Gardeners fresh produce a big hit at ‘green’ market
Ready buyers for homemade food, art
HORSE groomsman turned gardener Ferai Sekai, who propagates plants at his Nompumelelo farm, was at the Gardeners’ Market at Kim’s Corner in Quigney doing brisk trade on Saturday.
Sekai’s stall was one of several gardenthemed stands at the market, which has been a big attraction since it began six months ago.
“I really hate markets with their knitted booties and bad fast food, but so many people want to grow their own plants and food and everything here is fresh including fresh fruit juice and even plant-based burgers,” said Kim’s Corner owner and auctioneer Kim Schwarz.
“I love gardening and this market has proved to be very popular, so I am holding it once every two months.”
Surrounded by geraniums, salvias, gooseberries and impatiens, Sekai, whose love affair with plants and trees began in Zimbabwe, moved to East London to work as a groomsman, but his love for horticulture won through. “I work as a gardener now and ask employers if I can take slips to grow my own plants. I propagate them at home and also on land owned by Caroline de Bruin near Crossways.”
And, while Sekai uses slips and seeds to grow his stock, Holmhill couple Teresa Schultz and Tony Flanigan scour the region’s beaches for bleached driftwood, sea glass and other found objects to create whimsical garden wall art and dream catchers. “We like going to the beach and then making things that look natural,” said Schultz.
Chantelle Smith, who calls herself the Mad Potter, is also in the upcycling business. She makes pallet wood boxes trays filled with a variety of waterwise succulents. “I’m a property manager and this is just a hobby, but I started making them for Mother’s Day and the response was fantastic.”
Cambridge resident Louise van der Berg also uses her spare time and huge garden to feed the growing trend for fresh homegrown produce.
“We plant fruit trees and herbs. We sell packets of rocket and chilli chutney because people said they were prepared to pay for it because it is so fresh. We call our business Living off Our Land.”
Mother and daughter duo Ragini and Shazelle Gounder also use their home kitchen to create apple and custard pies and samoosas and were almost sold out way before the market ended. Nearby at the Earth Forest stall, Evert Minnie and Caroline de Robillard had their hands full serving an endless stream of customers queuing for plant-based earth burgers, cold pressed juices and healthy kombucha drinks.
“The trend is to grow your own food and be healthy,” said Brendan Howard of Village Centre Nurseries, who was selling vibrant seedlings and flowering plants which he propagates himself. “Our vegetable seedlings have expanded by 33% which proves this,” he said.