Farmers Markets are my favourite way to spend a Saturday morning. Wake up, throw on some clothes,…read moregrab a coffee and a pastry to be consumed in the car, and head off to the farmers market. Perfection. It certainly helped to have some beautiful winter sunshine on our backs as we gingerly stepped our way through the muddy grounds of the farmers market this weekend. It's a perfect venue - a little country oasis in the middle of the bustling city. It makes me so happy. The air is clean, there are hens and dogs wandering around everywhere, and there are usually some happy-looking goats and ponies to pet on your way to the food. The food is usually great quality, and usually good value as well. But honestly, I'm willing to pay a little more when I know where the food has come from, and am able to meet the people that grew it. I can't recommend this highly enough. Check it out!

Collingwood Children's Farm is a great place for young children to visit. Children can get up close…read moreto a number of different farm animals including a variety of hens, pigs, goat and horses. Pleasant places to walk along winding pathways leading to secret nooks and crannies. Interesting walking in the fruit and flower gardens and it is necessary to observe the no pick sign for fruit and flowers. The community garden is of great interest with its neatly laid out vegetable plots. We lunched at the cafe but unfortunately missed seeing the sign for a barbecue that day. Each day there is a timetable of events but be warned to be early as there are always crowds of children and adults wanting to do the same thing as you.

This is, once a month farmers market. It takes place in the reserve on Auburn road, access is easy…read morefrom the freeway, Toorak rd as well as the walking ./ bilk path along the freeway going along the back (you can even pay entry from that side). The variety of stalls present at this market is always good. There is usually a nice selection of vegetable stall holders, always a few good options for breads as well as hot foods. I love the buffalo Sausages and the fresh cheese! If you like fresh from the farm foods and friendly faces when your shopping then this farmers market is a great one to drop around for, happening Third Saturday of every month.

This market runs every 3rd (and 5th) Saturday. There is a good range of produce stalls and a lot of…read moreorganics, but if they don't say it's organic, it probably isn't. You can have organic produce without being certified though, so best to talk directly to the individual stallholders. Plenty of parking on site, but watch out for the Toorak tractor set, who think road rules and courtesy don't apply to them.

With so many second hand markets around these days, it's really a hit and miss as to whether you…read morewill luck upon scoring a good find for a decent price. Fitzroy market is a small market at the Fitzroy Primary School that has a well edited selection of clothes, books, shoes, bits and bobs. There is definitely an element of 'Fitzroy cool' at the market, with a younger range of sellers. Note, when I say younger, I'm talking 20-30s (which is the age bracket I fall in). This is one of my favorite markets around at the moment.

Great little local market held in the grounds of Fitzroy Primary School on the third Saturday of…read moreevery month in 2012 (it's previously been the first Saturday of the month). Mostly secondhand clothes, records, toys and bric-a-brac - almost always at very reasonable prices. Not many food and drink options: a sausage sizzle and a very good coffee stall, but there's plenty of other cafes and bakeries nearby on Smith or Brunswick Streets if that doesn't take your fancy. Entry by gold coin donation.

Great concept! Setting up an organic food stall on unused urban space. Fresh vegetables, organic…read moremeat and cook books. The live music and bicycle powered smoothie maker make this a great addition to South Yarra's village atmosphere.

The Abbotsford Convent Slow Food Market is my fav in the city. I've been coming here for 7 years…read moreand I love it. It's held on the 4th Saturday of the month. I love the setting in the Convent grounds, I love the walk / ride along the river to get here and I love ending it with a beer / wine at the Bakery. I don't think this is a market where many could afford to do their weekly shopping but it's great to get some specialist items of superb quality. My fav items here are the only PROPER style pork English sausages from Pacdon I've found in Australia and the pork pie and bacon is fab too! The biggest perk of coming here is to pick up a few bottles of Peregrine Ridge red wine from Heathcote - it's by far my fav Australian wine. There's not a dud amongst them. A special place in my heart is the sparkly shiraz - just amazing.

This is one of four inner city markets run by the Melbourne Community Farmers Markets. Held on the…read more4th Saturday of the month it is unique as it demonstrates both Slow Food principles as well as meeting the Victorian Farmers' Market Association accreditation criteria of being direct from local producers only. So what is The Slow Food movement? You know when people say tomatoes, meat or fruit were tastier back in the day? That's because we used to eat traditional slow growing varieties and breeds. So globally, Slow food is about protecting those heirloom and rare breed varieties of food, which are fast becoming extinct in favour of modified fast growing produce that suits the turnover of supermarkets, fast food chains and industry. It is also about supporting your local farmers and producers, without the middle man. Slow Food Australia says "We build networks between grower and eater, agriculture and market, community and world. We champion good, clean, fair and local food in ways that enhance knowledge, respect and passion." So while this produce may not be familiar nor look as perfect as shop food, it is significantly more tasty, takes longer to produce, is chemical free, raised and handled ethically and works towards creating a sustainable future for the planet. The supermarket duopoly does not. So there's another point of difference. At the front of this market is seasonal fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, baked goods etc, in the courtyard at the back is meat, fish, dairy and cheese. And then there is the amazing Slow Food breakfast stall. If you really want to taste the difference, eat this stall's food before shopping and skip the Convent Bakery. You'll find the Slow Food stall's dishes have all been made from produce at the market. All made from scratch, no packet mixes or industrial processed foods. It's a beautiful example of what you can actually do with the market's food. We go regularly and learn a lot from talking to the farmers there. They give you cooking and handling tips and are happy to answer questions. If you come too, come early before everything sells out and bring your own bags, these farmers want to do you a favour by reducing waste too.

There are quite a few fruit shops in South Melbourne, and to the uninitiated they might look all…read morethe same. To the initiated, everyone does seem to have their favourite. Mine is this one. It's for several reasons: 1) The staff are friendly. 2) The produce is very good 3) The price is very reasonable. I never feel ripped off, as I often do in a supermarket. 4) The range is impressive. I always get what I need. 5) It's really quite close to the stairs back up to the carpark, so it's not far to struggle with a heavy boxful back to the car. 6) It's opposite a discount lolly shop, so automatically I feel more virtuous for shopping there and not buying chocolate (and if I do buy chocolate, feel that I've achieved quite a healthy balance).

Great selection of fresh fruit and veg, meat, baked goods and other produce. Many stalls are…read moreorganic and/or free range, which isn't always the case at many farmers markets. Plenty of parking, dog friendly, entry $2 for adults.

Cheaper than the nearby supermarkets and good quality. You can find almost everything you are…read morelooking for. We've done a lot of savings just by buying our stuff from here. They have many other things that you won't find at the usual places.

With the rising cost of living (read: food prices escalating so quickly) it's great to know that…read moreyou can still bag a bargain at independent grocery stores like my favourite fruit and vegetable destination, Cato. Tucked neatly behind the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street, facing the car park at Coles, means ample parking is always available so you can shop in peace. With a no-frills policy at play, don't expect a squeaky clean, clinical shopping experience like at some supermarkets. What you can expect though is a wide array of fresh produce at affordable prices all year round. For instance when most supermarkets were selling bananas at $14/kg, Cato sold bananas at $10/kg. They're also got a small selection of Asian groceries, nuts, herbs, spices and condiments available. But my all time favourite reason for shopping at Cato is they have really hot fresh chillies: a staple in my diet!