It was 6.30 a.m. and fog had blanketed Lake Ginninderra. The black swans with its bright red beak cleaned its feathers on the calm waters. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and its strident call were loud and clear. We stood in awe as we have never lived so close to such natural beauty! We were up at the crack of dawn to make our way to the Capital Region Farmers Market in Canberra.
Azlina and Adrian, a sweet loving couple who had befriended us before our move to Canberra, were picking us up. They often buy their fresh produce from the Farmers Market and invited us along. It took us about 15 minutes to get to the Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC) where the weekly market is held. We haven’t yet figured out if we could take a bus there, so that’s on the list of things to research.
The first thing that strikes you as you enter the market is the fresh scent of wild flowers and herbs like King Proteas, Micromyrtus, Eriostemon, Waratahs, Coriander, Rocket, Basil, Parsley and Marjoram. Azlina made a bee line to the flowers and got herself a beautiful combination bouquet of King Proteas that had thick stems and large dark green, glossy leaves along with Banksia and different foliage from Acacia and Eucalyptus. They were beautiful! We don’t even have our furniture yet, let alone a vase, so no flower buying for me.
The farmers market that was set up in March 2004 to aid regional producers to sell fresh farm and food produce without the wholesaler middle man turned out to be a success and has since also provided an outlet for small producers who are just starting out.
As we walked in deeper in to the zinc structure that housed the different stalls, a whiff of hot freshly made coffee and Bratwurst Sausages hit us. They had onsite ready-made meals too that started to make me so hungry. I said no to temptation and yes to fresh produce buying for the moment. We noticed that prices do not differ greatly from the price tags of supermarkets but for customers who visit the Farmers Market, it’s a wonderful way to get their hands on super fresh produce and the largest free range eggs I have ever seen!
With almost 200 registered stallholders, hosting around 100 stalls and welcoming over 5000 customers each week, the Capital Region Farmers Market, a brainchild of the Rotary Club of Hall is not only a success but a great place to start your Saturday morning!
At the crack of dawn at Lake Ginninderra
Azlina and Adrian selecting flowers…
Fresh herbs and vegetables… my favourite is coriander or cilantro as its known in some parts
Bought a dozen free range eggs at this stall – Grandma’s Eggs
I can’t remember the name of this stall but i bought yummy garlic bread from here. Will find out and update later
Busy Saturday morning for the Farmers Market
All the fresh produce I bought from that Saturday!
The market is open every Saturday from 7.30 – 11.30 a.m. at the Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC). Visit their official website for more details.
So delighted that you found your way to the CRFM. This is without question one of the best farmers markets in Australia. Loved your post.
I am definitely heading back to get some plants as soon as we buy some gardening tools. I did not find chilli pants in Bunnings, so back to CRFM it is!
Enjoyed this read Rosemarie good to see you discovering Canberra’s delights. The fabulous birdlife is amazing – have you seen or heard the Gang Gang Cockatoos yet?
Hi Glynis, thank you for dropping by our blog. Yes we are beginning to realise about the amazing bird-life here in Canberra, but we have yet to set our eyes on the Gang-Gang Cockatoos! I just googled it and boy! are they beautiful! Where do you usually see them?
They really are the best markets, so glad you found them.
I bought bread from that same stall last weekend too…divine!
Cheers Em
What bread did you get Em? We got the garlic infused one. Sadly, I never stopped to asked what i was buying, but it sure tasted amazing!
That market is amazing. I’d love to be able to shop there for all my fresh veggies and herbs. Flowers too!
Hi Maureen, I can just imagine all the yummy dishes you would make with such fresh produce!