White River market draws hundreds

In the five months since the first Bagdad Farmers’ Market, this event has grown to become a monthly highlight in the Lowveld. This was evident from the hundreds of locals who attended on Saturday.

The market, hosted on the second Saturday of every month, is a festival of fresh food, colour and taste. Delicious breads, juicy fruit and scrumptious sweets displayed alongside biltong stands laden with South Africans’ favourite meaty snack attracted marketgoers from all over the Lowveld. Produce sold here comes from the earth. The crafts have been carefully made by the hands of artists who proudly display their goods.

These include wooden Christmas trees, handmade jewellery and the most beautiful Christmas cards. Not even Saturday’s scorching heat could keep the people away.

Organisers Rowena Tyson and Sue Butowsky were as busy as ever, but briefly spoke to Lowvelder about the runaway success of their endeavour. “People’s interest in eating healthy, locally produced fresh food has recently spiked. The timing seems to have been just right,” Butowsky said. “Although we have done a lot of marketing, the people here have wanted this, which is great,” she said.

According to Tyson, the market focuses mainly on food, although about a quarter of their stalls sell crafts. The Bagdad Farmers’ Market aims to provide local producers with a platform to sell their goods. “We have real, proper food. No mass produce are found here,” she said.

“We also love the fact that the market has become a place for friends to meet. It’s a relaxed shopping experience with the best goods, where friends can share some quality time.”