Market Love

Something I’ve always been in love with, is a market. It has a vibe that’s all about relaxing, eating, drinking, exploring and just being on your own timetable – no pressure - no deadlines.

So many things recommend a market to my soul – it just feels like home. 

I can’t help but talk to the vendors. I find out their names and make sure I give a wave as I saunter past. We ask about the produce or the product, how it’s made, when it was picked. 

Eventually I get to know who these vendors are, why they are here, how long they’ve been doing what they do. We buy with the seasons and connect to the ebb and flow of nature. I really try to buy from as many small stall holders as I can. That ‘straight from the land’ feeling is very alluring. These folks have been creating and making, planning and preparing all week for the weekend, when it makes it all worthwhile. It feels like it’s been done for you personally.  

We shop at our local Nundah Farmer’s Market every Sunday. It’s a 6:30am start with my mum and daughter.  That’s probably the best way to start the day. It feels collegial too. Whilst there are several places that sell eggs, fresh veges & in season fruit, no one seems competitively seeking a sale. Andrew the apple guy asks how we’ve been, remembers what we’re up to. Linda compliments my mum on her top. Our weekly order of mushrooms is prepacked and ready to go. I’m always surprised at how special that feels.

Making our way through the market, the coffee is calling: a flat white on almond for me; a flat white extra hot for mum.  We sit in our usual place, warn the new market goers about the table that tips up if the balance is out, and share a sweet treat from Hardeep the Baker next to the Fine Fellows coffee van. A few of the regulars raise their hand in acknowledgement, we exchange some words, usually a follow-on conversation from last week and 8am rolls around. It’s time to leave.  We bundle our goodies and essentials into our car; help mum back out of a tricky park.

I dream of living in a town that has markets several days a week, a few steps from my door, right on the sea, locally caught fish, just picked tomatoes. But we’re still in the thick of high school and uni for our kids….so until then, there’s so much to love and be grateful for in my local neighbourhood.

The next Sunday rolls around and I’m driving out of my home to do it all again.