Maitland is at the beginning of a fresh food revolution as farmers turn back the clock to old farming practises.
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Vegetable growers who were planting hectares of a crop are now growing a diverse range in smaller quantities to sell direct to the public.
The shift nods to the way Hunter farmers grew their produce when most people had a small farm and raised large families on the land.
The huge community support for an impromptu pumpkin stall - where 20 tonnes were sold within 12 hours – and monthly produce markets in the city’s heart over the past three months has created new opportunities for growers to hold their future in their hands.
Farmer Matthew Dennis, whose 40 tonne pumpkin crop sparked shopper demand for fresh produce, said focusing on large-scale crops and selling them at wholesale markets in Sydney was not a viable option for long-term success.
He said wholesalers could reject produce and leave the grower with excessive amounts that were often ploughed back into the earth.
“You can’t rely on wholesalers to survive. If you’ve got smaller amounts you can sell direct to the public and they get a fresher product,” Mr Dennis said.
“We’re continually planting and trying to get a bit more diversity. We’ve got beetroot and spinach and kale in and we’re going to have peas and beans … it’s trial and error.”
The monthly market was Mr Dennis’ last chance to make a living on the farm and now he holds high hopes for his future on the land.
He said growers had to harness the support from shoppers, market their products directly to them and make their food easily accessible.
He said marketing his own crops on top of farm work was tough but there were rewards if you gave it a go.
Market organiser and Slow Food Hunter Valley leader Amorelle Dempster said seven growers, including a few backyard growers, provided 28 types of fruit and vegetables at each market and many varieties at the monthly event.
Since the markets began in May shoppers have bought almost three tonnes of potatoes, 300 kilograms of citrus,1500 cauliflowers, 1200 pumpkins, 360 cabbages and 60 kilograms of herbs, to name a few.
Producers sell 95 per cent of the food they bring to every market and the excess is sold at the cafe alongside East Maitland Library.
“We’re building a legacy,” she said. “We have to make the commitment to keep this going.
“Maitland used to be a fabulous area for fruit and veg and I’d like to think this is the start of a return to fresh produce.”
She hopes to extend the market hours and add a Saturday market in the future, if enough produce is grown to meet the demand.
The next produce market will be held on August 25 between 8am and 12 noon in the Maitland mall outside Millers.