fabulous farmers' markets

I love a good farmers' market. Almost every Sunday morning we trek down the hill to the Adelaide Farmers' Market at the Wayville Showgrounds. It's a big market by all standards. I might have read somewhere that it is one of the largest in Australia.

We could go to a market closer to home, but there is so much on offer here that I don't have to visit the shops for much else.

Things I love about the Adelaide Farmers Market:

• I know which growers are spray free (most of them).

• I know the growers by name. They can tell a story about all of their produce.

• The growers know me. Some of them will pull out my regular purchases as soon as they see me coming.

• The growers can tell me the best way to cook and store their produce.

• The food tastes better than anything I can buy in a store.

• The fruit and veg is riper than supermarket products, but lasts twice as long. It's seasonal, so I know it is fresh.

• Patlin Gardens have introduced me to vegetables I didn't even know existed.

• Samples. I get to try it, before buying it.

• The fresh food looks so good my kids beg me to buy it - spinach, beetroot, celeriac, chillies, tomatoes, pumpkins, banana capsicums, beans, you name it!

• The lady who sells me strawberries clearly thinks I don't feed our children and plies them with fruit.

• Buying organic or spray free doesn't cost more than food grown with pesticides.

• It's a great place to sit down and enjoy a coffee and a pastry.

• The food is grown locally and has a lower carbon footprint than food from interstate.

• There is no ridiculous packaging on the fruit and veg.

I could keep on going but I'm sure you've got the idea. Lovers of beautiful food will be glad they've visited this market.

There is one downside to this market. People who buy their produce here will never want to shop anywhere else again.