The new market is a welcome addition to the calendar of farmer's markets in the Manning Valley as it provides growers with a weekly opportunity to sell their produce and customers with ready access to lthe freshest and best of local product.

The grounds surrounding Rudi's Meats on the corner of Kanangra Drive and Bushland Drive have been transforming over many months and the addition of the market strengthens its presence in the community as a provider and supporter of high-quality local products and produce. Rudi's Meats is also known as Mentges Master Meats and it produces more than 40 traditional German continental meat products. It is also an outlet for locally-made sourdough, rye and spelt bread.

The new market is a spin-off from the popular Wingham Farmer's Market, according to co-ordinator Jonathan Lee, and he will be working with Les and Annette Mulder to boost the range and number of stallholders who will sell between 8.30am and 2pm every Thursday.

He is excited about the potential of the weekly market and encouraged by the community response. The market Facebook page, 'Weekly Farmers Market at Rudi's Meats Taree' quickly gathered more than 400 'Likes' within hours of it being created and it currently sits at more than 550 and the number is increasing daily.

Yesterday was week two and the wet weather cleared to dress the market in brilliant sunshine.

The market tables were covered with freshly cut herbs, newly picked navel oranges, lemons and limes, grapefruit, unique italian zucchini, french breakfast radishes, pumpkins and grammas and an abundance of salad greens.

Annette Mulder presented bottles of caramelised apple cider vinegar which she believes may be a world-first product as she and her husband, Les were unable to find it anywhere when they looked to Google for information.

Fermented vegetable enthusiasts were able to buy from Bottled Culture, Gilchrist Pure Honey sold honey sourced from its 100 hives on Caffreys Flat on the Nowendoc River and Yvette's Raw Kitchen presented its gluten free, sugar free and dairy free desserts.

Annette says the plan is "to take a softly, softly approach to the market" and let it develop organically in response to the community demand.

She is proud of the market and the produce and product it offers

"None of us use chemicals, it's all organic but we can't brand it as that because we don't have organic certification, it's too expensive, but that's what we offer food grown using organic practices," Annette explained.

Cathy Pheiffer of Wingham describes the market as "amazing" and says the advent of a weekly market in Taree "has been a long time coming and this will just explode."

She is a customer of Rudi's Meats and frequents the monthly farmer's markets in Wingham and Nabiac and is delighted to now have weekly access to locally grown produce and the chance to talk to the people who grew or made the items for sale.

For further information about the market contact Jonathan Lee on 6550 7278 or Les and Annette Mulder on 6550 7213.