Mt Martha Farmers’ Market rolls up sleeves to wipe out single use plastic
The zero-waste policy at a new Mt Martha farmers market doesn’t just ban disposable plates and cutlery — a gutsy but successful policy at food-serving stalls asks customers to do one more thing after they finish eating.
South East
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Foodies visiting a new farmers market are being asked to wash their own dishes in a bid to make the event waste free.
The Washed Up Not Wasted stand at Mt Martha Farmers Market provides stallholders with reusable plates and cutlery for their ready to eat goods.
The food is served on the supplied plates and customers are encouraged to head to the wash stand once they have eaten to do the dishes.
Small compost buckets are available for any food scraps and the cleaned plates and cutlery are then taken back to the food stalls.
The initiative is an important part of the market, believed to be the only one of its kind in Melbourne’s southeast.
Market partner and general manager of Sustainable Table Cassie Duncan said the aim was to “lead by example” to create a model that other events could follow.
Stall holders are given a market ethos document when they join which outlines the event’s zero waste principles.
They include encouraging stallholders to eliminate single use plastic and being open to selling loose produce.
“It’s about educating people and encouraging them to adopt zero-waste strategies,” Ms Duncan said.
The message is working. Stall holders are finding their own way to reduce waste.
Polly Nick’s writes her Mrs Nick’s wine labels straight onto the bottle, avoiding the need to use paper or glue and Dillicious Pickle runs a dollar back scheme for customers who return their empty jars.
Teaching customers was also crucial, Ms Duncan said.
Those who forget their bags or buy more than planned can purchase a reusable tote from the Boomerang Bags stall.
Aside from the compost buckets at the Washed Up Not Wasted stall here are no rubbish bins on site, forcing cusomers and stall holders to take any litter with them.
“To have hundreds of people visiting and finishing up with only a tiny amount of compostable and recyclable waste is remarkable,” Ms Duncan said.
The market was the brain child of Jessica Schubert-Hoban, who successfully pitched the idea to the community via the State Government’s Pick My Project initiative in 2018.
Ms Schubert-Hoban joined forces with environmental not-for-profit Sustainable Table to create the market using $149,000 in Pick My Project funding.
Her dream was to create an event that promoted local, ethical and sustainable produce.
All the stall holders when the Leader visited were from the Mornington Peninsula.
Some like 280 Fresh Veg have been in the game for decades while others such as Acres of Arcadia egg farm and Dillicious Pickles were new businesses.
Sam Zinellu of 280 Fresh Veg at Boneo said authentic farmers markets were an important way to teach people where their food came from and how it was produced.
“I’ve been growing fruit and veg all my life. It’s not my real job, it’s a hobby,” he said.
“I don’t use any nasties and the produce I sell at the market is straight out of the ground. It doesn’t get any fresher.”
Acres of Arcadia egg farmer Ilias Salagaras said the market had helped him get started.
“I always sell out here,” he said.
“It’s been a great way for me to slowly build up my business and now I know I can sell my eggs I can apply to have more chickens.”
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The former engineer started the business at his family’s Dromana property after a sea-change.
The bimonthly market also features live music, children’s activities, workshops and community programs.
It is held at the Mt Martha House Community Centre and Parade Lawn on the first Saturday and third Friday of the month.
Details: mmfm.org.au/