ADELAIDE HILLS FARMERS MARKETS CHAIRS REPORT -2020-21
The Adelaide Hills Farmers Market is held on the lands of the Peramangk People, and we acknowledge that they continue to be custodians of the region and pay our respects to their elders past and present
Thank you for your attendance at this AGM. We value your support and membership of the market. The market has performed well. We have had new customers and new stallholders. The market shows signs of refreshing itself and is gradually capturing new arrivals in the district to the market.
Covid- 19 has been good for the market in many ways though we would have been better without it. Covid- 19 has provided many challenges in keeping the market open and complying with changing regulations that at times do not make sense. This is mainly because the regulations are written for others, and we have some exemption lines for food markets. Nikala & then Kara-Jane has done a good job in managing the market to comply with the regulations and our customers have been well behaved in trying to be covid safe. Covid -19 did help in that there has been a sentiment again to do things locally which has encouraged more people to attend our market and become members. The inability for other markets to operate did help keep our winter stall numbers up as we could continue to operate. This has helped our finances with stall holders up, membership up and also the government contribution to small business and not for profit organizations.
The committee has been united in rebuilding governance and operational processes. Over the years with manager changes, cloud storage systems and us struggling to find secretaries with strong admin overview skills we had lost and misplaced many policies and operational documents. We have now reproduced many of these and reviewed the remainder. Updated rules and policies will be distributed soon. Our financial position is strong, and we thank Janine for her efforts in getting our financial recording and reporting more professional. We have also stopped being registered for gst following the recommendations made at last year’s AGM.
We do have one of the best markets for atmosphere during late spring and autumn with members and shoppers able to relax at the market on the lawn with great entertainment. We thank management for coordinating our buskers. As we come out of covid restrictions we can continue to develop and expand our demonstration and education program including cooking, gardening and environmental management.
Kara-Jane has taken over as market manager and through her leadership our processes and reporting have become more professional, allowing the committee the time to get back to focusing on our strategic plan. The strategic planning objectives included, Growing the Market, Nurturing the Friendly atmosphere and broader Community Connections, Value and promote our ‘Brand’& Ensuring we have ongoing sound administrative infrastructure. A continuing challenge is to reach out and include new residents in the district into our community
The committee has had many changes in the last twelve months which has had some significant effect on us to be making progress. I do thank the committee for their support of me in continuingly managing change.
I would like to thank those committee whose term has expired or who have resigned. Finally, I would like to thank you the members for supporting us through your membership and regularly shopping at the market. I would like to thank this last year’s committee for their efforts in volunteering their time in governing the market and making significant contributions to the running of the market.
Dr Geoff Page
Chair
ADELAIDE HILLS FARMERS MARKET -MARKET MANAGER REPORT
INTRODUCTION
This year has brought change in the management of the market From Nikala Sim to Kara-Jane Bennett. I would like to thank Nikala for all the organisational input and changes she made to improve the running order of the market. It has put the market in a good position to implement new strategies and growth upon. I have currently been employed with the market for 6 months and have been learning and appraising the various aspects of the market for change. There are 5 Key performance areas that are guiding my activities to date. These include;
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Market Day Operations: to increase the average monthly market attendance and annual market memberships and maintain and increase stallholders (Artisan & Farmers)
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Administration and development: Review and update operations manual, budgeting 2021-2022, Filling from Dropbox to Gsuite
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Stallholder management: complete a seasonal market calendar, recruit summer fruit stallholders, identify product gaps
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Marketing and promotions; complete the marketing plan and calendar of events and conduct activities, Review and update website
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Volunteer coordination: training and celebration event
The last 6 months have brought a lot of learning, reviewing and collaborations. I have approached all areas of the job with the intention of improving the communication and partnerships with committee, stallholders, sponsors, initiatives, volunteers and market goers. I am thankful for all the support and feedback from the various sectors of the market community. A special thanks to Geoff for his knowledge and accessibility, Janine for her generous and collaborative nature and Rosie for all her skills, diplomacy and professionalism.
My intention for the market is to grow its capacity in serving the Adelaide Hills Community with fresh, local and seasonal food and to remind them of the importance of supporting and servicing our farmers, producers and artisans. Also to maintain the rich community feel that occurs each week at the market. Business activity includes collaboration with Gawler street businesses, Mt Barker Council,
Manager Activities and KPI 2021-2022
1. Market Day Operations
2020 (12months)
-No stallholders approve to trade= 71
-Active membership= 445
-Avg no of sign in member sign 100
2021 (April-Oct)
– No of stallholders approved to trade=77 (Farmers:45) Artisan (32) approve to trade.
– We have had 65 expression of interest inquiries since April due to the online inquiry process that was set up on the website.
– Active memberships= 380
– – Avg no of market goers at market=285
– Avg no of member sign ins=88
-2 set up contractors
2. Administration and development
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Updated operations manual
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Updated the gsuite filing system and archival documents
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Budget for 2021-2021
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Finalised and created working databases
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Rules and regulations and other policy distribution
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Industry networking and vendor scouting
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Cleaned and organised shed. 3. Stallholder management
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Establish seasonal market calendar
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Gap assessment: seasonal produce, beef, more speciality produce
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Average stallholder attendance/month=27
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–Stallholder incentive activities
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Introduce new stallholder invoicing
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Community tent initiative
4. Marketing and promotions
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Newsletter content changes
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AHFM survey 165 responses
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Completing marketing plan and event calendar- 15/10/2021
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Grant for World Food day celebration March 2022
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Gawler st sponsorship and collaboration activities
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Community market membership recruitment days.
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Video, photo and blog material- getting completed.
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Website upgrade with individual vendor portals
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4 demonstrations at the market
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Return of the kids tent
5. Volunteer coordination
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Volunteer celebration event
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3 new volunteers
FUTURE ACTIVITIES
The focus for the next 6months is marketing and membership recruitment. The market needs to outreach to more local areas within the Mt Barker district. This includes:
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attending community events for promotions
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create video material for Facebook, Instagram and promotions with new development areas and real estate agents.
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Promotions events -summer program, seasonal artisan installations and world food day event
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Facebook lucky door prize: for market goers at 11.30am at Market
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Mt Barker Council food plan initiative and blogging content
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Stronger presence on Facebook and Instagram
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Stallholder collaborations with marketing and incentives.
Kara-Jane Bennett
Market Manager for AHFM