National Farmers’ Market Week (August 7-13 2022) celebrates the essential role that farmers’ markets play in our economy.
This year we’re celebrating 155 years of providing fresh produce and baked goods to the community.
In the midst of a global pandemic, we’ve been doing all we can to continue operations for our traders and their farmers.
Dandenong Market traders have shown resilience in response to fires, floods and drought during 2020 and intermittent Covid-19 lockdowns for the past 18 months. These events significantly disrupted food supply chains from all over Australia. This National Farmers Market Week we want to acknowledge the critical role they play in providing fresh, affordable produce to the community.
Traders including Triple Q Egg Farm, Hart’s Honey, Taylors Orchards and J&E Flowers are primary producers themselves. Some traders have direct relationships with farmers and others source from wholesale markets.
When shopping with these traders, customers know exactly where their fresh produce is coming from and can see where the money is being used. Many have built loyal relationships with these traders knowing that they are supporting local businesses and receiving fresh and sometimes Certified Organic produce in return.
August’s seasonal produce includes fruits such as apples, lemons, limes and mandarins as well as veggies like sweet potatoes, pumpkin and carrots. Find these products in abundance with many of our fruiters. At the moment produce is up to 50% cheaper than supermarkets
Why is shopping with these traders so important?
Dandenong Market is essential to the livelihood of millions of customers, hundreds of small business traders and thousands of farmers. We are very lucky to host four unique and much-loved organic traders who stock and sell their own farmed produce. Shopping with them keeps money in the local economy, preserves farmland, promotes a healthy lifestyle and supports small business.
To celebrate National Farmer’s Market Week, we’d like to introduce you our primary producers here.
Taylors Orchards has been trading at Dandenong Market since 2003. The team has also supplied produce to the Market since the mid-1980s.
Owner Gary has developed a loyal customer base who love to shoplocally. Gary sources 80% of his within 60km of the Market which is a selling point for many customers.
Taylors Orchards’ main lines are apples and pears which grow on the family orchard in Tyabb.
In November 2019, the City of Greater Dandenong awarded Gary the Sustainable Industry Award for his regular work with OzHarvest.
Gary is a regular supplier to OzHarvest and loves to put in the extra effort to ensure that there is fresh produce available for those who can’t access it.
J&E Flowers stocks a vast range of florals harvested from their farm in Devon Meadows. With flowers picked fresh from their farm daily, these locally grown beauties with vibrant hues and gorgeous scents are delivered to the Market every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Seasonal flowers such as fun, vibrant snapdragons and pretty ornamental kale grow in ample amounts on their farm. Customer favourites also include lilies, roses, gerberas, and carnations.
You’ll also find freesias, daffodils and iris that aren’t from Adrian’s farm, but are grown by nearby farmers, supporting each other’s businesses.
Owner Adrian plans his planting around what his customers want and what’s in season. The winter season is a much quieter time for flowers to bloom compared to spring, summer, and autumn – and he’s already planted seeds in preparation for all the different flowers set to bloom in months ahead. Seems a farmer’s work is never done!
George and his family have provided freshly harvested eggs from their farm to the Dandenong community for more than 15 years.
The team gets up at 3am every Market day to collect the eggs for the day’s trade, and to ensure their chickens are well looked after.
George’s egg farm produces fresh free-range poultry eggs that are much-loved by every customer and often sell out before the end of any Market day.
The team is proud of producing eggs of all shapes and sizes from hundreds of happy chickens. Triple Q Farm also specialises in other poultry eggs, including duck and quail eggs.
George is very recognisable to all his customers who love his award-winning smile.
Customers travel from across the seas to shop with Joza Hart from Hart’s Honey. This bee lover has been producing mouth-watering honey from his property in Lilydale for many years.
Extending from 400 to 600 hives, Joza now harvests out of Victoria and New South Wales.
Joza moves his portable hives around each property to allow bees to collect nectar from various trees and flowers. This method is the reason we are able to enjoy delicious varieties of honey including Yellow Box, Iron Bark and Stringybark.
The passionate beekeeper ensures his honey is not heat-treated and develops it with love. Joza is very knowledgeable when it comes to the honey he stocks and is great at recommending the perfect variety for the occasion. Whether it be for a cold, a cheeseboard or a piece of warm toast, Joza has the honey for you.
Know your food and know your farmer by familiarising yourself with some of our wonderful traders.
We wish all Dandenong Market’s farmers and traders a happy National Farmers’ Market Week! Thank a trader this week who is supporting local farmers, or is a farmer themselves. Or give them a shout-out on social media and tag us @dandenongmarket!
