Day Three: Pretoria Boermark (Farmer’s Market)
by A.J. Sabine
Shakespeare said it best: “To thine own self be true…” Culturally, local farmers, vendors, and loyal visitors of the Pretoria Boermark revealed one of several powerful truth of locally sourced agriculture can bring together urban and rural communities.
Early on this slightly bright Saturday morning, Class XIV got off of the bus and stepped into the heart of South African culture. The scene is busy. The smell of grilled meat and spices welcome us to the Pretoria Boermark, which sits snuggly in the bottom of a shallow valley, located about 15 minutes from our hotel. There is only one road in. Small cars quickly fill up the available parking along the tiny road we amble down, which leads to the entrance.
Just beyond the well-worn gate, scores of vendors greet us with smiles and examples of their work. The bounty of agriculture fills many tables. It’s beautiful. Homemade breads, eggs, flowers and vegetables of all sorts: greens, kale, radishes–I could go on and on. Crafts greet us too; as the gravel road crunches under our feet. Like a forest trail, locally grown food and crafts wind through the expansive marketplace. The scene is remarkable.
As an aside, I love farmer’s markets. Really. I LOVE them. As I make my way through the maze of crafts and food, the Boermark fills up with Saturday morning customers. Open only for four hours each Saturday, hungry customers negotiate for the best deals on fresh oxtails, eggplants or beaded giraffes.
Based on the smiles of satisfied customers, you get a sense of the truth of the people who frequent market for their weekly food supply. Today, one of those customers is F. William “Billy” Patout, Jr. Patout, or “Billy” as he likes to be called, joined Class XIV to learn more about a critical issue for him: land repurposing. Billy, who sells real estate in the New Orleans area has deep ties to Louisiana’s sugar industry. While enjoying a bacon wrapped sausage and checking out deals throughout the market, Billy shared some of his concerns on purposeful growth and the intersection of urban and rural development. “As cities and farms merge, what’s going to happen to farmland?” said Patout. “Farmers face a growing challenge as cities and urban communities expand. I joined Ag Leadership to better understand what can be done to preserve the farmland we have.”
Because Billy and I both grew up in the city of New Orleans, I was curious to know how the Pretoria Boermark compared to the renowned French Market back home. Billy revealed some interesting things. “Before supermarkets expanded in the fifties, this was the way folks got their food. Here we are in a major African city and this is the point where urban living and agriculture intersect. It’s good to see that.” Billy told me the expansion of farmers markets in urban settings is fairly new concept in the New Orleans region with farmer’s markets thriving on both the North Shore and in nearby communities like Destrahan. Billy noted the relationships between small, local African farmers and their customers here at the Boermark. He opined, “…the food is fresher and more bountiful, and the farmers sell directly to consumers.”
Meanwhile, a guitar player dressed like a grad student, sets up to earn a few Rand as passers by barter for radishes. Even though Class XIV only had one hour to explore the market, the experience left and indelible mark on much of its members. Beaded, seeded and woven souvenirs adorned several class members; a few more raved about friendly food vendors who sold them cinnamon and sugar crepe’s and bacon snacks. Culturally speaking, Class XIV tasted more than just local food stuffs or marked their visit with a unique gift; by the end of our visit to the Pretoria Boermark, the “Americans” found a universal truth in the power of agriculture in an urban setting.
A.J. Sabine is a Video Specialist for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and an alumnus of the LSU Ag Leadership Program.