Mindy Pillbrow is the Chair of the market committee and you’ll spot her at the market shopping for her family.
How did you get involved in the market? I was about to have my first daughter and I naively thought that I might have some spare time. I came to the market every Sunday and was looking for ways I could contribute more to my community.
I was asked to take on the treasurer role as I was working for PwC so there was an assumption that I was an accountant, which I'm definitely not! But it was a great learning experience.
Tell us about the market committee.
We are a team of nine volunteers who get together with the market manager every month. The team is really diverse which gives us the strength to face the ever-changing challenges and opportunities that present themselves for the market. And I love that I always leave those meetings with a bit of a lift from the group’s positive camaraderie.
What sort of challenges have you faced?
We’ve had roadworks on Richmond Road, and the Community Centre went through a refurbishment. In the early years there was a fruit fly problem that meant food couldn’t be taken outside our area. And recently Covid has been a challenge for everyone and markets had to close periodically - this was really tough for our stallholders and our customers too.
What about the opportunities?
The market is a vibrant and ever-changing place. Even our challenges have upsides. Those are the times when we really see our community pulling together to support each other, and some creative problem-solving taking place.
We think there is plenty of potential to grow the market but we are always careful to manage that growth in a way that ensures we're able to continue to be community-focused and achieve our other objectives like being a zero-waste market and focusing on ethical and local produce.
Why do you shop there every week?
I look forward to my Sunday morning routine of taking my two young girls to the Grey Lynn Farmers Market. I love the energy, the sense of community, the opportunity to get to know the stallholders and hear about how they make and grow their products. And of course, the produce is so fresh and it's cost effective.
What is on your list of must-buys at the market?
I get everything I can at the market before I do any supermarket shopping - fresh organic jersey milk, eggs, cheese, bread and of course fruit and vegetables from a variety of stalls. I love to try the new products that pop up, and there's always a great selection of treats to take home.
What is your Sunday morning like?
No sleep-ins in our house with a primary schooler and a baby. We get up slowly on Sunday and make our way to the market after we're finally all ready, always later than I'd like. Then we're able to take our time to do the shopping and my 5-year-old has a play with mates in the community centre playground.
Do you get any time to relax?
Yes totally! Like lots of families with little people we always feel busy, but our weekends are usually pretty relaxed at home and always seem to be centred around food, often what we've brought home from the market.
www.greylynnfarmersmarket.co.nz
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