by Dick & Sue Thompson
We heard about the proposed market for Red Hill and thought that it sounded like a really good idea so we had a head scratching session about what we might sell. The upshot was that Dick built some wooden flower boxes which Sue planted out, some with flowers (petunias) and some with herbs.
At the first market in September, 1975, which was held at the Red Hill Hall, there was an enthusiastic group of marketeers feeling their way and a there was a good feeling of community. This first market was the start of new careers for some participants and for all the start of a most enjoyable, sometimes exhausting but financially rewarding nine days a year.
Some very funny incidents occurred at the early markets. One in particular involved a woman who was selling goat kids. She approached Dick and asked if he knew anything about castrating goats as she had a customer who wanted a wether goat and she only had a whole billy. Dick agreed to assist and, with the help of the little green rubber ring, the castration deed was quickly done and the little feller writhing on the ground. End of story? No! Some twenty minutes later the same stallholder came back and told Dick that the first customer had changed her mind but she had another customer who wanted a whole billygoat. Could Dick please reverse the procedure! Well, the ring was hastily removed. Was it a reprieve for the billy or was he a wether, we’ll never know!
Another story involved the very speedy escaped rooster that evaded capture for some time with people chasing him around the market, doing rugby tackles after him, hoping to grab him, but only catching handfuls of air. The rooster got a bit tired after a while and decided to take refuge under a car. Well, four of the people pursuing the bird approached the car, one at the front, one at the back and one at either side. Then, in unison, they lunged under the car. There was a sudden flash of red and then a moan of dismay from the pursuers as the rooster once again showed that he was tops and stood up a few feet away and gave a mighty crow.
We graduated from flower boxes to growing herbs and then to a successful wholesale nursery, Coora Cottage Herbs. We attended the first seven years of the Market then, because our nursery had grown to a rather large size, we had to stop the monthly visit to Red Hill on the first Saturday. However, the herb business was eventually sold and Dick is back at the market again, this time selling his outdoor furniture.
The Red Hill Market has never lost that feeling of community. It is certainly much bigger now than the first markets, but it still has a great spirit to it which is unique. It is well run and the quality of products sold there is excellent!