The Kiama Farmers' Market recently celebrated its 10th birthday with a big cake, an aerial photo shoot of patrons forming the number 10 on Surf Beach and much applause from the community.
A milestone achievement, its longevity is a nod to the vital role that community markets play in supporting local farmers, growers, makers and small food producers. And of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of many people, including long-time market manager Tricia Ashelford.
Tricia explains that the markets started as a conversation in 2013 between herself (she was the manager of The Kiama Visitor Centre at the time and had an interest in agri-tourism) and a few Kiama businesswomen. These included Fiona Walmsley from Buena Vista Farm, Mahlah Grey from The Pines Kiama and Cathy Law, who owned The Little Blowhole Cafe at the time. Cathy – who went on to found The Bugle, which she edited until 2023 – remains a massive advocate of locally sourced food.
In September 2013, the group took a road trip south to Moruya to look at the SAGE Farmers Market and from there the Kiama Farmers' Market was born.
The first market was held at Black Beach in February 2014. Following storm damage at Black Beach, the market moved to its current home at Surf Beach in 2016.
Some stalls are institutions – patrons are so familiar with these regular faces that over time they have become friends. For Kiama, that includes a range of stalls, such as ‘Produce from Orange’, where Yuri entertains the crowd each week with his bubbly personality and cheeky sense of humour; The Pines Kiama, a sixth-generation, regenerative farm known for cheeses, artisan gelato and natural yoghurt; and local bakery Flour Water Salt, which has proved so popular in the seaside town with its philosophy of "small batch, hand stirred" that it has expanded with a second store in South Nowra.
Known for their dairy and their cheeses, Buena Vista Farm has been an institution over the years but they are now taking a break to focus on their cooking school and water kefir production. Not to be forgotten is the award-winning Pecora Dairy, which entered three cheeses in this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show and came away with three gold medals.
You can find everything from food and fresh produce to flowers, local brews and seafood at the Kiama Farmers' Markets, but did you know about these interesting stalls?
- Second Fiddle Smokehouse – Sustainably sourced artisan-smoked trout
- Des Does Knives – Des is a popular character who sharpens everything from the kitchen knife to the garden secateurs
- Brooklyn Boy Bagels – Offering real, boiled New York-style bagels, breads and pretzels
- Hywel’s Lemonade – Old-fashioned and freshly squeezed!
- Coco’s Plant Powered – Plant-based catering serving healthy burgers, wraps, bowls and more
- Moringa Products – Made from the Moringa oleifera tree, a superfood with health benefits
- Bees r Us Braidwood – Honey and beeswax products from the small town of Braidwood
Kiama Farmer’s Market is on every Wednesday at Coronation Park, Surf Beach, 3-6pm in summer and 2-5pm in winter
