Oratia Farmers Market

Growing Strong

2010-07-23T20:54:00.004+12:00

A great episode to watch on the 17 July. On Whangarei Farmers Market, how it all began.
Supermarkets were dictating the prices, meanwhile the small to medium growers were trying to cope with the changes. The future is now not trying to supply the supermarkets and the auction system that has gone, this only leads to selling at a farmers markets. The public does have a choice, and the supermarkets biggest concern is the price. Buying quantity and not quality against the farmers market where you have direct contact with the grower with there quality. Whangarei farmers market have proven that the consumers like to have the choice where to shop (due to the 6000 shoppers they have each week) the supermarkets are no longer a threat to the growers.
This is worth the watch on ondemand and would like to hear your opinion.

Support your Local Growers

2010-07-09T10:26:00.002+12:00

Supermarkets are pricing fresh fruit & vegetables up to 500% higher than the cost of production, but the grower who supply the supermarket say they are not breaking even! A fruit grower from Hawkes Bay said he is getting the same for his apples he was paid 12 years ago, .50cents kg- when the same apples are sold in the supermarket for $ 4 kg.
Retailers appear to be the only ones profiting.
By supporting your local growers you are helping them to keep there cost down and you in return receive the best price available in the market place.

Thank You

2010-07-08T08:06:00.003+12:00

We would like to welcome our new shoppers to the market and a big thank you to our regular customers that introduced them to our market place. Share a Secret was a great success in the month of June and due to this we are extending it for the month of July. Come and see Tom with your new shopper and receive $10 cash.
It may be winter but we have had some beautiful mornings and there is always something to warm you up, coffee, mulled wine, hot soup and the live music to jiggle to.

SHARE THE SECRET IN JUNE

2010-05-26T13:23:00.002+12:00

We are giving away $800 in June.
$200 each Saturday in June.
Be one of the first 20 people to bring a NEW Shopper to the Market and we give you $10 cash. Its that easy!
Register at the Market, see Tom at the coffee shed.

New Stallholders

2010-05-13T19:20:00.004+12:00

We would like to welcome to the market all our new stallholders:

*Sunset Free Range Poultry- selling free range eggs and free range frozen chickens.

*Oh Fudge- freshly made fudge each week with a range of delicious flavours.

*Salash- with their natural manuka cold smoked, air dried meats, salami & sausages.

*Pasta Nostra- selling their freshly made ravioli range, lemon infused linguine, hand made
cannelloni, roman gnocchi and much more.

*Pickled Fig Catering has a range of pesto, hummus, salads and spiced butters.

* Hungry Caterpillar- are now selling soup by the cup, soup mixes, ready to roast Tuscan
vegetables and stir fry bagged vegetables.

Remember we are open every Saturday all year round. Come and talk to the growers and producers and sample their quality products.

Easter Saturday

2010-03-25T08:54:00.002+13:00

Come and Enjoy Easter Saturday 3 April with us at the Market from 9am-12pm. All your favourite stallholders will be there along with the Easter Bunny.

We have a special performance from the Dalmatian Cultural Society.
From 10am the Tamburica Orchestra will be playing and the Senior Kolo Dancers will be performing throughout the morning.

The Dalmatian Cultural Society will be in the community stall with further information about their Society and will be selling two Dalmatian treats: Prsule ( Dalmatian Donuts) and Krostule ( Fine pastry Bows/Ties).

We will be celebrating the Annual Croation Harvest Festival, which marks the harvesting of the grapes.

We have been really treated with the sunny weather and those that have had time to listen to our musicians on the lawn before heading away have had a memorable time.
Bring your Family and Friends and enjoy your unique shopping experience.

Don't forget Valentines Day

2010-02-09T18:16:00.003+13:00

Come and visit the market on Saturday to help set the mood for Valentines Day on Sunday 14 February.

We have chocolates from Wickedly Gourmet hand made Chocolates.
Fresh flowers from Stems Roses.

Pack a Picnic with fresh bread, crossiants & bagels from Blackwoods Gourmet bread or Greg Flutey bread.
Assorted fine New Zealand cheese from the NZ Cheeseman.
Salami from Windies.
Smoked fish from the Salmonman or Mulleez.
Fresh berries from Pavich Berries.
And don't forget the wine from Artisan Wines.
You are welcome to picnic in the vineyard, bring your own blanket, but no B Y O Alcohol please. All wine purchases and sampling can be made at the cellar door.
Be Romantic and show your loved ones you care!

Market Up Date

2010-02-09T17:14:00.004+13:00

Oratia Market is rocking through its third summer and shoppers and stallholders alike love the warm dry weather we are having.

The market has found its place as a feature of the local community, with stalls full of lovely fresh local food and produce every Saturday morning and shopper support growing and growing.
Last year the market ran in winter for the first time. The permanent stalls provided good shelter for the stallholders in the worst of the winter cold, wind and rain, and many shoppers came rain or shine for their favourite fruit, veges and food.

On our lovely Saturday mornings the market place has something closer to a carnival atmosphere. The buskers now have a permanent covered performance area and many shoppers sit on the grass in the middle of the market place to relax with a coffee and a snack, listening to the music and chat with friends while their children play in the sun. Those who work up a real appetite while they are shopping call in next door to Artisan Wines for wine or a lovely lunch in the vineyard garden.

The parking attendants manage the vineyard parking to make shopping as convenient as possible. They take pride in providing special assistance to shoppers with limited mobility so please let them know if you need a mobility park.
One special young attendant became a feature with his flamboyant approach to his job. Some ladies who are amongst his favourite came one day with a cake they had baked and brought in especially for him. Another shopper presented him with a cap he thought would be useful. It was printed with "Official" on the front, and to the young mans delight V 8 Series Australia on the side. Makes one proud to be a Westie.

The first Twilight Market ran on the Wednesday before Christmas from 5pm to 8pm. It was a huge market, with many shoppers stocking up on the fresh produce for Christmas break and several stallholders sold out. Artisan wines was also popular that evening with all the tables full and some diners were happy to eat their meals sitting on the grass in the garden, rather than miss out.

Now is the best time for fresh fruit and vegetables, and more stallholders are coming in as their crops mature. There are still strawberries, lots of plums, beans, tomatoes, early apples and wonderful salad vegetables available. Our special local Kohu Road ice cream stall is back and our Maori potato man has joined us again.
The market is open every Saturday morning 9am - 12pm at Artisan Wines, 99 Parrs Cross Road Oratia. EFTPOS is available at Artisan and parking is free i the vineyard. Enquires to www.oratiafarmersmarket.co.nz or 8387979

Thank you for your support.
Chris Frentz

2010-02-04T22:55:00.003+13:00

Yes we are open on Saturday 6th February Waitangi Day.
Bring your family and friends and come and enjoy the morning with us from 9am-12pm.
Have breakfast, grab a coffee, enjoy the live music, fresh produce and much more.
New in the market this year is Kohu Road Ice Cream, 'the best ice cream you have ever had'.
Kedar Growers selling Maori Potatoes. We have new stallholders arriving weekly with fresh produce, watermelon, herbs, tomatoes, plums, cucumbers etc...
See you there.

New Market Manager

2009-12-01T21:42:00.007+13:00

Hi my name is Cherie and I have recently taken over from Lauren as Market Manager. I am a committed market shopper with a lot of enthusiasm to help with the growth and the development of the market.

I have now met all our stallholders, and have begun a friendly relationship with them, which I am pleased to say was very easy, as they really are a great bunch of people.

We are hosting a Twilight Market on Wednesday 23rd December from 5pm-8pm.
All your favourite regular Stallholders will be there selling fresh produce, vegetables, flowers, plants, olive oil, honey, nuts, cheese, meat, seafood, sauces, preserves, baking, chocolate and much more...

Come down and enjoy the live music, see Santa and get into the festive feel of the Market!
Pre Order your products and be able to pick up fresh on the night, what a bonus right before Christmas.

There will be great Christmas treats to be had, why not make up a hamper for family and friends with home made goodies. (Always treasured by those that receive them)

This will be the last market for the year; and we re-open on the 9th January 2010.

Dont forget we still have 4 Saturday markets to go until Christmas and additional new stallholders arriving, bring your family and friends and enjoy the unique shopping experience that a true Farmers Market offers.

The Bandstand has now been completed, with the roof finished its now a great place for our talented musicians to perform in, rain or shine. The music is all part of the market atmosphere. In the next few weeks we have playing ; Gone West, The Calico Brothers and Lynn Walters; all donations are greatly received by the performers, they are busking after all!

We are open rain or shine and would love to see you there.

FOOD Inc

2009-10-07T16:19:00.002+13:00

The Oratia Farmers Market is proud to host a premier screening of FOOD, INC - a highly anticipated doco-film about the food industry. This is the kind of movie that will change the way you think and eat! Watch the trailor at http://www.foodincmovie.com/.

Tickets are $20 for the premier screening on Wednesday 14th October at 8.30 pm at Westgate Cinemas. A complimentary glass of wine from Artisan Wines comes with every ticket (exclusive to this premier).

Thoughts from Rex

2009-09-30T09:48:00.002+13:00

Rex is one of the owners of the Oratia Farmers Market and Artisan Wines. Weekends are typically spent in the Oratia vineyards. Here he shares one of his market day experiences...

After helping set up the market every Saturday morning I often pop into the vineyard to do a few hours of vineyard work. It’s my way of keeping in touch with the vines.

The other day I found myself working in the little Pinot gris block just below the market on a beautiful spring morning. From this vineyard you can’t see into the market but you can hear and smell everything.

I hadn’t appreciated what we had created until this day. The market starts with the rattle and clatter of stall holders arriving, wheeling, rolling and carrying their wares to their stalls. It’s wonderful to hear them greeting each other warmly as they arrive, like long lost friends. Then they’re straight into ‘green trading’, the swapping of this for that.

Then the shoppers start arriving. Regular early birds are greeted by name and a week of experiences are shared.

The busker starts. The market ratchets up a couple of notches as the morning vocal chords exercise.

It’s all laughter, chatter, kids playing, countless conversations, the aroma of coffee, and those amazingly popular Hungarian Bred Puffs. The sound and smell of a community experiencing something we thought we had lost. It’s more than a place to purchase good food. It’s a place to gather and be part of a community.

After an hour I couldn’t stand it any more. I grabbed a coffee and parked myself on a seat in front of the busker, determined to relax in the sun. Before I knew it I was chatting with friends ... not much work done in the vineyard that day!

Kind regards
Rex Sunde

Who said winter markets are dull???

2009-08-18T19:39:00.002+12:00

Wow, what a great market we had last weekend! The 15th of August didn't hold much hope - overcast weather predicted with showers thrown in for extra annoyance. Nothing deters shoppers more than a rainy day. Well this was one rainy day that I bet you wish you had got out of bed for! The stallholder's spirits started fairly high as the longer days mean better growing conditions and many had heard our ads across numerous radio stations during the week (thanks MediaWorks!). However, the rain looked like it would keep the shoppers away and that's not good for anyone.

Then Peter started to play. Peter sells tomatos and other hot house veg with his wife Dianne every week in the market. But Peter has hidden talents; a musician with a loyal following and a series of regular gigs around Auckland, he was keen to have a spot busking in the market. Peter comes from Barbados so he's outgoing and entertaining. By 9 am his lively tunes were filling the market place and the mood of the market skyrocketed - there is nothing like Caribbean sounds (Peter was on keyboard and sang for every song) to lift the day. All the classics were also belted out (10 Guitars, anyone?) and he had stallholders dancing behind their tables. Shoppers walked into the market swaying to the beat and kids danced on the lawn.

Despite the rain and grey skies, the market was happy, shoppers and stallholders alike were having a great time. Yes, Peter will be back singing, but no, I won't tell you when. You're going to have to come on the rainy days to enjoy the talents of all of our other buskers while you wait for Peter's lively sounds to be heard again...

Winter in the market

2009-07-26T20:43:00.004+12:00

Frost on the ground, a chill in the air and a hot coffee in the hand... There is so much to look forward to in the winter markets - apart from the fantastic fruit and veg that is in season right now! The market is laden with manderins, grapefruit, avocado, leeks, pumpkin, spring onions, mushrooms, beetroot, tamarillos and hot house tomatos, beans and capsicums. Not to mention the new olive oil presses that are coming into market (watch out for Helen from Goose Creek who is back in the markets about every second week with new olive oil, as well as EVO who are there every week).

I have also been on the hunt for new stallholders and have got Jeff the Butcher on board, as well as Peter and Dianne from Zheng Lu produce with Auckland's best hot house toms. As spring rolls in (I believe it is only 43 days away...) look out for more new folks as well as some of your old favourites - it's going to be a great summer!

A few weeks back at the winter solstace, one of our very talented stallholders (Mike from Oratia Free Range Eggs) too this incredible image of the market - www.tinyurl.com/noxpbj. It was compiled from a series of photos he took over the day to show time and space in a single image. Be sure to read the viewing instructions!

Please post a comment or give us feedback in the market - we would love to know what you think!

Cheers,

Lauren and the OFM team

Market Manager's Forum

2009-06-26T13:15:00.003+12:00

Earlier this week I attended the Farmers Markets New Zealand manager's forum. Wow, what an intense couple of days. Around 15 managers from different markets around New Zealand were there, from the Bay of Islands to the bottom of the south. I heard some great ideas and some very passionate debates... Overall, it was great to see that the Oratia Farmers Market holds up well when compared to other markets around the country, although I would love to have the choice of fruit and veg growers that Hawkes Bay and Gisbourne do! Watch out for a couple of small changes around the market as a result of the ideas I heard...

On another note, we are well into winter and the stalls are changing every week as fruit comes in and out of season. We will have 1054 Limes in the market on the last Saturday of every month (with avos!) and although the persimmon season has finished, Lynn will be back in late July with citrus. Bobby and Melody have left for the USA so we won't have bacon butties until late November. However, good news - Wendy and Greta will be joining us to make Langos. Langos is a Hungarian street food made of lightly fried bread with a range of toppings. Can't wait to try it this weekend!

See you in the market,

Lauren

OFM on Money Man!

2009-06-08T12:51:00.002+12:00

The Oratia Farmers Market will be on Money Man (TV3, 8pm) this Tuesday 9th June! The crew filmed a few weeks back and focussed on the great value fruit and veg you can get when you buy local and buy direct.

Welcome!

2009-06-04T15:43:00.002+12:00

Hi!

Welcome to the blog of the Oratia Farmers Market. I'm Lauren, the market manager/coordinator, and I'll be contributing along with the owners Chris, Tom, Rex and Maria. It will be a sporadic blog, updated as required and when something exciting happens in the market (which is every weekend in my opinion but I'll try not to get carried away...). Look out for photos, recipies and much much more.

Winter is upon us and we've had a few stunning clear and frosty Saturdays already - this weekend is set to be another. A few weeks back it was less than 2 degrees at 8 am in the market place - in May! This is the first time the Oratia Farmers Market has opened for winter so we're all hanging out to see just how hardy they breed them in the West...

Welcome to our new stallholders - Lynn from Huapai with Persimmons and Cheryl and Malcolm Pook from Kumeu with acid-free tomatos. I'm currently talking to a few others so watch this space...

That's all for now, see you in the market on Saturday (9-12 at 99 Parrs Cross Rd, Oratia), and don't forget to visit our website for directions!

Lauren