What’s New at Nelson Farmers Market
The weather is certainly heading in the direction of winter but with daylight savings it is nice to be able to set up the Market in daylight again.
There have been a few changes at the Market over the past month. Most of our seasonal stallholders have left but we have also welcomed a new coffee cart and welcomed back Nutt Ranch, every third Wednesday of the month. We are lucky to have such talented artisan producers who enjoy developing new products and this month we focus on Caramandel and the chocolate art she is creating.
Our focus for the coming month is to continue to bring you, our customers, the very best of locally grown produce and artisan food. Their products are fresh, seasonal and affordable with variations in pricing. I believe that now, more than ever, Farmers Markets are becoming a sustainable and affordable way to obtain much of your weekly food shopping. For customers comfort and enjoyment we are fundraising to put in some removeable seating so please support this initiative by buying a ticket (full details below).
The Nelson Farmers Market is open every Wednesday at 23 Halifax Street from 8am to 1pm so please pop on down and see what’s fresh this week.
Caramandel – Chocolate Truffles, Almond Crescents and Chocolate Art
Carolyn from Caramandel describes herself as a ‘chocolate truffles and almond treats makes …. and loving it’, and you certainly can taste the love in her products. She creates a range of truffles in dark, milk and white chocolate with a variety of fillings. Vegan and gluten free options are avaiable. Carolyn also makes almond crescents which have a mosit chewy texture reminiscent of marzipan from her homeland. These almond crescents come either dipped in chocolate or straight up. This products are available weekly at the Nelson Farmers Market so if you haven’t already, I highly recommend you give them all a try and find YOUR favourite.
As well as these regular items, Caramandel is now producing ‘chocolate art’ on preorder. For Easter she produced a range of absolutely stunning handmade eggs in a varety of sizes and enjoyed this so much she is continuing in this direction. With Mother’s Day coming up not order something special. Carolyn has lots of ideas and options so please pop in and see her in the Caramandel gazebo.
Seating Fundraiser
We would love to create some semi-permanant (but removeable) seating down at the Nelson Farmers Market for your comfort and enjoyment. We are now in a position where we can reintroduce seating to the Market so you can take the time out and soak up the atmosphere. It will enable customers to linger at the Market and enjoy the ready-to-eat food, coffee and cakes we have available!
In order to achieve this, the Nelson Farmers Market has created some incredible goodie bags and we are selling raffle tickets for $5 each. Tickets will go on sale from this week from the Information Stall and three prizes will be drawn. Our goodie bags include a range of food items from the Nelson Farmers Market as well as previous stallholders who were at the Market to kickstart their business. Please help support us so we can support you (by sitting) by calling into the Information Tent and getting your ticket.
Welcome to our new Coffee Cart
Last week we welcomed Corey from Cheesy Dean’s to the Nelson Farmers Market. Cheesy Dean’s specialises in amazing coffee and toasted sandwiches. At the moment he is focusing on coffee while he settles into the Market but toasted sandwiches such be on the menu soon in time for those colder days. Please pop on down and say Hi and grab yourself a coffee. Corey really encourages reusable cups so please remember to bring yours!
Nutt Ranch, Every Third Wednesday
Fantastic news!, Nutt Ranch have resumed coming to the Nelson Farmers Market on the third Wednesday of every month. They have their new season’s harvest and all their usual fabulous hazelnut products. Their next date at the Market is 18 May so be sure to mark that in your diary.
Good Harvest off to different pastures
It is with sadness we announce that Good Harvest are finishing at the Nelson Farmers Market and returning back to their home country. Their lease on their property has expired and they have decided to pursue different pastures. It has been absolutely fantastic having their incredible range of vibrant vegetables at the Market and they have contributed so much. Gorran and Rose are clearly talent growers and they have a wonderful future in the industry, but sadly not in New Zealand at the moment. We wish them all the best and thank YOU for being such supportive customers for them. Their last day at the Market is 27 April, so please pop on down and say Haere Ra.
Stallholder Profile: The Vegetarian Butcher
Maria, aka The Vegetarian Butcher, has been attending the Nelson Farmers Market for five years. She makes various products that resemble meat and sells them to people who either want to reduce the amount of meat in their diets or have changed to a plant-based food diet. “I started making various vegetarian and vegan-friendly meals because my two kids were vegetarians,” Maria said, “As I experimented with different things I realised there was a market for this style of food and decided it could be a business – there was a growing demand for plant-based foods”.
Maria is incredibly passionate about addressing climate change. Her products and packaging reflect this. They are all about sustainable living and lightening our footprint on the planet. Most of Maria’s products are her own recipes, but some are an amalgamation of several recipes. “It’s all about getting the balance right between the wet and dry ingredients”, she explains.
Maria really enjoys being able to interact with people at the Nelson Farmers Market, in particular share ideas and philosophies about sustainable living. She is particularly proud to have produced vegan products which are good for our health and the environment.
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