Scores of Hout Bay residents braved the cold and rain to get their hands on fresh valley veggies at the launch of Thrive’s organic market on Saturday October 8.
Ward councillor Rob Quintas cut the green ribbon to oficially open the market.
He said the market was a great initiative, as it involved the community and local schools.
Locals could choose from kale, beetroot, spring onions, herbs, lettuce, cabbage, peas and garlic. There was also a variety of nuts, fresh flowers and freshly made hummus on sale.
Most of the vegetables were supplied by the urban farmers of Hout Bay High School. All produce were harvested the day before with the help of Hout Bay High School teacher Naomi Julius and the school’s Mandala gardener, Ronnie Pockpas.
Ms Julius said she was thrilled to see so many visitors at the market, and she was delighted to see the vegetables “fly” off the shelves.
She said the most popular products were the peas and the lettuce.
And while the children kept themselves busy with the animals in the petting zoo, parents and other visitors could enjoy a cup of coffee from Dario’s mobile coffee truck.
Thrive founder Bronwen Lankers-Byrne said that 90 percent of the produce had been sold by the end of day. The rest, a few bunches of kale and beetroot, was donated to a local soup kitchen, Love in a Bowl.
She said that once all the participating schools and urban farmers who supplied the produce had been paid and the expenses deducted, the market’s profit would go to the Thrive Food Garden project, which supports school gardens and local urban farmers.
Locally grown vegetables will be on sale at the market at Valley Nursery every Saturday, from 10am until 1pm.