“It’s Saturday morning in Margaret River and the market is bustling. Producers have been up since first light to prepare their produce, stalls packed and ready. As the sun rises and warms the day, customers arrive with their shopping bags and trolleys, keen to see what seasonal delights the market has to offer. Some are locals doing their regular weekly shop; others are weekend visitors exploring the market for gourmet delicacies.

The breakfast bar and coffee van are doing great business, and people take the time to stop and chat to the stall holders and with others from their community. Music adds a festival atmosphere; children play, dance and cast coins into the buskers’ welcoming hats. Baskets and bags are laden with fresh fruit and vegies, olive oil, locally raised meats, bread and handmade cheese.

Perhaps there will be a special treat of handmade chocolate or cake for the kids, nougat and a bottle of wine for the grown-ups. Back at home, the kitchen will be filled with healthy local produce, much of it organic, and all farmed and made with passion, care and consideration for the health and wellbeing of a community and the land we call home.”

The Margaret River Farmers’ Market was awarded the 2018 Delicious Awards Most Outstanding Farmers’ Market in Australia…. what does this mean? Established in 2002, Margaret River Farmers’ Market has been working hard at bringing the freshest seasonal food directly from farmers and producers to the community.

To explain a little more clearly, Margaret River Farmers’ Market has real farmers predominantly from the Margaret River Region (and just beyond, a specific appellation within the southwest) selling seasonal fresh farm produce and artisan food producers selling food they’ve produced directly to consumers. This means our stallholders must be personally hands on in the production of the food they sell at the market; no reselling is allowed. Further, there is no craft available, just fresh food and cut flowers. This makes the Margaret River Farmers’ Market an authentic farmers’ market as our community can access truly local, fresh and seasonal food directly from the people who have grown or produced the food every Saturday morning.

Margaret River Farmers’ Market connects hard working farmers to consumers, it connects consumers to their food source and the seasons; it allows a fantastic space and place for the community to connect every week. It lowers food miles and strengthens the local economy. You can’t get better than a farmers market! Hopefully we’ll see you there soon! You’ll see within one step inside our market, it truly is a very thing.