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Customers are flocking to farmers’ markets where they can be certain not only what the meat they are buyin g is, but also where it comes from. Because – of course – at a farmers’ market, you are face to face with the person involved in rearing, baking, brewing, pickling or otherwise producing the food that you are buying.
So – whether it’s a beefsteak pie, a lamb burger, venison sausages or a shoulder joint or pork – you can be sure that the meat you are getting is what the label says. Just ask the producer on the stall. |
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Spring is (nearly) in the air – with snowdrops, crocuses and (soon) daffodils making a showing. Spring lambs are in the fields (though they won’t reach the farmers’ markets until September) – and North East farmers’ markets are putting on a whole range of events:
Thursday 15th March – An array of beautiful flowers and culinary ideas to treat your mother on Mothering Sunday (18th) at Durham City Farmers Market in the Market Place - 9am – 3:30pm
Friday 16th March – Darlington town centre: a local chef be cooking with food bought at the farmers’ market – showing just what can be done with this great produce! 9am-3:30pm
Sunday 25th March - Mad March Hares and Easter Bunnies with face  painting, Easter bonnets and Easter egg painting competition at Middleton in Teesdale Farmers' Market – 10am to 3pm
Easter Saturday 7th April - Spring cookery demonstration at Barnard Castle Farmers' Market on The Cobbles – 9:30am to 3pm
But there’s no truth in the rumour that Easter Bunny Pie will be served up at Morpeth Farmers’ Market also on Easter Saturday
NEEFM is also doing its bit to help would-be producers start-up this Spring by running a series of “Cash from Your Kitchen” workshops drawing on customer research at specific markets – the first couple are 28th February (Gibside) and 20th March (Alnwick & Morpeth) |
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Allotment Association raises almost £200 at Saltburn Farmers’ Market
Glorious autumn sunshine brought shoppers out in force to Saltburn Farmers’ Market on Saturday (12 Nov), and helped the town’s Allotment Association raise almost £200 after their special winter warming soup sold out before lunchtime.
 Allotment Association secretary Sue Featherstone said: “We’ve had a fantastic day, and made a profit of just short of £200 from our regular monthly stall.
“This was largely thanks to sales of our delicious Farmers’ Market soups, both of which sold out before lunchtime.
“And while people were waiting to be served, they also took time to see what else we had to offer on our stall.
“This included chutneys and jams made from allotment holders’ ingredients, fresh vegetables picked on the morning of the Market itself, and some lovely mossy baskets filled with winter flowers.
“The mossy baskets were made by learners from our ‘Grow & Learn’ allotment garden training course, and funds raised from their sale will go towards next year’s course. The rest of our profits will go to benefit our plotholders.
“We currently have 160 allotments, with at least two-thirds of each garden used solely to grow fresh fruit & veg, and I think the Farmers’ Market is a great place to come and buy good quality locally produced seasonal food.”
Market organiser Lorna Jackson said:
“It’s been a wonderful day. The sun shone and showed the Market at its best, and the atmosphere was absolutely fantastic all day long.”
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It’s harvest-time! Now is the time of year when the wealth and variety of local produce is at its greatest. British Food Fortnight (Sept 17th – Oct 2nd) sets the scene, but here in the North East, we celebrate with a succession of Food and Eating Festivals:
Berwick Food Festival, organised by the Berwick Slow Food Group is on the weekend 10th and 11th Sept – but remember to support the farmers’ market at the end of the month (Sunday 25th Sept) too!
The Alnwick Food Festival kicks off with Alnwick farmers’ market on Friday 23rd Sept being extended through till 3pm, and the Food Festival promises a full programme of entertainment on 24th and 25th September
Hexham Eating Festival organised by Hexham Community Partnership and Transition Tynedale is in its third year, and coincides with the start of Hexham Abbey Festival, on 24th Sept with Hexham farmers’ market joining in the celebration.
Then moving into October…
The Wallington Food & Craft Festival is on Oct 15th and 16th
and Durham Food Festival, supported by Durham Markets, is on Oct 22nd and 23rd following on from the farmers’ market on Thursday 20th Oct.
And remember – while the big Food Festivals come round once a year, your local farmers’ market is a mini-local food festival in itself, and is on all year round.
The North East doesn’t have a huge reputation for growing apples – but with more and more community orchards being planted in the region – including Durham, Jesmond, Wark, Wooler, Alnwick and Lowick – we can justifiable celebrate Apple Day, which is Oct 21st.
Look out for Apple Day events – with juicing, longest peel competition and a display of local apple varieties – at Durham Farmers’ Market on 20th October and Alnwick Farmers’ Market on 28th October. And check the Common Ground website to see if there is an event near you. |
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Our New Markets aren’t Jittery |
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Unlike the global currency markets, farmers’ markets operators in the North East aren’t feeling jittery – if the appearance of three new pilot markets this year is anything to go by.
Northern Dales Farmers’ Markets have decided to run Yarm farmers’ market monthly after a successful trial in July. Alastair Davy says:
“Following the success of the pilot last month, Yarm farmers’ market will be held is on the second Sunday of each month. There will be a wide choice of products with over 22 stalls present at the market which is situated in the middle of Yarm High Street.”
Meanwhile Amble market is being trialled on the first Sunday of the month from May to September (inclusive). Sandy Higson, the ‘Mad Jam Woman’, who was commissioned to organise the farmers’ market by Amble Development Trust, says:
“The market is going really well so far, with a lot of interest both from producers and from local people in Amble.”
And Sunderland City Council is running their own market this summer on the third Friday of the month, after earlier trials with a contractor.
Last year’s trial markets have also returned this year. In Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Robert Hindhaugh is organising a market on the second Saturday of the month May-September (inclusive) for Newbiggin Town Council – with an extra one at the town’s St Bartholemew’s Fair on 27th August.
And Lorna Jackson of Food First is making a great success of the Stockton farmers’ market on behalf of Stockton Borough Council. Following a successful trial in 2010, she’s been pulling in big crowds on the fourth Saturday of the month since May, and looks set to do so through till Christmas, though the market is taking a break in August. |
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