“People are far more passionate about fresh,
locally grown food and what that tastes like. They
know it’s better for them and better for our local
industry,” says Smith.
“The ongoing drought has made it necessary for
farmers and growers to share their personal insights
into the conditions produce is being grown in and the
adversity tolerated from season to season,” she adds.
“Sharing information straight from the farmers has
really helped in shifting the expectations people have
about the pursuit of perfection and their connection
with the food they eat.”
Smith also believes the implications of coronavirus
have played a part in a recent surge of customers. “As
soon as lockdown hit, I received a tsunami of emails
from people wanting delivery.
“I am not a big business. I usually operate from two
market tables every Saturday morning and collectively
feed about 200 people a week, plus anyone who drops
by early. In the past few months, I have fed so many
more than usual. It’s humbling to service the
community and help people stay well.”
The Locals Market isn’t the only
project that has seen a boom in
interest of late. Ooooby, a Newtown-
based food delivery service that
sources organic produce from
small-scale farms along the east coast
has tripled its client base since the
start of the year.
“It’s hard to say if that boom is
from coronavirus or if people have genuinely been
more interested,” says Ooooby founder, Murat
Keskin. “But for many people who’ve supported us
through the years, the interest in knowing where their
food comes from would make up a major factor as
to why they purchase with us.
“We currently work with 18 growers directly.
We also receive produce from various other farms
via our wholesaler, Eco Farms, in order to fill
our boxes with a wide variety of seasonal and
organically grown fruit.”
One such grower is Moonacres Farm in the
Southern Highlands of New South Wales, which is
teeming with brassicas, root vegetables, stone fruit
and leafy herbs all year round. The certified organic
producesuppliesmultiplemarkets,restaurants
anddeliveryservicesinSydney.Thefarmalsohas
a selectionoffreshfruitandvegetablesavailable
forpurchasefromthecaféandrestaurantattheir
RobertsonsiteeachSaturday,withthenewmarket
stalla welcomedadditionduringthepandemic.
StephenSantucci,growerandheadchefat
MoonacresFarmandKitchen,believesthat
consumersaremuchmoreconcernedabouttheseasonality of their produce and where it’s actually
grown. “Our produce not only feels better but tastes
better on the whole,” says Santucci. “Whether it’s
purchased from our café or as a boxed special, people
are driven to buy and eat what is in season, and what
has been grown, picked or baked, potentially only
hours before their purchase.”
According to Santucci, coronavirus has played
a major part in the farm and kitchen’s sudden
increase of home deliveries, which have doubled this
year. “When there is little certainty about so many
things, good wholesome food provides comfort,” he
says. “I think the increased demand for our services
shows that people want to eat organic, fresh food.”
Ngeringa Farm, south-east of Adelaide, specialises
in certified bio-dynamic vegetables and has been selling
produce boxes for nearly three years. They have also
witnessed an influx of customers in recent months.
“We’re selling almost six or seven times the
amount we once were,” says the farm’s produce
manager, Andrew Taylor. “In the past few months,
we’ve gone from 15 boxes a week to nearly 100.
It’s only a small part of what
we do at the farm, but it has
definitely grown.
“We’ve lost a lot of the
restaurants we would normally
sell to because of coronavirus,
but a lot more small businesses
have jumped on board,” says
Taylor. “This trying time has
shown how resilient the local food community
is. If one thing fails, we just grow another.”
While coronavirus has encouraged many
Australians to rethink their buying behaviour in
regards to fresh produce, a noticeable shift towards
sustainable and locally grown ingredients was
beginning to take place well before the pandemic.
Pia Grace, a resident from Sydney’s Eastern
Suburbs and social worker at a local women’s refuge,
has been ordering fresh produce boxes from Ooooby
since early January. “Our household wanted to
support local growers and eat seasonal produce,”
says Grace. “It seemed unsustainable buying from
big food chains who import from across the world.
“The produce we’re getting is amazing and there
is a greatcommunity-mindedapproach,”sheadds.
“Ooobyalsodonates 20 boxestothegirlsatour
refugeeveryfortnight.”
Ourlocalfoodsystemhasprovedstrong,reliable
andadaptableintimesofstrife.Buttherealquestion
is:howdowesustainthisnew-foundappreciation
forlocalproduce?“Throughawareness,education
andmindfulconsumption,”saysGrace.“The
communityaspectis anaddedbonus.”●“In the past few
months, we’ve gone
from 15 boxes a week
to nearly 100.”GOURMET TRAVELLER 53PHOTOGRPAHY GETTY IMAGES.