Remember how fruit and vegetables used to taste from the home garden? Every Saturday morning you can browse through a wonderful variety of fresh Wairarapa produce and locally produced foods - all available directly from the producers and growers. Based in the historic old sheep yards at Solway Showgrounds, the Wairarapa Farmers’ Market provides a year-round outlet for local fresh produce and locally produced foods. Operating since 2006, this year the market celebrates it’s 3rd birthday.

At the Farmers’ Market, most local produce has been picked the day before or even the morning of the market. It comes to you ripe, fresh, and with its full flavour, unlike supermarket food that may have been picked days or weeks before. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time. By eating locally produced food, you can eat with the seasons when the produce is at it’s peak taste, most abundant and least expensive.

Buying food today can be complicated. What pesticides were used? Where was it grown? Are those eggs really free range? Buying your food direct from the producer gives you the chance to talk to the farmer and really understand where your food comes from. It’s more than a nice ideal - you get to ask how your produce was grown, if anything was added and more importantly, what wasn’t.

While the Farmers’ Market sells only food, this certainly doesn’t limit the range of products available. As well as two year-round fruit and vegetable producers (both certified organic), you can choose from a great variety of seasonal produce like strawberries, tomatoes and olive oil. Free range eggs, honey, fair trade coffee and artisan breads and cheeses round out the other permanent stalls. Local wineries and brewers are represented too with plenty of refreshments to choose from.

Carnivores are well catered for with fresh fish and magnificent local meats on offer. There are more than 50 varieties of jams, chutneys and preserves available as well as baked goods, lavender products and fresh cut flowers. Most of the stallholders offer tastings of their products so you can explore before you buy.

Market manager John Hart is passionate about building a strong local food economy. “We have some of the best food in the world right on our doorstep here in the Wairarapa” he says “and we are proud to offer visitors to the market the opportunity to sample this bounty”.

As we come into the Summer months, more and more visitors treat a visit to the Farmers’ Market as a social occasion. Outdoor seating with live music playing is the perfect spot to have a coffee, pastry and a catch up with friends on a sunny day.

John says “Every dollar you spend at the Farmer’s Market is supporting the local economy and local producers. Money that stays in the local economy has a real impact on keeping local businesses thriving and employing”. He is always looking for new stallholders to add to the market mix with new stalls coming on board regularly.

For easy all-weather access the Farmers’ Market is covered and there is ample parking right outside. There is an EFTPOS facility too making shopping easy. It’s worth a visit to the Wairarapa Farmer’s Market over the coming months to see the wonderful range of locally produced food right at your doorstep!

Wairarapa Farmers’ Market - every Saturday morning rain or shine from 8:30 to 12:30 at the Solway Showgrounds. www.waifarmersmarket.org.nz This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it market phone 021 0437899