To market, to market
By Catherine Ling - Thursday, Dec 29, 2011
Jane Glascow is a petite lady brimming with effusive cheer. She is very happy to see a bumper crowd of visitors for this week’s Loewen Garden’s Farmers’ Market (it’s their final one for the year, a special Yule market). She runs The Pantry Cookery School at Loewen Gardens and organises the farmers’ market there every fortnight.
It is one of the very few such markets in Singapore that is doing well. Others have not been as fortunate. Farmart Centre, a collection of shops selling farm produce along Sungei Tengah, is languishing from a lack of customers. Organic food market L’Organic at Dempsey Road held weekend markets but shut down completely.
So what’s behind this market’s success?
I asked Jane why she decided to start something like this, given that Singapore barely has any farms.
“I wanted the passion and atmosphere that you get at farmer’s markets, like back home in the UK,” says Jane. “It’s not only about farm produce, but about food products, baked goods, gourmet meats, wine and ingredients you can pick up for a Sunday dinner or party.”
She points to a stall with produce flown in from the Victoria wholesale market in Melbourne. “The produce that we show here isn’t wrapped in clingfilm. You can touch it, and you have items you may not find in supermarkets. There’s lots of food samples to try. You can chat with people about food and just enjoy discovering new things,” she adds.
She credits also a small group of core vendors who have remained loyal. One of the original participants is Bilbao Spanish Restaurant, which dishes out paella freshly cooked on the spot, is a highlight at the market.
The fee for renting a stall is kept really low, and they ensure that there is no duplication of stalls. Home bakers or businesses starting out on some food venture can join in and use this as a springboard for awareness.
But Jane admits, it’s not been easy. They have had ups and downs. There was tremendous publicity when the market first started. Traffic was initially great when the market was still a novelty. It then dropped a little, but now they have a steady stream of regulars patronising the market. It’s a mix of expatriates and Singaporeans, mostly couples or friends shopping together, and families with babies and even grandparents.
Cynthia Wee-Hoefer’s stall also has been with the farmers’ market since its inception in Feb 2010. She brings in organic produce from Nepalese farms, and enjoys introducing unusual items like stinging nettle tea, an edible rhododendron flower, and yacon (a tuber originally from the Andes, now grown in Nepal). I saw how generous she was with tasting samples – the cooked highland beans and lentils, specialty jams and pickles really shine.
She too, recalls some of the obstacles the market has faced, including a fee slapped on by the Singapore Land Authority which increased the table cost by S$34.50. Home bakers, jam and pickle makers also had to be NEA certified, and use approved kitchens. The additional kitchen rental was a real blow as the start-ups had to charge much higher prices like S$4 or 5 for a mere cupcake or brownie.
And then there are other factors that hamper visitorship to the market – competing events, rain, and the vagaries of the expat calendar (e.g. March being the spring break for international schools and families being away on holidays). Sometimes the vendors end up carting back goods unsold.
However, it seems the core vendors still believe in what they are doing, and continue to establish the market every alternate Saturday. They are encouraged to see strong interaction from people and love watching the customers’ reactions to their goods. There is an incredible sense of curiosity and adventure for those who make the trek to the market.
The market is now entering its third year with about 19-22 stallholders each time, and it has even a satellite version at Quayside every third Saturday. But Loewen Gardens is where the charm lies.
As I end the interview, I see Chef Julien Bompard there. He waves and we chat. He’s thinking of bringing his cheeses there. I certainly hope he does. This farmers’ market is a foodie wonderland that warms your heart and soul.
There isn’t an address per se for the market, but it all happens around the Pantry Cooking School located at 75E Loewen Road, Singapore 248845. They also hold one at 60 Robertson Quay on the fourth Saturday of each month. It boasts the same vendors, with fiddlers and music, but has a less rustic vibe with more of a shopping mall feel.
Visit http://thepantrycookeryschool.com/wp/farmers-market/ for schedule of upcoming markets.
