Orange Farmers Market is battling a shortage of bread and vegetable suppliers, and is urging businesses to come forward to fill the void.
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Market manager Holly Manning said bread and vegetables were two items people expected to be able to buy at the markets, and she has heard market goers lamenting their absence.
“Either the bakeries are doing so well, or artisans maybe aren’t seeing the market as something they can handle. For those who are just baking at home it’s too much,” she said.
Another bakery which previously attended was based at Blackheath and stopped coming this year so it could attend one closer to home.
Mrs Manning said there had to be a balance when it came to produce.
Either the bakeries are doing so well, or artisans maybe aren’t seeing the market as something they can handle, for those who are just baking at home it’s too much.
- Market manager Holly Manning
She said while there is a desperate need for more vegetables and bread, an egg supplier and a coffee cart had to be put on a waiting list because there were two of each already in place at the markets, and any more would by far exceed demand.
In terms of vegetables, Mrs Manning said in recent years there’s been increased demand by restaurants and cafes to use local produce, and while that’s a good thing, it meant some producers were exclusively selling to those businesses.
“Usually any of the stall holders are allowed [to bring vegetables], if they have fresh produce in their garden and they’ve ticked on their application that they will bring some,” she said.
On Saturday Riverside Markets, run by Krista and Troy Eberly, did just that when they brought corn and tomatoes to sell alongside their usual supply of home-baked bread and donuts.
Theirs was the only stall that sold fresh bread and vegetables on the day, although there were others that sold fruit, bagels, pastries and garlic.
“We brought more [bread] than normal and we are already getting close to being sold out,” Mrs Eberly said before 10am.
Mrs Manning said there is usually one stall dedicated to vegetables but its owner wasn’t able to attend on Saturday, and one supplier wasn’t enough.
Richard Dowling from Franklin Road Preserves said he also grows his produce but it’s all used in the preserves.
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