Justin Newcombe comes up with a nifty solution to the weighty problem of getting goodies home from the markets.
I love to shop at the local markets on a Sunday morning; it's the closest thing to shopping in Asia I can find in New Zealand. The produce is fresh, (or else you just go to the stall next door) it's cheap and there are always new ingredients to try.
Until now I have used a big shoulder bag to carry everything around in, so I've become used to buying the heavier things like kumara and carrots first and the more delicate things like cress and fresh herbs on my way out. A cart, on the other hand, protects things a little more and makes lighter work of what can become a considerable weight.
Most of the carts I see used by seasoned market-goers are lighter than the plywood construction of mine, but the sturdier construction of mine offers more protection to the contents and the curved timber handle is aesthetically very pleasing. I sloped the lid away from the handle. To keep the cart practical I've made a folding handle and have added side handles to make it easier to lift in and out of the car. To make it lighter still you could build it using thinner ply (4mm marine ply) but I wanted to round all the edges so I went for the heavier 12mm ply.
I also began building a separate section to attach to the bottom and house the wheels but abandoned the idea as it was totally unnecessary.