06 December 2005

Allowing people to take a more hands-on approach to their food was the focus of a farmers' market seminar held by Crops for Southland.

Crops for Southland centre manager Craig Howard said about 17 producers attended the seminar last week, which featured Ian Thomas of the National Association of Farmers' Markets and Jane Adams from Australia.

Mr Howard said the seminar was aimed at generating interest in farmers' markets.

Community benefits of having a farmers' market were looked at and the viability of starting a farmers' market in Southland were discussed.

A small group was intending to meet next week to look at options for a market in Southland.

The desire to move away from a pre-packaged approach that separates people from their food has led to a resurgence of the traditional farmers' market nationwide.

There are currently two markets operating in the Southland and Central Otago.

The Central Otago farmers' market in Cromwell has become a regular feature on the summer events calendar since the beginning of 2004 and, during its peak, can have 800 to 1000 people pass through it.

A vast selection of produce are on offer, from wine and cheese through to fish and Central Otago-grown fruit and vegetables.

Central Otago farmers' market co-ordinator Jane Shaw said the markets allowed consumers to take a more hands on approach to their food.

"It's a locally produced way to buy produce and you are pretty much guaranteed you'll get quality fresh seasonal produce.

"People are more and more becoming aware of the miles food travels and and how long it sits on the shelf," Mrs Shaw said.

"(At the markets) you know where it came from and who has grown it."

The Underwood Market, near Invercargill, is not a true farmers' market because they allow crafts and other non-produce stalls.

Underwood Market co-ordinator Gordon Lawrence said it still catered to a person's desire to move away from the pre-packaged environment of supermarkets.

"It's a little bit to do with how people would like to see the produce; they (farmers' markets) can be a lot less formal than the supermarket," Mr Lawrence said.

"We have had a long season of people having everything packaged and produced in bulk production and they very much want to see the person who's made it or produced it."