This year’s theme was #GrowForFood, taking in the many facets of farming, from the small producer growing for local farmer’s markets, to broadacre farmers and livestock producers.

Our pastoralists across central Victorias are doing vital work. On the hashtag #GrowForGood on the day’s website, you can discover: 

- Agriculture is the biggest employer in many of our rural and remote communities

- We grow 93 per cent of our food supply, making us the sixth most food secure nation on earth

- Farmers help fight hunger by donating tonnes of food each year

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Australian farmers are quietly doing good things. Each day making sure we have milk on the table, wheat for our bread, lentils for our dal, avocados for our smashes and sausages for our barbecues (perhaps hold the onions for OH&S reasons). 

We need to actively support our farming community by continuing with our “Buy Australian” ethos if the current statistics are to hold true.

It’s clear that people in Bendigo and central Victoria are right behind helping local food producers flourish. There is always a buzz at any of the weekend food markets, from Castlemaine to Maldon, Bendigo to Echuca. You can have a chat with the producers about your food – find out how they make it, why and for how long it will be available (for seasonal meal planning).

The Bendigo Community Farmers market has been a long-held tradition on the second Saturday of the month in Sidney Myer Place.

From November 22 it will expand to mid-week, after calls from those who couldn’t make the weekend event. You can pop along to the Hargreaves Mall between 3-6pm to pick up grocery goodies on the fourth Thurday of the month. You’ll also support local farmers and food makers in the process.

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