Goya Dmytryshchak
Melbourne’s newest Slow Food Melbourne Farmers’ Market has been dubbed the SloFo WeFo Farmers’ Market, to connect to the West Footscray community on its doorstep.
Recently opened at Happy Receptions at 199 Sunshine Road, the market is only the second in the western suburbs linked to the slow food movement.
Slow Food was started by Carlo Petrini and a group of activists in the 1980s, who protested against a McDonald’s restaurant opening in the heart of Rome.
Slow Food Melbourne president Alison Peake said the movement’s slogan was, “good, clean and fair”.
“Food should be the best quality, grown well and grown locally,” she said.
“No chemical additives, no GMO modification – just crops that are grown with traditional methods and, fair, so that’s there’s a fair return for everybody in the food chain.”
After Melbourne’s COVID-19 restrictions eased, the SloFo WeFo Farmers’ Market slowed down a bit too much.
“When we first opened, which was after lockdown, we were really busy,” Ms Peake said.
“But as soon as lockdown was over and people were allowed to get out of Melbourne, everybody went down the coast or wherever and the last three markets we’ve had have been really quiet at West Footscray, which is the newer market.
“I think the problem has just been that people have been out of town.”
Ms Peake said the market was a way to support regional communities and farmers.
“We’re a genuine farmers’ market so the people you’re buying from are the producers,” she said.
“It’s either farmers or artisan producers who are supporting Victorian farmers.
“To support our farmers and producers and keep them in business and keep them coming to markets, they need people to come and support them at markets.
“We have beef, pork, good vegetable, honey, eggs, pasta, some takeaway foods.
“We also have a philosophy of supporting small local businesses, like our blueberry grower – even though their farm is in Kinglake, the family lives in Yarraville.
“We also support and as much as possible get our farmers from as close to the west of Melbourne as possible.
“We actively try to keep it as close as possible and as local as possible.”
SloFo WeFo operates on the second Saturday of the month from 8am-1pm.
