even before they’ve tasted it. Yes, the smell of those spices warms the spirit even before the mulled wine warms the belly. A positive response also warms my heart. 😊
I feel very passionate about produce markets around the country. Some are very territorial and strict about who they’ll let sell in their region (locals only!) and some have a wider range of stall-holders. In this age of mass production and mass consumerism, it’s reassuring to see that there are increasing numbers of people who want to know the producers of what they buy, speak to them about their products, and support them wherever they can. Not to mention that there are some products that one simply can’t get from other producers, be it a specialty Romanian veggie spread, locally made hot sauce, or my very own Glüh-Brew syrup. Some of these products have a depth of flavour and a special something that one just won’t find in a generic supermarket brand. Perhaps that special something is the love and care that we artisans put into our products; carefully honing our recipes and using the best ingredients we can find. All of them Made in Australia, many of them with minimal food miles and, dare I say, all of them made with a vision of putting smiles on the faces of our customers.
