Castlemaine district residents and visitors to the region flocked to the launch of the inaugural weekly Castlemaine Farmers Market last Wednesday evening.
The new weekly version of the popular monthly market has been developed in response to shopper demand by the highly successful Castlemaine Farmers Market and Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op.
Held along the thoroughfare between the historic Castlemaine Market Building and the Ray Bradfield Rooms/ Victory Park every Wednesday from 3.30-6.30pm, the CFM Weekly will offer on-the-day sales as well as collection of online pre-orders.
Castlemaine Farmers Market manager Chris Hain said CFM was one of the region’s most popular farmers market events. With an impressive array of fresh and value-added produce, ready-to-eat food, local musicians and cooking demonstrations, the monthly Sunday market attracts locals and tourists alike.
“The established monthly market will continue to run, unchanged, on the first Sunday of the month in the Frederick Street car park next to Victory Park from 9am to 1pm.
“The new weekly market will prioritise producers from within the shire or as close as possible.
“We were delighted with the response to the new market and there is plenty of interest from stallholders in being part of the weekly event,” he said.
HOFC member Ant Wilson said they wanted to help incubate emerging small-scale food and farming businesses, while boosting our local economy, and creating extra activity in the town centre.
“We are seeking farmers who use sustainable practices, in order to strengthen the shire’s local food and agriculture system.”
Applications for stallholders are now open at castlemainefarmersmarket.org/weekly.
The weekly market will also be accredited with the Victorian Farmers Market Association. This means that shoppers are guaranteed that the majority of the stalls are the farmers or producers of what they sell.
