South Melbourne Market trader buys East Gippsland Garlic haul to support bushfire affected growers
A South Melbourne Market trader has paid full price for a massive haul of garlic from an East Gippsland grower who was struggling to sell his crop following the bushfires.
Inner South
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A glut of garlic at South Melbourne Market has helped ward off woes for growers in bushfire ravaged East Gippsland.
When the recent fires tore through Victorian towns thousands of producers lost their goods, and with farmers’ markets not running, they also lost their means to sell their goods.
Left with about 300kg of chemical-free organic purple monaro garlic, East Gippsland Garlic’s Justin Dykes, a volunteer firefighter for more than 15 years, put a call out on Facebook for people to buy his stock so it wouldn’t go to waste.
South Melbourne Market trader Georgie Dragwidge bought the lot at full retail price, and is now selling it at her stall, Georgie’s Harvest.
“Huge thank you to Georgie … for jumping on board and helping us with getting our beautiful garlic sold,” Mr Dykes said.
“Georgie is passionate about the Australian garlic industry and thought this was a way she could assist the fire affected community.
“It’s time like this that the Australian way of helping your neighbours really comes into play.”
Ms Dragwidge is calling on the community to show their support by buying East Gippsland Garlic’s produce from her, at the same price she paid — $30 per kilogram.
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“While the fires are still burning in East Gippsland and all around, people can’t take their Esky to these small towns that need our help,” she said.
“What people can do is come to the South Melbourne Market and shop with small businesses like mine, the butchers, fruit and veg shops, the florists.
“We all deal directly with the farmers (in) these towns all year round, in the good times and the bad.
“We always want to make a difference and it is why it is so important for people to shop local.”