The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Maitland forced the cancellation of this week's Slow Food Earth Market in The Levee.
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It was too risky to run the market because a positive case could shut down the entire Slow Food Hunter Valley operations and with it all of the community initiatives it runs.
But that doesn't mean the market organisers were going to abandon the farmers and producers who rely on the market to sell their food to shoppers.
They've shaken things up and come up with a 'virtual' shopping experience for those who cannot leave their homes or do not want to risk going out in public.
Here's how it will work.
- Take a look at the shopping list below and decide what you want
- Phone Readers Cafe and Larder in East Maitland between 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday to place the order - OR - place your order in a private message to the Earth Market Maitland Facebook page.
- An Earth Market Maitland volunteer will ring you to take payment over the phone and organise a delivery time with you.
- A Slow Food Hunter Valley volunteer will deliver your order to your front door.
"The decision was all about safety and keeping people safe. We needed to keep people safe and our volunteers and our farmers safe," market chairwoman Amorelle Dempster said.
"If our volunteers got sick they wouldn't be available for the projects that we are doing like the community kitchen program and the welfare bags we are doing at the moment.
"It's all about taking care of each other right now and finding other places where we can support each other at this time."
Ms Dempster urged shoppers to take advantage of the 'virtual' shopping experience if they were unable to come into the cafe to buy the food themselves.
Those who want to go into the cafe have to wear a face mask, bring their own bags and sign in with the QR code.
'If anyone is in need and is unable to get out we can deliver their order to their door," she said.
Volunteers will deliver orders throughout the Maitland LGA and just beyond the LGA border.
Fosterton Farm Bakery, near Dungog, will deliver 30 loaves of bread to the cafe on Thursday.
Shopping list:
All the vegetables on this list are being sold under the deal of 3 for $10, unless otherwise stated.
Broccoli
Brussell sprouts - sold as a stick
Carrots
Cabbage - sugarloaf
Cauliflower
Chutneys - a small jar is $7 and a large jar is $9
Eggs - $5 a dozen for Luskintyre eggs, $7 for Oakhampton eggs, $7 for Lorn grower eggs and $8.50 for Kapsali Farm eggs
Garlic - fresh, $3 a bulb
Honey - $10 a jar
Jams - a small jar is $7 and a large jar is $9
Kohlrabi
Pickles - a small jar is $7 and a large jar is $9
Pumpkin - Kent
Romanesco
Silverbeet
Spinach
Turmeric - fresh, 3 pieces for $2
In other news:
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Belinda-Jane Davis
Passionate about community news
Passionate about community news
