At the market

Salome Bhanu convinced her gaming friends Yu Hu, Tegan Garland and Lindsay Doebler to join her at the market nice and early.

‘‘It was the promise of bacon butties that got her out of bed,’’ Bhanu said of Doebler. Bhanu is a farmers market convert because of the food and the live music. ‘‘It’s magical.’’ A past visit and purchase of leeks had resulted in some amazing leek soup, she said.

Students A.J. Houston and Claudia

Hickey liked to enjoy a cup of coffee after a walk to the market.

Hickey used to volunteer when younger manning the rubbish bins now she comes for the treats and coffee.

‘‘It gets you up and it’s a refreshing walk. It gets you going before you hit the library.’’ Shiree Johnston (left) and Margaret

Reid combine exercise and conversation with their visit to the market.

‘‘We like to beat the crowd and get a good a walk in first,’’ Johnston said.

‘‘We bring our own cups, have a catch up and people watch,’’ Reid said.

They like being able to talk to the stallholders about the produce and get tips on what to cook with it.

Simon Brown was in 30degC heat a week prior to his visit to the market but the cold did not stop him from a wander around.

‘‘We come every week. I was here on opening day and buy most of our food here.’’

It would be cheaper to shop at the market if he did not buy the ‘‘unnecessary other things’’.

‘‘You probably get

better variety and vegetables you don’t get in the supermarket.’’

Michael Hastie had filled his bags with produce nice and early in an effort to beat the crowd.

‘‘I like to support the local guys and I feel its cheaper because you are forced to buy what is in season.’’

Caroline Akiyama is a fan of the produce and the organic options available at the market.

‘‘It’s good to buy direct from the farmer and they get what they deserve to be paid.’’