The year almost at an end

Hi there guys, i have not been updating my blog for a while as i am working my bum off on all the Green Market events. So please bare with me. :) I cant believe how quick this year has gone by. I met so many wonderful friends, got thrown a few curve balls on the way, learned so much and experienced so much..it was wonderful and i wont change it for the world.

Thanks to those that stood by me and supported the Green Market a 100% all the way. I can't believe the Green Market is a year old already! Wow! We have come a long way and have 1000 of great ideas we will make happen from next year on. From next year we will join forces with our new permanent venue - Klitsgras Drum Circle...we have lots of great stuff planned.

Klitsgras drum circle just sits perfect with my idea of what the Green Market should portray and believe in. This beautiful piece of land is situated just 14km out on the Garsfontein road towards Tierpoort (from the Garsfontein/Hans Strijdom crossing in Pretoria East). They are busy growing their own permaculture garden which will provide for their new restaurant called Boudoir with fresh natural and organic healthy foods and drinks for the soul. Boudoir will only open sometime next year though but we will keep you updated. They do everything as green as they can, even their toilets are busy being replaced by eco-friendly compost loo's. Their drum circles are a one-of-a-kind experience and a must on your to-do-list. Go check out www.klitsgras.co.za for more details. So from next year on get yourself ready because we are going big. :)

Next year and collaboration with other events etc: Any (health, environmental or green) businesses, organizations, projects etc that are looking for a venue or event to collaborate with, that focuses on expanding peoples knowledge on living greener, could contact us with your ideas and for more info. We will still keep doing the Green Market every first Saturday of the month at Klitgras and we welcome all of you to join our event..example - if its an adventure race looking for a starting and end point, a teambuilding, a school group, a womans tea or anything...we can accommodate you at our once a month event.

Last event for the year: Our last event is on the 5th of December - its a Christmas night market from 16:00-21:00 at Klitsgras. Bring your friends and family for a great night out with fire dancing, live bands (Chiba Fly and Alternative), Marshmallow braai for the kids, Stalls with gifts and other products that is eco concsious and healthy.

Products we are looking for: We are still looking for more stallholders with products like fresh homemade foods and drinks, garden and home, water and energy saving, holistic, clothing and accessories, arts and crafts, and more eco-friendly, natural, organic and recycled products and services. Clean up your home and come and sell/exchange your unwanted second hand/antique and vintage items and treasures as well.

For more info please feel free to email me on greenmelilly@gmail.com

Line-up for rest of 2009!

Hi there friends, if you do not know this yet, WE HAVE MOVED TO ANOTHER VENUE.

Rademeyers in Moreleta Park, Pretoria. Helios street. Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve.

Time: 9:00 - 14:00

The rest of the years line-up:
4July: Did you know...
1August: Eco kids fun day!
5September: Plants for life.
3October: My trash-Your treasure.
7November: Merry Green X-mas market. (End of Green Market year)

For more info on these specific days, please feel free to contact us on greenmelilly@gmail.com or 083 562 5249.

The Green Market is calling on all interested businesses or individuals who would like to either join our friendly group of exhibitors or help us out with any workshops, fun interactive demos, or any other cool green entertainment to educate and raise awareness on any important green issues!

Products we are looking for:
1. Homemade and fresh (made with as many organic/natural/free range ingredients as possible) - Eggs, milk, cheeses, breads, sweets, cakes, jams, sauces, veggies, fruits, herbs, nuts, dried fruits...And food-to-go like fruits (seasonal/local) on a stick, pastries, breads with fresh herbs etc.

2. Organic/natural/upcycled clothes, bags, hats, and other accessories.

3. Jewelry, furniture, mosaic, and other arts and crafts made from recycled materials.

4. Urgent - Antiques, Vintage or great second hand treasures! - Especially for 3 October!

5. Any other product that is the eco-friendly, organic, natural, or recycled version of what we are used to in our daily lives! For more info on what other product we allow - please read other articles on this blog...

Green Market @ Rademeyers!

Soooooooooooo, i hope all of you are as excited as i am about the next Green Market? Remember, it is not at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens anymore, but at Rademeyers at this stage.

Date: 6June. Time: 9:00 - 14:00.

Clean-up of Moreleta: This is a great opportunity to step up and come and help us clean this beautiful piece of land. Starts at 9:00. Bags and gloves will be supplied by Plasfed.
Please note: Kiddies workshop after the clean up - how to make stuff from clean trash!

Afterwards - please join us for music, fun and interactive demos, interesting green tips, also a variety of green (eco, organic, natural and recycled) products and more.

Dont forget to bring your CLEAN, DRY and SORTED RECYCLABLES! We take Papaer, Plastic, Polystyrene, Tetrapaks, tin cans, Glass and e-waste (any old and broken CD's, Tapes, Cellphones, computers, haridryers, Ink Cartridges and any other electronic devices). Dont just throw your trash away and forget about it....Recycle it and know that you are doing something good to help our planet!

Interested in joining our friendly green exhibitors? We still need more awesome green products like:
- Organic fresh produce like veggies and fruits
- Organic/free range eggs, milk, meat, cheeses etc.
- Furniture, accessories, clothes, art and so much more - made from recycled materials.
- Alternative medicines
and so much more. Any eco-friendly, organic, natural and recycled products! This is a great way to get your foot in the 'Green' Door of business opportunities so hurry up and book your space at the Green Market! For more info please email your requests to greenmelilly@gmail.com.

So come on bring your family and spend your day learning things on how to help yourself live healthier and your planet.

Just a quick update!

Hi there my Green Market friends. Apart from the flu that tackled me down to the ground, we have decided to cancel the 2 of May's event. We have thought it best to do so as the long weekends are messing around with our plans.

Thus, this is a great opportunity to stock up on all your green products and start making your recycled arts and crafts for our next event on the 6th of June.

We need - Upcycled furniture, clothes, accessories, art etc. It can be made from recycled things like recyclable trash, old clothes, furniture, accessories and anything old that you can reuse. The Green Market really wants to grow this recycled, reused, upcycled category, so come on - help us out. Apart from that - what we also really need is fresh organic herbs, fruits and veggies. Very important. :)

One of our visions for the Green Market is to be a one of a kind event where people can come and learn more about starting your journey on going green ( through talks, workshops and demonstrations), where they can come and enjoy the day while listening to music setting the atmosphere, shopping for amazing green goodies (from organic and natural skincare, solar products, organic and natural foods and drinks, worm farms, green garden and home products, recycled arts and products made from recycled materials to eco baby products and so much more) and also rediscovering nature and the importance of life.

We also saw a great need for education on recycling. For these next events in 2009 we are focussing on educating people on the basics of recycling - how to, what to, where to and why to recycle. There is a great need for recycling services but people aren't willing to take control and start innitiatives in their communities and because of that we are dragging this issue behind and nothing gets solved. If you are interested in maybe starting a recycling service in your neighbourhood, your complex etc and you need more info on how to start, please get in contact with us - we know people who can help... :) Recycling is very important and if we are not gonna do something about it - no one will. Take control.

For more info on how to join our exhibitors, if you'd like to send us suggestions or ideas or if you want to discuss future opportunities etc., please feel free to email us on greenmelilly@gmail.com

4 April - Reduce.Reuse.Recycle.

We need you! This event on the 4th of April needs to educate people on recycling (what, where, why and how). It also needs to show people what they can do with their old, br0ken trash/appliances/clothes etc. We call on all artists/entrepreneurs to come and display/sell their creative arts and products made from recycled/old/broken trash!

1. We need clothes that's creatively redesigned from old stuff
2. Furniture upcycled or designed from trash, broken furniture, etc.
3. Accessories like hats, shoes, jewelry, decor etc
4. Art
5. New ideas, gadgets, designs made from trash or old broken things.

And so much more. There are no limitations! It only needs to be created from no less than 75% recycled/old stuff!

We also need companies/individuals that can help us out with speeches on the recycling topic; recycling companies that can give more info on the day on how to, where to, and why to recycle; creative demos on anything regarding the topic; or any other great opportunity that will fit in and educate people on the three R's - REDUCE.REUSE.RECYCLE!

For more info, or if you'd like to send us your ideas or chat to us about your opportunity, please phone us on 083 562 5249 or email us on greenmelilly@gmail.com

P.s. For more ideas on stuff to make from recycled trash..please go check out the Green Market group on facebook.

Products we need at the Green Market.

The Green Market is an event that is held every first Saturday of the month and we need more support from businesses selling green products. Big and small, entrepreneurs and artists. We need to raise awareness on greener living and without you guys we wont be able to do that. This event will advertise your business and you will also get great opportunities to network with similar minded people.

Please see this list of products we are looking for:

1. Food & Drinks - All these products need to be Organic or natural(without preservatives, artificial colourants and flavours and also minimally processed), homemade/factory produced/raw/local, healthy, allergen free. * Pickled or fresh Olives, chillies and other veggies. Fruits and nuts etc. * Raw honey, jams, syrups etc. * Sauces, fresh herbs or dry herbs and spices, spreads * Fresh Breads * Free range Eggs * Free range, organic meats * Cheeses, milk, butter * Cakes, sweets, muffins, bakes goods and pastries * Cordials, smoothies, coffee, tea, wine, beer * Dried fruits without preservatives. * Cereals, granolas, muesli * Pastas, rice, flour * Ice creams, yoghurt, cream * Sugar and other sweeteners
2. Organic, Natural, vintage and upcycled clothes and accesories.
* Example of fabrics - hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, sugar cane, jute etc. * Upcycle means - taking old clothes and sproosing it up with peaces of ribbon, paint, any cool stuff, to give it new life.
3. Recycled arts/crafts or products made from recycled materials.
* Stuff made from scrap metal, recycled junk, old clothes, old broken appliances, tools etc. like jewelry, hats, bags, shoes... Anything you would normally throw away. Made from 75-100% recycled materials. * Eco/tree free/non toxic art materials, tags and cards
4. Energy saving and water saving products. * Example - solar gadgets, geysers, panels etc. And water purifiers, grey water systems, wind turbines, solar cookers, chargers etc.
5. Green building products etc. * Eco-friendly paints, non toxic. * Eco insulation * Any eco interior or exterior finishes or decor
6. Eco Garden and home products etc. * Organic compost and fertilizers. * Natural, eco pest control * Worm bins, compost bins * Bee keeping * Green Landscaping services * Permaculture * Indigenous plants, seeds, trees etc * Eco furniture - made from eco materials or recycled stuff * Eco fabrics and accessories * Eco toilets and toilet papers * Rugs and matts * Kitchen products - cleaning products, detergents, soaps, cloths etc.
7. Eco-friendly/Organic/Natural/handmade Body, hair and skin products. * Make-up, lotions, dyes, fae creams, oils, bath salts, foams, soaps, toothpastes, shampoos, etc.
8. Eco Kids and baby products. * Nappies, lotions, foods, toys and accessories

* Eco candles - Example Soy or beeswax, soot free, cotton or paper wicks, non toxic.
* Eco incense
* Eco pet accessories, organic/fresh/natural pet food and pet health products
* Natural and alternative medicines/health.
* Eco/biodegradable packaging - eco shopping bags, food packaging, travel bags etc.
* New books printed on recycled paper/waterbased, lead free inks etc or about green issues.. Second hand books canbe about any topic.
* Eco/Nature/Planet DVD's
* Eco travel/transport and accommodation.

This list is just an example of what we need. If there is anything that i did not mention, please feel free to email and ask us if your idea will fit in. Any products at the Green Market first needs to be approved before it can be allowed at our events. Every month we will also have a themed event and we really need people in their individual fields to help us with things like demonstrations, workshops, speeches on green topics, competitions etc. Please help us out. We can always discuss a great deal. You do something for us and we can do something for you in return...a great way to exchange positive energy.

7 March - A great success!

Well, our third event was a great success! We had quite a number of people visiting us on the day. Some enjoying a picnic with the family under the trees around the event, some dancing in front of the stage to Andries Bruyns (aka Godfather Didge) and the UFO's and some snacking on the lovely food thingies at the event. Dont forget the Nia group that also had a group of fans dancing around on the grass. Children ran around with painted faces done by Annarie "the lap pop" and others joined the Earth buddies at our demo station where they learned more about the worm farm. We had a great variety of food products like organic or natural olives, chillies, and pickled veggies, jams, organic vinegars, raw honeys, sweets, muffins, yummy sandwiches, cakes etc. Organic coffee, tea and cooldrink were served to the thirsty people. Other products available were organic composts, ethanol lamps, solar panels, eco baby products, second hand books and toys, natural cleaning agents, recycled scrap metal arts and crafts, raffia products and so much more.

Our recycling station and the E-waste container outside in the parking lot, was again supported by a few people. Thanks so much! We really need more support as we need to get those bins filled up at each event. So come on people start recycling. We need your trash to help keep it out our landfills. As soon as more people start supporting recycling everywhere, the sooner it will get more convenient and easier to recycle near you.

Well, our next event is on the 4th of April and we would love to theme the event as Reduce.Reuse.Recycle. We call on all talented artists to come and sell/promote their recycled arts/crafts/products at this event and show people what can be done with their old stuff or trash that they love to just throw away everyday. Upcycled clothes, arts and crafts, accessories and so much more. We need you! For more info or if you would like to discuss a great opportunity with us for our next event, please email us at greenmelilly@gmail.com.