MEDIA RELEASE 15 May 2008
It's all about community at Farmers Market
The Capital Region Farmers Market, located just south of Gungahlin, provides
local families not only with access to a wide variety of regional and seasonal
fresh food and a lower footprint on the environment, but also a real sense of
community involvement.
The Capital Region Farmers Market, held at Exhibition Park (EPIC) every Saturday
from 8 am to 11 am, represents a great income opportunity for local and visiting
growers. It is a genuine farmer's market with over 100 stalls offering a diverse
range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the
customer including fruits, vegetables, meats, breads, organic and specialist
products, eggs, coffee, nuts, honey, seafood, chocolate, wines and oils, flowers
and more.
The Farmers Market, founded in 2004 by the Rotary Club of Hall, provides
residents with an opportunity to discuss face-to-face with growers and learn
great recipes and gardening tips.
In addition, all funds generated from the Market, which constitutes of
approximately $150,000 every year, are fed back into the Canberra regional
community through projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall.
With this Market revenue, the Rotary Club has been able to support local
organisations such as the Greenhill Youth Centre, the Community Pipe Band,
SouthCare, the Paediatrics group at the Canberra Hospital (PaTCH) which makes
patchwork quilts for kids in hospital and many more community organisations.
Market funds have even been able to refurbish books for a primary school in
Vanuatu.
The Farmers Market also helps families substantially reduce food miles between
the growers to their tables. Produce from the Market comes direct from the
producer and in some cases has only travelled 10 kilometres, resulting in lower
transport costs and carbon footprint.
The Farmers Market introduced a two-shed policy last January to further enhance
the Market's reputation as a genuine farmers market. Through the policy,
Market's stallholders were split into two groups - one shed for producers
selling their own products and the other for producers as well as agents selling
on behalf of approved producers, which helps ensure that a wider range of
products is accessible for consumers.
The Market Management Committee also formed an advisory stallholders' panel
consisting of 13 'informed' stakeholders who meet fortnightly to discuss various
authenticity issues.
For more information on Capital Region Farmers Market, visit
www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au.
Released for Capital Region Farmers Market by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Joanna Gitsham on (02)
9413 4244.
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