Famers' Markets
Friday 27 July 2007
Most of us buy our food in supermarkets, but did you know that every weekend there’s markets that sell fresh food direct from the farmer? And it’s cheaper and healthier too!
What are farmer’s markets?
A Farmers’ market is a market in which farmers, growers or producers from a defined local area set up stalls to sell goods they have made or grown themselves, directly to the public. All of the products that they sell have to have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the stallholder.
What’s the point?
By having a stall at one of these markets, they cut out the expense of shipping it to a supermarket.
The food at farmers’ markets is always a lot fresher than you’d find in a shop, and they’re also a lot healthier – because they’ve come straight from the farm, there are no preservatives or chemicals put in the products.
To be allowed to sell at a farmers’ market, each stall holder has to get a certificate to prove that everything they’re selling is fresh and without additives. A lot of the food is also organic, although they don’t have to be.
Where are they?
These markets happen all over the country and are usually held on a Saturday or Sunday so as many people can enjoy them as possible. They sell all kinds of things, from fresh vegetables to exotic meats you’ve probably never tried before.
The nice thing about shopping at one of these markets is that you can talk to the people who have grown the food themselves. They are more than happy to tell you how it was grown, where everything is from and even give you advice on how to cook what you’ve bought! Famers markets tend to be really friendly sociable places.
What else do they sell?
Farmer's markets are a perfect place to try new food that you may have never heard of, let alone see in supermarkets. For example you couldn’t walk into your local shop and ask for the freshest in wild boar sausages, buffalo cheese, smoked eel, bison burgers and venison!
Why is it good?
Farmers’ markets benefit everybody – the farmers because they can sell directly to you and not rely on supermarkets.
The benefits to people who shop there are that you get fresh, healthy and often organic food. It’s also good for the environment because the food doesn’t have to be packaged, then shipped around the country and stored.
There are over 500 farmers markets around the country; from Scotland all the way down to the South Coast. You can find you nearest one by using the search part of the official farmers’ market website.
