A Life on the Edge: The Gisborne Farmers Market

Sponge Bay

T had said we needed to be at the market by 9 o’clock to be assured of getting the best vegetables. It was another bluebird day promising to heat up considerably during day.

When we arrived at the market was really buzzing but no one was selling anything. We discovered that they aren’t allowed sell until a bell is rung. So here were the hordes of people wanting give away their money in exchange for their goods but unable buy anything. The bell was duly rung and money began exchanging hands. It was not a large market compared to the Hawkes Bay Market or for that matter the Marlborough Farmers Market, but they had a range of product including vegetables, breads, honey, macadamias, and preserves. The vendors seemed to be doing a reasonable business. One vendor had Manuka honey for $10 a kilogramme but I don’t think it was tested for the antibacterial factor.

Gisborne Farmers Market

I took the vegetables back to the AirBnB as I didn’t want the heat to ruin them. Then it was back to the cottage for some finishing touches.

The cottage

On the way back to the AirBnB Trudy suggested I call into a berry shop. I did so and I spied some boysenberries that I have not had for a while. They looked really nice so got a ice-cream container of them (the only option). I was waiting for Trudy as we were going have a coffee, so I sat down on a bench and put the berries on table. Just as I did that the bench tipped up and I ended on the ground along with the berries which also tipped down. They were not cheap so I gathered them up and put them in the container to wash when I got back to the house.

T said that she decided she was going back home that afternoon and asked what I wanted to do. I could understand her need to get back to her home as it. I didn’t want travel in the heat of the afternoon. There would be enough of that the next day and I was planning to leave as early as possible to avoid as much of the heat as I could. There was also the Hawkes Bay Farmers Market to visit as a break on my way back to Wellington . And, I wanted to enjoy the warm dry weather before venturing back to Wellington and the lousy weather we were having at the moment.

I helped T fill her little car to the gunnels. It was amazing how much it could take.

After T departed I changed into my cycling gear and headed out to see what other delights were to be seen around the city. I visited Sponge Bay which is another surfing beach. The access to the beach was restricted due to a storm having eroded the cliff surrounding the beach. The steps had been washed away and the carpark had huge chunk out of it.

View from Sponge Bay looking to Young Nicks Head

I road into town along the cycleway and took my time looking at the various points of interest. Being a nice day there were a number of riders and walkers. Oneroa Beach was a hive of activity with brave souls walking gingerly into what must have been reasonably cool water. The temperature was almost perfect being not too hot or too cold with a gentle cooling breeze coming off the water.

I rode along the main street. They have tried to beautify it but it still looked a little run down to me. There are some very old buildings that are still occupied by shops giving it quaint look.

I rode alongside the river to the confluence of two of them where they combined to flow out to sea. It is easy to see how Gisborne floods with the two rivers combining to over flow the banks when rainstorms like the recent cyclone occur. The city is very flat!

After returning to the AirBnB I packed up the car and tidied up the house ready for an early departure on Sunday morning. It had been a really interesting stay there and the weather couldn’t have been better.