Matakana Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ Markets seem to be The Thing In Vogue in New Zealand at the moment.  They are springing up everywhere.  To me the ambience and ‘genuineness’ of the one at Matakana we went to at last weekend seemed better than the others I have visited.  Yes, it was a bit twee and rustic but lets face it that’s one of the reasons people go to Farmers’ Markets.  The food mightn't have been cheap but it was good and not mass produced.  I’m not sure that necessarily makes it better nutritionally but it certainly makes it more pleasant to the mind when eating it.  I think it tastes better too but then one would wouldn’t one.

Found At A Garage Sale

On Saturday morning the three of us went to a garage sale, a general market and a a farmers’ market at Matakana and then to a nearby general and craft market.  We had a great time.  At the garage sale I found a wonderfully eclectic assortment of books:

A Privileged Life

It has been a beautiful day. This morning I decided to pay another visit to the flea market on the Marine Parade and have a bike ride and generally soak up the warmth and remind myself how privileged I am to be able to be here before going to the airport at noon to see the Newbery family off back to Scotland.

I never did have the bike ride and I never went to the airport. I'd been in Napier at about 0900 and, having taken lots of photos and had a lovely walk looking at things in the town that I usually don't notice, I decided to have a coffee at about 1040. I was just settling into the coffee and a crossword when, much to the amusement of my fellow street café sitters, a gaggle of children's voices called out from across Emerson Street 'Hi Graham. The Oldies are all along the road'. It was quite warming actually - it made me feel that I belonged. So I finished my coffee and joined the 'oldies' ie those above 30, who were having coffee in the sun prior to going to the airport. Having said my goodbyes after coffee I came home. I have spent the remainder of the afternoon quietly in the warmth of the sun on the deck and mooching around the Cottage.

Hastings Farmers' Market

This morning we went to the Farmers' Market which is held every Sunday morning at the picturesque Hawkes' Bay Showground at Hastings. It was very well attended. We bought fresh vegetables for dinner and lots of goodies including crunchy pickled peppers, lime flavoured olive oil, organic cheese, wonderful bread and lots more besides. The re-packing of the bags half way round is a testament to the purchases. But the event is not just a purchasing opportunity. There is plenty of coffee, fresh fruit squash and smoothies and excellent entertainment. All in all a morning very well spent.

Markets

In Napier there is a Sunday Market in a car park between Marine Parade and the sea. Apart from the wonderful setting it is pretty much the same as markets which are a combination of flea markets and car boot sales anywhere I have ever been. Auckland and many other places have their flea market but Napier has a Sunday Market! There are also plenty of Farmers Markets in the vicinity but I have yet to visit one.

In New Zealand we also have Gypsy Markets. They are not true Gypsys but travelling people and they operate sales stalls, donkey rides and fortune telling and the like. Some of the most interesting mobile homes I've ever seen have been at these 'Markets'.