Lyn Paul made an 80cm cake for everyone at the market on Saturday. Photo/ Andrew Warner
Lyn Paul is busy cooking up a feast.
There are salads, pasta, meatballs, crepes and nearly everything in between on the menu for lunch today.
A special birthday lunch is being held to celebrate the Tauranga Farmers and Producers Market turning 15.
All of the produce being cooked up is from the stallholders at the market, even the salad dressing.
Slices of the 80cm cake, made by Paul, is being passed around to shoppers and the live entertainment fills the courtyard.
Vegetables, fruit and plants are not the only things that had grown over the past 15 years, so had the size of the market, the number of stallholders and the number of people who visit the market on Saturday mornings.
Paul had been the chairwoman since 2007 and said the reason the market was popular was that of the "passion and dedication" of the stallholders.
"People like to buy food locally and talk to the person who has grown the produce. That's what makes us a true farmers market, the producer is the seller," she said.
Paul said the types of stalls had changed since the market first opened in 2003.
"Organic growers are becoming more popular and the produce is cleaner. We've got some younger growers now and they are the ones who are the future of the market."
Ralph Allen had been selling plants at the market since the very beginning.
He said the biggest change for the market came in 2005 when flooding of the Historic Village meant the market was moved to Tauranga Primary School.
"The market is a win-win for everyone. The producers have a place to sell their products and the school benefits too."
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