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November, December & January |
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Pork and game are at their best and cheaper cuts like shoulder of pork (with some root vegetables, apples and cider) make for some tasty, comforting casseroles.
You’ll find all the ingredients for a quick ploughman’s lunch at most Farmers' Markets - some good local cheese or ham, crusty bread, butter, pickles, chutneys and a crunchy apple.
Late Autumn and Winter is the season for game – venison, pheasant, grouse are all plentiful. If you aren’t sure about how to cook game – just the stallholder for some tips, or try something easy like venison sausages.
It’s lovely to see sprout stalks on sale again. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks and celeriac cooked, mixed with crème fraiche and whole grain mustard and topped with a cheese crumble make an easy lunch or supper dish.
Order your locally raised turkey, duck or chicken early from producers listed on the website.
We hope you will be enjoying a locally produced Christmas dinners and please encourage friends and neighbours to come along to a Farmers' Market for some stress-free Christmas shopping. |
Give someone a farmers' market this Christmas!
A gift subscription to become a Friend of North East Farmers' Markets includes:
- four newsletters a year
- the offer of exclusive trips to visit local producers
- access to the private Friends section of this website
- the opportunity to get involved in a local farmers' market
- and the chance to meet other people interested in local food
and if you want to specify which particular NEEFM member market to benefit from the Friends subscription, you or the recipient can.
   
 
Just make a cheque for £10 out to “North East England Farmers Markets” and send to Kathryn Potts at:
2, Kareith Drive, High Newton by the Sea, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 3DH
Choose your card and we’ll send it to you or if let us know the name and address of the intended recipient we’ll send it direct to them.
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August, September & October in NE England |
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If you want to eat food when it tastes its best chose what is in season and for freshness buy at your local Farmers' Markets. Eating what is in season also gives you a variety of different tastes, textures and colours throughout the year.
This is the harvest season and time to enjoy North East produce at its best .... look for hill lamb, honey, tomatoes and herbs at North East England Farmers' Markets
Try some of these short and sweet combinations of local produce on sale at most local Farmers' Markets for late summer eating –
• Beetroot, goat’s cheese and parsley
• Radishes, yogurt and mint
• Peas spring onions and bacon
• Smoked haddock, horseradish and new potatoes
• Courgettes, croutons and goats cheese
• New potatoes, garlic and mackerel
• Raspberries, ginger biscuits and cream
In September grouse and pheasant are in season and venison is available all year round. Venison sausages make an easy meal served with a mash of floury potatoes with some chopped spring onion mixed in.
Look out too - for Apple Day celebrations and events in October - either attached to farmers' markets or entirely separate.
Sat Oct 22nd - a one-off Farmers' Market at Bill Quay City Farm in Gateshead to celebrate the relaunch of the farm 12noon-4pm - run by Gateshead Council. Stalls are free - contact Sam mob 0779 289 7417
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North East England Farmers' Markets |
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 NEEFM is the umbrella organisation and action resource for farmers’ markets operators in the North East. Our members are the people who run farmers’ markets.
At farmers’ markets, you will find that:
- Only local produce is sold. In the North East, we tend to define ‘local’ as within a 50 mile radius.
- People will only sell their own produce, so you can be sure of where it comes from.
- The people selling at a farmers’ market are people actually involved in producing what they are selling, so they’ll be able to answer your questions.
Farmers’ markets certified with FARMA are committed to supporting these principles, that’s why all members of NEEFM are certified (or in the process of certification) by NEEFM.
On this website, you’ll find:
- Information on the dates and venues of farmers’ markets in the North East, and also contact details for the market operators.
- News about any special events coming up at farmers’ markets.
- Information about seasonal food.
- The portal to the regional Friends of Farmers’ Market website.
NEEFM is funded by Big Lottery Fund's Local Food scheme
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May, June & July in NE England |
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There are some superb locally grown spring cabbages, late broccoli and spinach around and mixed greens go very well with smoked bacon.
Crabs, lobsters and langoustines are caught by local boats on the North East coast but are mostly whisked off to France and Italy, rarely reaching local markets.
As well as mackerel, two white fish – Pollock and coley - can be caught just off the coast. Pollock is a firm, white fish with a taste and texture like cod. Coley is largers and has a slightly offputting grey/pink colour, but has a good flavour and texture.
The hot spring should mean strawberries and raspberries will be early this year – and we’d love to see other soft fruit like gooseberries at the markets.
And - courgettes, beans and peas start to arrive in June along with a profusion of herbs. |
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