APRIL 27 represented an incredible milestone for the Mansfield Farmers' Market, with organizer Alli Walker chalking up 160 markets, a momentous achievement for a monthly event.
Held on the fourth Saturday of the month and running 11 months of the year, the market is in its 15th year, during which time only one event was cancelled, when the first round of lockdowns shut down the state.
It was Spring, September 2009 that Alli launched the Mansfield Farmers’ Market, after a dedicated six months of research and reconnaissance trips to markets across the state.
However, the inklings of the idea had begun a few years earlier.
“I moved to Mansfield in 2006, and I really missed market shopping and buying direct from the producers,” Alli said.
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“I really enjoyed the social element of markets and creating those connections, and as a family it was a regular Saturday morning activity.
“Whilst Mansfield has two fabulous supermarkets, there just wasn’t that same experience.”
At the time farmers’ markets were beginning to roll out across the state, yet within the North East there existed somewhat of a void, and so Alli looked to address this.
Reaching out to a market organiser operating down in Gippsland, Alli suggested they look at Mansfield as a potential location for an event.
Too busy at the time setting up other markets around the state the organiser declined, suggesting Alli give it a go herself,
And so provided with all the necessary information and tips and tricks of the trade and drawing on her background in health and education - and within that capacity event management – Alli set about making it happen.
“The advice I received was to start with bread, cheese and meat,” she said.
“These were the staples that you could build a market around.”
Thomas and Gabi Moritz of Boonderoo Farm Bakery were some of the first to come on-board, committing as a monthly regular.
The Moritzs continue to be a vital part of the local market today, 15 years later, adding quality coffee to the equation alongside an array of European-style breads and pastries.
Baked in a wood fire oven, the bread is organic made from fresh stone-ground flour, with the bakery making the pilgrimage from Rose River to Mansfield and the strong contingent of loyal local clientele who look forward each month to their Boonderoo fix.
Verducci Produce have also been a market staple from the get-go adding fresh fruit and vegetables into the equation.
Over the years, Alli has witnessed a changing cycle of stall holders and producers.
“Taki and Naomi Murakami of Sushi Fields were amongst our original stall holders,” Alli said.
“We didn’t have access to sushi in the shire beforehand, and the market represents the beginning of their business, before they expanded into Mark’s IGA, our local schools and various venues across the region.
“Markets are a great opportunity for those going into business to – proverbially - dip their toes in the water and see how it goes.
“Some of our stallholders have expanded their business and pivoted their marketing strategy away from the farmers market model; others have moved on to different careers after giving their dream a go; and then we have our regular stallholders who’ve stayed the distance.
“Jillicious, Maindample Fudge and Delatite Special Occasions have all been with us for a while.
“Sprocket’s Free Range Eggs and Pullets are regulars, weather dependent,” Alli said.
Putting animal welfare first and foremost, on extreme hot weather days Sprocket’s will not travel with their chickens.
“Goulburn Valley Pork have been involved over the years, and continue to be a part of the market even through a change of ownership,” Alli said.
“Troy the new owner is based in Wyuna and is looking to expand into beef as well, so that is very exciting.
“And more recently Melissa from My Little Potting Shed has come onboard.
“She’s a very popular addition to the market and contributes such a beautiful product.
“I love the fact that she’s harvested the flowers either that morning or the day before, and then made these incredible posies.
“As many of our producers are very much about seasonality, I’m looking forward to seeing what her winter offering is.”
Alli was also excited to welcome back King Valley Walnuts for the 160th anniversary of the markets.
“They’ve been with us for well over a decade, and due to the seasonal nature of walnuts and their emphasis on quality, fresh produce, we only have walnuts from April until November,” she said.
Alli’s inaugural market hosted about 12 stalls, with numbers now sitting at between 25 and 35 stalls each month, depending on the season.
“For the first three to four years the market was held at the Mansfield Primary School,” said Alli.
“The advice had been when starting out to align the market with a local organization like a school, and the primary school was incredibly supportive of the initiative.”
The decision to move to the High Street median strip was to allow the market to grow, as demand increased and more stallholders came on board.
The market is now firmly entrenched within the community - a date to mark in the calendar.
"We have our locals who generally come through early and do their shopping, and then we have visitors to the region who are pleased to find a market going on," Alli said.
"October and November are our peak months, with all this great produce becoming available and the weather warming up.
"That said, we still hold really well over Winter and the colder months.
"It may be a later start, but our community really appreciate what we have on offer and embrace the social element of market shopping.
"It's that social element that inspired me in the first place to start up the market," Alli said.
