For someone who spends so much time at markets and loves food, craft and design projects, it’s a wonder that I have never had a stall myself. It is not even that expensive at some markets. So when someone suggested that we have a stall at the Yandina markets to raise money for the local church, I was very keen to dip my toe in water on the other side and help out.
Given that Yandina is over an hour away, we were fortunate that we were invited to stay overnight with some family friends who live 10 minutes away from the markets in this incredible tree house on the side of a mountain with a magnificent view over the Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse mountains and the ocean. However, we were all still up at 4am this morning to get to the markets at 4.45am to set up our stall.
The Yandina markets are by far one of the best flea/ produce/ plant markets that I have been to lately. The range of fresh produce was astounding, as was the amount, quality and price of the plants. The flea market stalls selling clothes, bric a brac, crafts, furniture, homewares and tools (to name a few) were full of little treasures and bargains. Although I absolutely love the artisan markets, there is something exciting about rummaging through flea markets for those unique finds.
Having a stall has the added benefit of getting you at the markets as it opens so that you can find the best things and making you stay until the end where you can get the best bargains as people try to sell off their produce and get rid of those unsold items they don’t want to take home. Before the sun had even risen I had bought 4 wooden stools for $25 (he was later offered $40 for them after he had sold them to me). Throughout the morning my pile just got bigger and bigger. I ended up buying an unused George Forman mini slow cooker, fresh produce (including avocados and mushrooms), bread, gourmet olives, a rosemary plant and pumpkins. A LOT of pumpkins. As in, 5 big homegrown organic pumpkins (they were trying to get rid of them at the end of the day for 50 cents each – can you blame me?). Towards the end I also bought a spelt Turkish pide, a spelt and multigrain sourdough loaf and was given an extra free rye sourdough fruit loaf from the lovely stall holder (possibly because I was holding one of my best friend’s beautiful 1 month old baby). Helping out on a stall had the added benefit of giving me a better opportunity to talk to amazing people from med students to an Italian man who told me tales of his Mumma shutting all the windows and doors in their house when they came to Australia because she needed a hot kitchen to make pasta. How can you beat that?
Perhaps I might even take the plunge and have my own stall soon.
xx TTT
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