Oranjezicht City Farm Market is hosted every Saturday at Granger Bay near the V&A Waterfront. This authentic neighbourhood affair is Cape Town’s answer to the age-old village market.
What started as the tag-along market of the awesome community farm in the upper reaches of Oranjezicht, has now become one of the Mother City’s best-loved weekend destinations. Cape Town’s eco-conscious consumers flock here to do their weekly shop, and we can’t blame them. The market offers a wonderful selection of fruit, vegetables, baked goods, free-range eggs, honey, muesli and all the other delicious bits and bobs you need to stock your fridge and pantry.
Best of all? It’s all sourced from artisanal producers and small, independent farmers. Which means your money is going towards microenterprises that support communities and bolster our economy from the inside out. Score! Oh, and did you mention you can buy everything you need to start your own little veggie patch at home? The market features everything from edible plants and seedlings, to compost and gardening supplies. One-stop shop much?
THE IMPORTANT BITS
Where? Granger Bay, V&A Waterfront (next to The Lookout event venue). Parking is available at the V&A lot right next to the venue at a rate of R10 for the entire day – great if you’re bringing along a stroller or a fury friend. Taking public transport? The MyCiTi 104 route stops opposite the market on Beach Road and at the main V&A Waterfront stop. The T01 also stops there, as well as on Granger Bay Boulevard a block from Oranjezicht City Farm Market
When? Every Saturday 09:00 – 14:00. The market is under cover, so it goes on even when it’s a little drizzly. Get there early; the event is very popular and it can get crowded around lunchtime. Although, if you like a bit of a buzz, that’s a fun time to do some people watching.
What? A rather fantastic market with a friendly, affable vibe that is just the ticket for those Saturday mornings when you feel like a country mission, but can’t be bothered with the drive.
Kids? Dogs? Yes, on both counts. If you do bring along your pet, please keep them on a short leash, by your side, away from produce and plants. Assume that there will be other pets and children around, so rather refrain from bringing a nervous animal that might get aggressive. And, as always, remember to bring the poop scoop!
Good to know! The Oranjezicht City Farm Market does not claim to sell organic fruit and veggies. This may surprise you, but there’s a very valid explanation. The organisers of the market source all their wonderful fare from small independent producers who don’t normally have the funds available to have their produce certified as organic (actually quite a lengthy and expensive process!). This includes growers from Philippi, Elgin, Nyanga and Khayelitsha. So rather than claiming something that is technically not true, they choose to say that the fruit and veg are ‘locally grown by small farmers’. If you have a question about the origin and growth process of a certain item, you can simply ask the sellers on the day. We really dig this kind of transparency!
More questions? The Oranjezicht City Farm folks are very organised. You can check out their website for more info and follow them on Facebook for regular updates on what you can expect at the next event. If you do give them a mention on social media, throw in the hashtag #OZCFarm to help them get the word out about this worthwhile initiative.
Writing: Anna-Bet Stemmet | Photography: Liezel Norval-Kruger
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