The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 6

the farmers markets
Meet Me at
the Farmers Market!
By ann beattie
If you can’t grow it yourself, get it at its freshest
and finest from our own local farmers.
Harare has been lucky enough to benefit
from the growth and expansion of the
Farmers Market concept that is so popular
in many parts of the world. The Maasdorp
Market, the Jam Tree Market and the
Amanzi Market all offer unique and
unusual products from fruits and veggies
to natural dairy products and meats
to interesting and flavoursome spices,
condiments and snacks. Many of the
products on offer cannot be found at the
supermarkets, giving shoppers incentive
to visit the markets. Supporting our
local farmers is a super way to boost the
community as well as the environment.
Fresh is best
The fruits and veggies available at the
markets come straight from the farm and
garden, and are by far the freshest, and
therefore the tastiest, produce you can
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buy. Because the products are seasonal,
you can be assured that you’re getting
honest-to-goodness flavours.
Boost your health
Take advantage of the natural, pesticide-
free and chemical-free products that
the markets have on offer. Prue Searle
is renowned for her organic veggies she
sells at Maasdorp and Amanzi, but get
there early as they fly out.
The veggie man from Ruwa brings his
delectable line of produce to the Amanzi
and Maasdorp markets, which includes
heirloom tomatoes. Heirlooms, which
are self-pollinating varieties passed down
through generations, have a shorter shelf
life than hybrids, but they are generally
tastier and you can keep the seeds to
plant, unlike hybrids.
The friendly men from More-ish raise
free-range chickens that are unsurpassed
in quality and health benefits. These
chickens are fed only on greens and are
completely chemical-free. They are a
good size - around 2.5 kg - and have not
been injected with saline or antibiotics,
like most commercial products. These
chickens will take your usual roasted
chicken dinner to a new level.
All the markets have also embraced the
wildly popular Banting scheme. Peter
Rosenfeld of Peter Piper has introduced
a Banting line of his famous pickles and
condiments.
Naughty but nice
It’s great to be wholesome and healthy,
but everybody should stop and treat
themselves, too! There are always