THE MAKING OF THE MATAKANA FARMERS’ MARKET

Rainbow Valley Farm brought Trish and Joe local and international acclaim and an invitation to Japan to teach permaculture philosophy. The rural farmers’ markets of Iwate in Japan provided a blueprint for the Matakana Farmers’ Market when co-founders Richard and Christine Didsbury heard Joe’s account of Iwate’s strict rules for only locally grown produce. These rules have shaped the well-established market’s celebration of food producers. “In the old days, it was locals going there with their gumboots. Now it’s become upmarket, but it’s been so successful because it’s stayed true to its values,” says Trish.