Farmers markets are becoming increasingly popular as more of us want to enjoy the taste of the freshest seasonal fruit, vegetables, and produce locally grown and sold by the producer. Wendy Montrose checks out a few to make the most of this year’s harvests on your travels.
1. Matakana Village Farmers’ Market
Perfect for a gourmet picnic on the riverside relaxing to live music, you’ll find everything from award-winning coffee and mouth-watering brunch dishes to fresh produce, flowers, bread, deli treats, and sweets. One of the newer stallholders, Elle & Riley, adds a touch of sustainable luxury with their collection of ethically sourced and beautifully crafted cashmere clothing. The market is zero-waste, so don’t forget your bags and baskets. Open every Saturday between 8am and 1pm, rain, hail or shine.
2. Whanganui Riverside Market
Running from 8:30 am to 1pm every Saturday, the Whanganui Riverside Market is brimming with local treats. Located on a historic site of early Māori trading with the Whanganui River providing a stunning backdrop, the market hosts more than 100 stalls. The Farmers Market section sits alongside an eclectic mix of collectors, makers, plants, and delicious street food in the River Traders area. Choose if you can from the selection from SourBros Bakery and you definitely have to try Chris and Alana’s deliciously crispy and cheesy Arancini at Wedge.
3. Lower Hutt Riverbank Market
Rain or shine every Saturday, you’ll find fresh fruit, veges, cheese, honey, and so much more at the Riverbank Carpark in the heart of Lower Hutt City. For more than 16 years, this market has been beating the sun up to provide locals and visitors alike hours of shopping and dining. Buy fresh produce and enjoy
a tasty breakfast or lunch every Saturday from 6am until 2 pm.
4. Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Treat yourself to freshly brewed coffee and delicious pastries or whatever else you fancy, all imbibed with live music at The Hamilton Farmers’ Market (Sundays, 8am to noon). Based at the Claudelands barn since 2016, it is the Hamilton Sunday shopping destination where you can pick up local products from local growers and businesses, chat with the vendors, and meet up with friends and family. Stop by for a tray of eggs and a few words with Jim Brown from Kaimai Eggs about his mission to connect people to food.
5. Whangārei Growers Market
The northernmost city in New Zealand, Whangārei is as close to the tropics as we get and one of the few places where you can buy locally grown bananas. This local gem, founded in 1998, draws around 4000 people every Saturday with sensational food, local music, native plants, and fresh produce and flowers. And Fish to Fish will be there with fresh locally caught fish straight off the boats. Whangārei Growers Market is on every Saturday, 6am to 10am at the Water Street car park.
6. Amberley Farmers Market
Many South Island markets go into hibernation after Easter but not this one, with its superb range of locally grown, fresh, seasonal, quality produce and artisan products. Nestled under the trees in front of the Hurunui District Council buildings on SH1, there’s easy parking available for a quick stop on your way through North Canterbury or a leisurely browse for coffee and treats. Open Saturdays from 9am to 12:30pm.
7. Otago Farmers Market
Those hardy souls in the south don’t let a bit of cold stop them from going to market. Voted the most outstanding farmers market in New Zealand multiple times, they are open every Saturday of the year. You’ll find up to 65 vendors with the best fruit, vegetables, meat products, eggs, baked goods, and so much more, all locally produced in this remarkable province. Check out this year’s local medal winners in the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards, Port Larder, Tartan Sari, and Hazelnut Estate. Find them at the Dunedin Railway Station northern car park, Saturdays from 8am to 12:30pm.
8. Marlborough Farmers Market
The Marlborough Farmers Market is the place to be on a Sunday morning to get fresh produce from the farm gate to the dinner plate. Here, you can be assured that the meat, eggs, and cheese you purchase come from animals that have been treated humanely. Shop at stalls such as Uncle Joe’s Nut & Seed Oils, Marlborough plain and smoked sea salt, Murphy’s black garlic, Eden Orchards’ cherry juice, and Straw Sun Hats. There’s so much more every Sunday between 9am and noon, rain or shine, at the A&P Showgrounds in Blenheim.
