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Nestled in the historic surrounds of the Abbotsford Convent this foodies’ delight is somehow not like all those other ‘farmers’ markets.’
As a student, who works the dreaded Sunday shift, the thought of waking up early on my one sleep-in of the week to brave the Melbourne winter cold certainly wasn’t an appealing prospect. However, I had promised a girlfriend, for the third month in a row, that we’d check out the much raved about Abbotsford Convent Slow Food Farmers’ Market.
The sixty plus farmers and purveyors of this fresher than fresh produce have to be some of the most willing, friendly and knowledgeable beings I have come across in some time. Everything you see is farmed or made either by that particular person, or a relation of that person. The knowledge they possess about that food you are eventually going to digest is nothing short of amazing. Often you’ll find the story behind the product is just as good as the product itself! Okay, well not quite on par as some of the cheese I tasted…but close.
You can revel amongst organic (this is true organic) fruit and vegetables, herbs, flowers, meats and fish. Then lose yourself completely in breads, olive oils, pastas, condiments and cheeses. All the while safe in the knowledge that your produce has not travelled the equivalent of two round-the-world trips in some chemically controlled cold storage device.
The truth is, as you wander you can’t help but feel that you’re not only enjoying yourself, but doing your bit for the community as well by supporting local farmers. A notion encapsulated within the Slow Food Marketeers philosophy- “This is simply about Victorian farmers getting what they deserve for their efforts and consumers getting value for what they pay for.”
Seems simple enough to me. So with that I was a convert. The sacrifice of one sleep-in out of four is definitely worth it. Be brave, or just smart, kick off the doona and see for yourself.
Abbotsford Convent Slow Food Farmers’ Market
Open every fourth Saturday of the month from 8am to 1pm.
It is a plastic free zone, so carry bags are B.Y.O.
Entry is $2.
