Community rallies to support producers

The community has rallied to support producers devastated by the snap lockdown and cancellation of this weekend’s Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival. They have bought about $10,000 worth of produce and will collect it tomorrow at Dayboro and Samford.

Samford and Dayboro REKO Ring spokeswoman Jackie Hinchey said the groups’ Facebook pages have been busy all day with offers of help. The Samford group has picked up 200 more members in the past six hours.

Many local producers were onsite when the snap three-day lockdown was announced and the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival had to close just minutes after opening.

Since then, the active community of producers and supporters has been busy to ensure the produce picked, farmed and grown for this year’s festival did not go to waste.

So, tomorrow customers will collect the produce they have purchased online from two pick-up points in a COVID-Safe drive-thu like no other.

Orders will be collected from Samford State School carpark from 9-10am and Railway Pde, Dayboro, from 10.30-11.30am.

“The sense of community has been pretty special,” Jackie says.

“It will probably be the biggest REKO pick-up ever. We will have more producers and more pick-up customers than we’ve ever had before.

“The vibe has been that ‘we want to help you guys’.”

Jackie says that was also the vibe on the ground at the festival as organisers broke the news and helped vendors pack up, just minutes after opening.

“They (Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism - MBRIT) are an incredible events team. Between the MBRIT events team and the Moreton Bay community who have spread our shout-out this morning … Moreton Bay can be really proud of its community.”

A large amount of produce has been sold, but to find out what’s left visit the Samford REKO Ring and Dayboro REKO Ring Facebook pages.

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