This weekend, as I exhausted my Stuff White People Like quota – visiting the Kelvin Grove Farmers Markets [#5], supporting a local artisan [#49], downloading an episode of This American Life [#44] and generally raising my awareness [#18] – it made me wonder how many fellow Brisbaneites might have done the same.

There are more and more people visiting the Kelvin Grove Urban Village on a Saturday morning to buy fresh produce, which truly warms the cockles. Just knowing those farmers are toiling away in the field all week, rising at the crack of dawn on the weekend and shuffling around all day in a stifling market stall so that the good people of the BrizVegas inner north won’t starve, makes me feel so, well, white. And doesn’t it feel good ?!

The central market thoroughfare, crowded with bobos carrying tote bags bulging with thai basil and fresh galangal, comes alive with music and the sounds of coffee discussion. To jostle with fellow customers, glistening with the perspiration of do-gooding and caffeine, in order to get the most organic-looking pineapple from Narangba is a great way to while away a morning. And of course, everyone knows not to patronise the Asian sellers who have obviously just bought up big at Rocklea and are flogging exorbitantly priced, poor quality fruit. They’re not the true celebrated heros of our beloved farmers markets.

What often goes unnoticed is the behind the stalls work. Here is where the children of the Asian vendors crouch over styrofoam boxes, artfully sorting the cherries and the plums with fingers swift from hours of piano practice. Lucky are the children who work for their education, for they will inherit the wealth. No doubt those kids are already in line to be full-fee paying students at UQ, so although we’re not quite fiddling while Rome burns, we self-satisfied bobos are certainly eating well while we drive our Prius’ and look forward to a carbon-taxed future.