Seven Reasons to Shop at a Farmers' Market

Although we're there to work, we have such an enjoyable time at Harvest Market that we sometimes forget to think about why it's such a great place to lure our customers to - so here's a recap! 

• Chocolate Croissants! What better reason is there - fresh baked by Sandy of Sandy's Sourdough. Oliver favours the plain croissant with his Ritual Coffee, but it's hard to go past an almond or a chocolate for a weekend treat. 

• Quality - the vegies and other produce at Harvest are in season now so are at their best. They're usually in better condition and often cheaper than you'll find in supermarkets, where the fruit and veg has been transported, meaning higher costs and more damage. 

• Know where your food comes from. You're buying produce grown or made by a local farm or maker, by a local farming family or possibly at a farm school or cooperative, as is the case with Old School Farm, which is run by a group of residents of Preston, Tasmania. 

• Ethical, sustainable food. You're not supporting a supply chain which depends upon immigrant workers such as those featured on last week's Four Corners - this being Tasmania, many producers use Woofers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms, or similar networks), friends, family or locals.  

• Meet the producer! At Harvest you buy direct from the person who grows or makes what you're eating, so you can find out anything you want to know about it - like the tomatoes are grown in a hot house and protected from pests by friendly bugs rather than chemical sprays, and that the fish comes from Georgetown's last family run boat and fishing business. 

---

• Wholesome food - free from palm oil, nitrates, chemicals and additives. The artisan food producers at a farmers' market are usually doing something different, like making beautiful sourdough breads with a lower yeast content, more flavour and zero palm oil, like Manu Breads and Sandy's Sourdough. 

---

Atmosphere! Many people come to Harvest every Saturday not just to shop, but because they love the festive feel of the market and the chance to catch up, have a coffee and shoot the breeze! 

And yet many people we know say they still haven't been to Harvest, this award winning market right on their doorstep, three years since it's opened. 

What are you waiting for? Get down here and smell the coffee, and support good food, your local traders and your beautiful city! 

---