How Dungog’s Growers Stall has grown over the past 13 years

MORE than a dozen volunteers and growers met at the CWA courtyard in Dungog after Saturday morning’s Growers’ Stall.

The stall turned 13 this month, so the group gathered for a celebratory lunch.

The Dungog Growers Stall is a community building activity which provides locals with fresh, locally-grown produce.

It also gives surplus food to the community centre.

On any Saturday morning, the quiet courtyard transforms.

It positively bustles with buyers making their selections of lush green vegetables, colourful flowers, fruits or fabric items.

At first, in 2012, the stall just sold fruit and vegetables.

Then honey, eggs, flowers, seeds, plants, Boomerang Bags and bee wraps were gradually added.

It started on the verandah of Chillbillies, on 1 September 2012.

In February 2014, it moved to the present location at the Dungog CWA courtyard.

In the first year, 35 growers contributed produce.

This year that number has grown to 67, with seven growers selling produce for the entire period.

In its 13 years, the stall has only missed opening on three Saturdays.

They were the Mumford and Sons festival weekend, Anzac Day and New Years Day, 2022.

Growers and buyers alike know that the stall is a consistent weekly presence.

They have come to depend on the reliable local market which returns 90 percent of sales to the growers.

The other 10 percent covers ongoing costs for the stall, such as rent and insurance.

So far the impressive sum of $373,921 has been paid to the growers.

Growers Stall volunteer Debra McLean moved to Dungog about a year ago.

She said that volunteering is the perfect way to get to know people and contribute to the community.

At Saturday’s celebration, growers and volunteers chatted, socialised and laughed.

It has become a meeting place and weekly focal point where information and ideas are swapped as readily as seeds.

By Lisa WISEMAN