By Victoria Cosford
It’s an image still with me, the little boy dancing in front of the stage, face split into a smile of pure joy, orange balloon floating from his fingers, his father bopping alongside. At the farmers’ market toddlers stagger, beautiful young mothers breast-feed on rugs, small girls solemnly wheel miniature trolleys, all in an atmosphere of such calm and harmony, and it’s such a contrast to harshly lit supermarket aisles where children throw tantrums before distraught parents.
There is indeed no better place, to bring your offspring – always, but especially during school holidays – than the farmers’ market, not only for the wholesomeness of the environment – children biting into apples; a cutie-pie in a stroller gnawing a carrot; a young boy helping his mother select potatoes – but also because there’s a host of special events laid on. Spaghetti Circus will be at Mullumbimby with circus skills – tricks, juggling, stilt-walking – in the dedicated kids’ area. Crafts and various other activities will be offered by two women from Rainbow Kids, while at both markets the wonderful artist Anna will be face-painting whatever round little faces present themselves.
It’s a glorious family experience anyway, even before you get to the food, the punnets of Monty’s strawberries (not to mention his ever-popular fruit flats and icy poles), or cherry tomatoes and fat juicy blueberries. Crunchy roast macadamias (from Nudgel Nuts or Rainforest Foods); thirst-quenching Rancho cordials in lime and mandarin; Scratch Patisserie’s beautiful buttery pastries bejewelled with glossy berries, or sausage rolls. Playing With Fire has gorgeous biscuits scented with wattle-seed and lemon myrtle and Davidson’s plum. Under the blue Kiddies’ Plot awning, children paint and glue, mothers gossip, fathers fling toddlers into the air, and the music plays.
At both New Brighton Farmers Market (Tuesday 8–11am) and Mullumbimby Farmers Market (Friday 7–11am) there will be special activities and events specifically for children throughout the school holidays.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
