To market for Christmas feed

Showing off some of the fresh produce ready for the Otago Farmers Market tomorrow is Oamaru...
Showing off some of the fresh produce ready for the Otago Farmers Market tomorrow is Oamaru Organics co-owner Nigel Clark at the farm on Tuesday. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
A hearty Christmas dinner is often preceded by a Christmas Eve rush, so vendors of the Otago Farmers Market are working hard to cater for everyone’s festive needs.

The market will run from 8am to 11am tomorrow.

Otago Farmers Market general manager Michele Driscoll said vendors would be ready to meet the rush.

Aside from ingredients, people would also be looking for last-minute gifts.

Customers had been "so good" at scanning in, masking up and social distancing throughout the year and she hoped they could finish the year off with continued good behaviour.

Oamaru Organics co-owner Nigel Clark said workers would be have a big day of harvesting today.

People were always eager for their Christmas veges and there would be a lot of demand for carrots, broccoli and Jersey Benne potatoes with very little left behind in the paddock.

Rosedale Orchard owner Simon Donaldson said there was plenty of fruit built up to meet the demand.

Fruit like cherries and apricots were popular around Christmas and people would usually come in and out of the market quickly to get their share, he said.

Havoc Farm Pork general manager John Grant said the Christmas Eve market was always one of the busiest days of the year.

Most of the hams had already been bought, but there was still a lot of demand for barbecue meats, he said.

However not every vendor was ready for business.

The Big Fat Cherry Company co-owner Boyd Brinsdon said it would be the first time in 15 years that it could not come to the Christmas market.

The fruit was "looking brilliant" until rain came and spoiled the fruit.

"I feel bad, but I’d feel worst selling people average fruit."

Later varieties should be good for New Year’s Day.

The Oamaru Farmers’ Market will be running a special evening market from 4pm to 7pm tonight.

Market co-manager Annah Evington said people could buy "pretty much anything you need for your Christmas table". — Additional reporting Ruby Heyward

 - wyatt.ryder@odt.co.nz

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