At a country market

Press, 1 February 1988, Page 7

At a country market

A deft spin here, and a crafty turn there transformed Willowbank Wildlife Reserve’s farmyard area into an interesting country market at the weekend.

Potters, spinners, wood-turners, quiltmakers, basket-weavers, screen printers, jewellers and bone-carvers whittled away at their crafts in up to 32 makeshift stalls beside curious farm animals. The market was the first of what the wildlife reserve managers hope

will become monthly country markets at the reserve.

More than 1000 people flocked to the farmyard area during the weekend, mingling with the animals, before stopping to browse through the handcrafts.

Clattering and wheezing sounds from nearby vintage farm engines competed noisily for attention with the braying of donkeys and grunts of pigs. The stationary display of engines from old farm machinery such as milking pumps, thresh-

ing machines and concrete mixers, was provided as an added attraction by the Christchurch Historic Machinery Exhibiters Club.

Most of the stallholders were from North Canterbury, and many were already regular contributers to the Oxford Market. Some of the craftspeople came from as far afield as Kaikoura.

Nobody was buying woollen home-spun jerseys in yesterday’s heat,

but many of the craftspeople, including the spinners, were making their wares on the spot and attracted plenty of attention. Most stallholders seemed pleased with the interest from the public, and said they would probably support a regular market.

The market co-ordina-tor, Mr Shaun Maloney, said the reserve managers hoped the market would become an added and popular tourist attraction, and an alternative to the Christchurch Arts Centre.