The chicken comes before the egg!

Sold out! The egg man had the sign up before 11am. That’s the problem with a real farmer’s market. The chooks can lay only so many in the week and to increase production takes a lot of lead time so that’s why the buyers come early.

IXL sold out her large pies and sliced (doubler smoked) leg ham, so next week she will try to bring more of both. She doesn't have the egg egg man's problem. She can always bake more pies!

Getting out of bed at three to be there by 4.30 is hard, but once we get going the whole market thing generates its own energy.

We arrive in the dark and some stall holders are already there, lanterns illuminating the scene as marquees are pitched, utes and vans unloaded, tables assembled and wares carefully arranged. Of course for the farmer, baker, bee keeper some products are the end of a long process of production. A cabbage takes almost six months to grow from seed to pick.

At the Noosa market, there are a lot of genuine producers, some obviously trying to bring pesticide and chemical free food directly to consumers and it is appreciated. But I wonder how many buyers really understand that most grower/marketers don’t really do it for the money. The hourly rate they make is typically less than the minimum wage. But they love the lifestyle and their closeness to the earth brings a contentment a Sol Trujillo with all his millions is unlikely to ever experience.