MARKET VALUES
SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WAIKATO FARMERS MARKETS WORDS DENISE IRVINE | IMAGES ALEX SPODYNEIKO
On Sunday mornings, I throw my sturdy jute shopping bag into the car and join the crowds at Hamilton Farmers Market.
packaging is offered by stallholders, although this is productdependent. Ready-to-eat food is served on bamboo or compostable plates, and the market sells jute bags and produce bags for those needing to refresh their collection.
My bag is close to seven or eight years old, printed with a Waikato Food Inc logo and the message, Buy Local Eat Local. Which makes it the perfect market bag. Pretty much everything goes in loose. Why would you need plastic bags?
Kathryn, who has the Quarter Acre Kitchen stall (homemade jams and chutney), takes glass jars—not lids—for recycling, as does Marea Verry at the GoodBugs stall. Marea, who uses spray-free or organic vegetables for her fermented products, is also happy to take food kit packaging (My Food Bag, Hello Fresh, etc) from customers. She recycles the ice packs and protective materials for wrapping GoodBugs’ internet orders.
Broccoli heads nestle gently into apples, pak choi, baby carrots, avocados, cheese, recyclable punnets of strawberries, and a paper bag with potatoes. At the Raglan Fish truck, my tarakihi is doublewrapped in paper. It finds a possie in the bag, too. Sustainable practices at Waikato Farmers Markets—held on Saturdays in Cambridge, Sundays in Hamilton—are followed by customers and stallholders wherever possible. By their very nature, the markets reduce food travel miles, they reinforce messaging on managing waste, and participants bring a duty of care to the growing and processing of food. Market customers do their bit by shopping local and arming themselves with reusable bags, containers for more delicate vegetables, and keep-cups for coffee. Some have their glass milk bottles to hand and head to the Jersey Girls stall for rich, creamy organic A2 milk. Jersey Girls milk is from the Vosper family’s organic Cleavedale Farm at Matamata, which is committed to low impact farming methods. The milk is sold in fully recyclable PET and glass bottles (available as in-store refills or at the farmers markets). Market administrator Kathryn Hunter says that little or no
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One of my first stall stops is always to Mike Alexander at Rotoo-rangi Free Range Eggs. His eggs are excellent, and I usually have empty cartons to drop off. Mike’s the man with the Scottish accent and distinctive tweed hat, and he welcomes egg cartons for recycling. He refills them, adds his Roto-o-rangi sticker and best before date. He says, “I’m hoping it’ll save a tree or two.” Over at The Organic Food Shop (TOFS) stall, they’re walking the talk on sustainability and organics. TOFS’ beef and lamb comes from Pikiroa Organic Farm, a BioGro-certified organic property 40 minutes south of Hamilton that has been owned by the same family for four generations. Pikiroa Farm is in partnership with TOFS managing director Tori Forshaw, and their shared vision is to supply high quality organic food to customers. TOFS’ mothership in Frankton incorporates a butchery and bakery. Everything’s done from scratch: the meat is butchered on-site, and the signature organic sourdough, rewana bread, and gourmet pies are made in the adjoining bakery. The only “imported” meat is
