- Organic growers finding their happy place
Until the recent sale of his property, trustee Rod Philip farmed just north of Palmerston on land his family had owned since 1923.
He took over from his parents in 1980 and got into growing asparagus about the time the Government was encouraging farmers to diversify away from sheep farming.
Palmerston Asparagus developed over the decades, with mostly gate sales and supplying Otago restaurants and business.
For about 15 years, he was a seasonal vendor at the market but his recent retirement meant the days of the Asparagus Man - as he was affectionately known - were over.
As he, and several other growers, retired, he was concerned about the lack of young vegetable growers coming through.
Trust chairwoman Sharyn Crawford said it was an issue she had been aware of for a long time.
It was not unique to Otago, but a problem throughout the country and, indeed, the world.
The market was part of the Farmers Market New Zealand network and market manager Michele Driscoll had raised the issue on the trust’s behalf but no-one else was coming up with a solution.
Mrs Crawford said there was no Ministry of Food in New Zealand; no-one was overseeing "how we are going to feed the people in this country".
So what the trust was doing was seeking a conversation with both new and existing growers to ensure the market remained an accessible incubator for those wanting to connect with consumers, and supporting the local food system.
It was a well-established market but the reality was people such as Mr Philip were retiring and there was no succession planning in the business.
The proliferation of housing and lifestyle blocks, on what was previously food-growing land on high-quality soils around city boundaries, had been well documented.
The market had something to offer but there was a disconnect.
Some people appeared to have preconceived ideas about the market, and what it involved, so it was about how to get the message out there, she said.
There was a process that had to be followed, to see if they were fit for the market, and some did not realise what a commitment the market was.
But the market was open to conversations with anyone who thought what they were doing - or might be thinking about doing - could have value. And it could be of any scale.
It was a farmers’ market which meant it was about produce, which was why it stuck to the principles of having mostly produce there.
The process for anyone interested in becoming a vendor was to approach the market and they would engage in conversation with them and hear their story.
"We want to visit them and for them to show us what they’re doing so we’ve got a feel for the scope of what they’re doing and whether there’s potential for scaling up," she said.
There were so many great stories to be told of vendors, including the likes of Waewae Permaculture, Caithness Farm, Kakanui Produce, Oamaru Organics, Willowbrook Orchard, Brightside Microgreens, Ettrick Gardens and Janefield Paeonies and Hydroponics.
While growers had to have a a reasonable volume for it to be worth their while, the market was very open to moving with changing and evolving times, Mrs Crawford said.
There were a lot of reasons why people did not come forward and she had talked to some growers who only had a small amount to sell.
There might be a way to make it worth it for them.
Ms Driscoll said seasonal vendors were accepted.
There did not have to be a year-round commitment and there was potential for several growers to band together.
She said the market would not survive if it lost those customers who came every week to buy their staples.
Other added-value "luxe" goods or ready-to-eats could not survive without that.
Mr Philip, who was happy to be a mentor, said being involved with the market "turns farming into fun".
When putting produce on a truck to send to the market, there might be a conversation with the truck driver, but there were no dealings with the customer.
"That sense of connection with customers is really neat," he said.
And there was also a disconnect for many people now about how food was grown.
When it came to the attributes of a successful grower, he cited the likes of Nigel Clark,
of Oamaru Organics, who "ticked all the boxes", including producing vegetables on world-class soils, investing in machinery and having a rapport with customers.
Mrs Crawford said there were other flow-on benefits from being at the market.
Many of the vendors had grown their businesses and now also delivered to restaurants and cafes.
Those selling added-value and ready-to-eat goods were also encouraged to use their fellow stallholders produce.
The trust believed there was still also going to be a big push for food tourism; publications mentioning Dunedin always highlighted the farmers’ market which was in the list of top-10 attractions in the city.
Next year, the market would celebrate its 20th anniversary which was a "pretty big achievement".
It had developed a very established reputation and brand, she said.
It was also about preserving rural livelihoods while it was also a very important community space for people to connect, some staying for several hours as they chatted to others, she said.
"How do you put a value on that? It’s just huge," Mr Philip said.
Organic growers finding their happy place
