Thoughts from Rex

Rex is one of the owners of the Oratia Farmers Market and Artisan Wines. Weekends are typically spent in the Oratia vineyards. Here he shares one of his market day experiences...

After helping set up the market every Saturday morning I often pop into the vineyard to do a few hours of vineyard work. It’s my way of keeping in touch with the vines.

The other day I found myself working in the little Pinot gris block just below the market on a beautiful spring morning. From this vineyard you can’t see into the market but you can hear and smell everything.

I hadn’t appreciated what we had created until this day. The market starts with the rattle and clatter of stall holders arriving, wheeling, rolling and carrying their wares to their stalls. It’s wonderful to hear them greeting each other warmly as they arrive, like long lost friends. Then they’re straight into ‘green trading’, the swapping of this for that.

Then the shoppers start arriving. Regular early birds are greeted by name and a week of experiences are shared.

The busker starts. The market ratchets up a couple of notches as the morning vocal chords exercise.

It’s all laughter, chatter, kids playing, countless conversations, the aroma of coffee, and those amazingly popular Hungarian Bred Puffs. The sound and smell of a community experiencing something we thought we had lost. It’s more than a place to purchase good food. It’s a place to gather and be part of a community.

After an hour I couldn’t stand it any more. I grabbed a coffee and parked myself on a seat in front of the busker, determined to relax in the sun. Before I knew it I was chatting with friends ... not much work done in the vineyard that day!

Kind regards
Rex Sunde