MURWILLUMBAH FARMERS’ MARKET – A WIN FOR ALL

By Sarah Waters

From humble beginnings, Murwillumbah Farmers’ Market has grown from 11 stalls under the shed to an award-winning must-see market with close to 50 stallholders selling some of the region’s best produce.

Last Wednesday, ‘Murbah’ Farmers’ Market took out the award for community sustainability at the 2023 Tweed Sustainability Awards.

Judges recognised how the market supports local farmers and educates the community about the importance of eating fresh, local, and seasonal food.

Special mention was given to how the market has also helped to significantly reduce waste each week.

Stallholders at the market now use donated crockery to serve their produce.

It is washed by the market’s Assistant Manager Gavin Powell so it can be re-used the following week, which has resulted in a 75 per cent reduction in rubbish being thrown out.

The initiative has also helped to cut down costs for the stallholders, who no longer have to spend as much on paper cups and plates.

The local win at the Tweed Sustainability Awards, comes off the back of a major national win.

A few weeks ago, the market was chosen as the the community and the stallholders.

“It was amazing - when I got the phone call about our national win I almost fainted,” Ms Strodder said.

“In the last few months, to provide farmers in the Tweed Valley with a place to sell their produce.

Everything on offer is made or grown by the stallholders, which has not only reduced food produce during the 2022 floods and more recently during the hailstorms.

Ms Strodder said covid sparked a big interest in the market with some stallholders reporting sales going up by 50 per world where we have access to all this food that can mostly be grown locally all year around.”

Ms Strodder took on the role of market manager 18 months ago, after years of being a dedicated marketgoer herself.

She also worked at one of the farmer’s stalls while she was on a working holiday visa 10 years ago.

“It’s just amazing to see it all come full circle,” she said.

“Our farmers are incredibly resilient and passionate they turn up every week because they want to supply the community with their produce.”

People’s Choice 2023

Winner of Australia’s Outstanding Farmers Market at the Harvey Norman and Delicious Produce Awards.

The region’s food producers were acknowledged for their incredible resilience during the extreme weather events over the past few years.

The market was again recognised for delivering an important and valuable community asset that contributed to local wellbeing and economic health.

Market Manager Claire Strodder said the recent wins were wonderful for we’re seeing people who are coming to the markets to connect with people and the community - we’ve got mother’s groups coming and Rotary membersit’s become a meeting spot.

“People might end up buying some bananas and maybe getting a coffee, but we also have our very dedicated weekly shoppers as well.

“It’s just been wonderful the atmosphere and that community connection,” she said.

The Murwillumbah Farmers’ Market was established in 2011 miles, but has created a paddock to plate connection.

A discerning and health-conscious customer base, who wants to know where their food is coming from, has helped the market gain a dedicated following.

Other people simply enjoy chatting with the friendly market folk each week.

The community has also stood behind its farmers, who have struggled through the significant weather events.

Most of the farmers lost all their seedlings and cent during that time.

“People just didn’t want to go into the shopping centres, they were wanting to be outdoors,” she said.

“To make the space, so we could social distance, we moved all the vegetable and food stalls outside and then we just grew even more.

“Covid was a massive game changer for that, and it also brought to the forefront where our food is coming from.

“When things couldn’t get through borders, we had all this amazing local produce on our doorstep.

“We’re in such an amazing part of the

Eleven local farmers’ and producers were the founding stallholders of the Murwillumbah Farmers’ Markets with some of them still selling there today.

All people are welcome to attend the market, held every Wednesday morning, from 7am - 11am, at the Murwillumbah Showground.

Close to 50 stallholders offer a wide range of local produce, including organic fruit and vegetables, freshly baked sourdough breads, seafood, fermented foods and drinks, honey, eggs, chutneys, raw treats and great coffee.