In fact, it feels like it is much longer, like it’s always been part of the city. 

For father and son duo Matthew and Liam Dennis, the market has been a saviour.

It was born after their 40 tonne pumpkin crop was about to be ploughed back into the ground and came at a time when they were earning a mere 25 cents per pumpkin at the Sydney wholesale markets.

So it was very fitting that the cake chef and Slow Food Hunter Valley leader Amorelle Dempster produced for the first birthday party was a pumpkin and orange cake. 

The Dennis boys are known for their wide range of fresh vegetables, and don’t enjoy the limelight, but they donned party hats for the special occasion. 

Matthew joked as he told me his mates call the farm Hollywood because he’s become a stalwart in the Mercury since the market started over two years ago. 

Maybe one day he’ll get himself a Grammy, but more than likely a gramma will suffice. 

Ms Dempster said the market, which started as Maitland Produce Market in March 2016 and became known as the Slow Food Earth Market in August last year, had created a strong sense of community and been invaluable to the city’s economy.

Read more: Our Maitland Produce Market revolution 

Read more: Australia’s first Earth Market in Maitland 

She said more and more shoppers were choosing to visit the market and buy direct from the people who had grown the food, or turned it into something else like jam or cordial.

“We are all very proud of what we have created. We started with nothing, we had three farmers at the start and over time it has grown.

“We have the option to expand further in The Levee and we would like that to happen.

“We hope more people will join us and come along to be part of this.”