| Farmers Markets |
Farmers markets are the finest places to source your fresh fruit and vegetables, along with your meat, home baking and even arts and
crafts in the United Kingdom. Farmers markets are governed by very strict rules and regulations that ensure that any food you purchase
comes from farmers, growers, suppliers and producers all located within a small radius of the farmers markets themselves. This
ensures that you can be certain you are eating only locally sourced, environmentally friendly foodstuffs that have a minimum carbon
footprint; straight from the fields to your plate! Farmers markets are an excellent way to get to know your local merchants; not only will
farmers themselves attend the markets but many smokers, butchers, bakers and various other trades will also attend so you can sample
some of the finest tasting and highest quality foods available.
If you wish to be more aware of the origins of your foods then farmers markets are the perfect place for you to shop. You can provide the
sellers with valued feedback about their produce and develop a rapport with local suppliers and providers of food, and if you are health
conscious then you will find farmers markets will quickly become must visit destinations on your weekly shop. If you have any queries or
questions about the items you are purchasing you can ask the person who grew or reared the food personally, there are no middle-men
or global corporations preventing you from finding out more about the food that you eat and feed to your friends and family.
You can also be certain that your food is healthy and fresh, and not full of artificial preservatives to keep it fresh on the shelves for longer.
Many farmers who attend markets are fully certified as providers of organic produce; however even if the food you are purchasing is not
organic you can rest assured that it is as wholesome and healthy as it can possibly be and best of all you will be supporting your local
economy by purchasing from farmers markets.
These markets are the healthy, fresh, vibrant and colourful shop front for local farmers and providers across the United Kingdom.
The Green Shopping Guide has compiled a concise county list for England, Scotland and Wales.
Pleas click on the relevant county and a new window will open to reveal details of farmers markets held there including locations, times,
dates and contact details.
crafts in the United Kingdom. Farmers markets are governed by very strict rules and regulations that ensure that any food you purchase
comes from farmers, growers, suppliers and producers all located within a small radius of the farmers markets themselves. This
ensures that you can be certain you are eating only locally sourced, environmentally friendly foodstuffs that have a minimum carbon
footprint; straight from the fields to your plate! Farmers markets are an excellent way to get to know your local merchants; not only will
farmers themselves attend the markets but many smokers, butchers, bakers and various other trades will also attend so you can sample
some of the finest tasting and highest quality foods available.
If you wish to be more aware of the origins of your foods then farmers markets are the perfect place for you to shop. You can provide the
sellers with valued feedback about their produce and develop a rapport with local suppliers and providers of food, and if you are health
conscious then you will find farmers markets will quickly become must visit destinations on your weekly shop. If you have any queries or
questions about the items you are purchasing you can ask the person who grew or reared the food personally, there are no middle-men
or global corporations preventing you from finding out more about the food that you eat and feed to your friends and family.
You can also be certain that your food is healthy and fresh, and not full of artificial preservatives to keep it fresh on the shelves for longer.
Many farmers who attend markets are fully certified as providers of organic produce; however even if the food you are purchasing is not
organic you can rest assured that it is as wholesome and healthy as it can possibly be and best of all you will be supporting your local
economy by purchasing from farmers markets.
These markets are the healthy, fresh, vibrant and colourful shop front for local farmers and providers across the United Kingdom.
The Green Shopping Guide has compiled a concise county list for England, Scotland and Wales.
Pleas click on the relevant county and a new window will open to reveal details of farmers markets held there including locations, times,
dates and contact details.
England
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Bristol
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cleveland
Cornwall
County Durham
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
East Sussex
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire
Herefordshire
Hertfordshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
London
Manchester
Merseyside
Middlesex
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Northumberland
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Rutland
Shropshire
Somerset
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Tyne and Wear
Warwickshire
West Midlands
West Sussex
Wiltshire
Worcestershire
Yorkshire
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Bristol
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cleveland
Cornwall
County Durham
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
East Sussex
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire
Herefordshire
Hertfordshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
London
Manchester
Merseyside
Middlesex
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Northumberland
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Rutland
Shropshire
Somerset
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Tyne and Wear
Warwickshire
West Midlands
West Sussex
Wiltshire
Worcestershire
Yorkshire
Please Note: If there are any counties not included above, this is because I have yet to find a Farmers Market for that county.
If you know of any Farmers markets that are not listed PLEASE let us know and we will add the listing.
We would also greatly appreciate being advised of any changes to dates, contact details and locations in order that we can keep the
informaton up to date.
If you know of any Farmers markets that are not listed PLEASE let us know and we will add the listing.
We would also greatly appreciate being advised of any changes to dates, contact details and locations in order that we can keep the
informaton up to date.
Seasonal Food Calendar
January: Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, forced rhubarb, leeks, parsnips, turnip, shallots, squash goose, lobster, scallops
February: Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory, forced rhubarb, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips, spinach, swede, turnip mussels,
halibut, guinea fowl, lobster
March: Beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, mint, mooli, parsley, broccoli, radishes, rhubarb, sorrel sardines (fresh ones!), lobster
April: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, morel mushrooms, wild garlic, radishes, rhubarb, carrots, kale, watercress, spinach, rosemary
flowers spring lamb, cockles
May: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, gooseberries, parsley, mint, broad beans, rhubarb, new carrots, samphire, asparagus sea bass,
lemon sole, sardines, duck, sea trout
June: carrots, cherries, elderflowers, lettuce, strawberries, peppers, asparagus, redcurrants, peas, rhubarb, gooseberries, tayberries,
tomatoes, courgettes, broad beans welsh lamb, crab, salmon, grey mullet
July: carrots, gooseberries, strawberries, spinach, tomatoes, watercress, loganberries, sage, cauliflower, aubergine, fennel, asparagus,
cabbage, celery, cherries, lettuce, mangetout, nectarines, new potatoes, oyster mushrooms, peas, peaches, radish, raspberries,
rhubarb, tomatoes, French beans Trout, pilchards, clams, pike, pigeon
August: carrots, gooseberries, lettuce, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, cauliflower, aubergines, nectarines, peaches, peppers,
courgettes, rhubarb, sweetcorn, greengages, basil, peas, pears, apples, French beans, tomatoes crayfish, hare, skate, john dory
September: apples, aubergines, blackberries, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, damsons, elderberries, figs, French beans,
grapes, kale, lettuce, melons mushrooms, nectarines, onions, peppers, parsnips, peas, peaches, pears, potatoes, pumpkin,
raspberries, rhubarb, spinach, sweetcorn, tomatoes duck, venison, oysters, sea bass, grouse, mussels, partridge, wood pigeon, brown
trout
October: apples, aubergines, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, courgettes, grapes, lettuce, marrow, mushrooms, parsnips,
potatoes, squash, tomatoes, watercress guinea fowl, partridge, mussels, grouse, oysters
November: cabbage, pumpkin, swede, cauliflower, potatoes, parsnips, pears, leeks, quinces, chestnuts, cranberries, beetroot grouse,
goose
December: Celery, cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, pumpkin, beetroot, turnips, parsnips, sprouts, pears, swede wild duck,
goose, sea bass, turkey
January: Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, forced rhubarb, leeks, parsnips, turnip, shallots, squash goose, lobster, scallops
February: Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory, forced rhubarb, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips, spinach, swede, turnip mussels,
halibut, guinea fowl, lobster
March: Beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, mint, mooli, parsley, broccoli, radishes, rhubarb, sorrel sardines (fresh ones!), lobster
April: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, morel mushrooms, wild garlic, radishes, rhubarb, carrots, kale, watercress, spinach, rosemary
flowers spring lamb, cockles
May: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, gooseberries, parsley, mint, broad beans, rhubarb, new carrots, samphire, asparagus sea bass,
lemon sole, sardines, duck, sea trout
June: carrots, cherries, elderflowers, lettuce, strawberries, peppers, asparagus, redcurrants, peas, rhubarb, gooseberries, tayberries,
tomatoes, courgettes, broad beans welsh lamb, crab, salmon, grey mullet
July: carrots, gooseberries, strawberries, spinach, tomatoes, watercress, loganberries, sage, cauliflower, aubergine, fennel, asparagus,
cabbage, celery, cherries, lettuce, mangetout, nectarines, new potatoes, oyster mushrooms, peas, peaches, radish, raspberries,
rhubarb, tomatoes, French beans Trout, pilchards, clams, pike, pigeon
August: carrots, gooseberries, lettuce, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, cauliflower, aubergines, nectarines, peaches, peppers,
courgettes, rhubarb, sweetcorn, greengages, basil, peas, pears, apples, French beans, tomatoes crayfish, hare, skate, john dory
September: apples, aubergines, blackberries, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, damsons, elderberries, figs, French beans,
grapes, kale, lettuce, melons mushrooms, nectarines, onions, peppers, parsnips, peas, peaches, pears, potatoes, pumpkin,
raspberries, rhubarb, spinach, sweetcorn, tomatoes duck, venison, oysters, sea bass, grouse, mussels, partridge, wood pigeon, brown
trout
October: apples, aubergines, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, courgettes, grapes, lettuce, marrow, mushrooms, parsnips,
potatoes, squash, tomatoes, watercress guinea fowl, partridge, mussels, grouse, oysters
November: cabbage, pumpkin, swede, cauliflower, potatoes, parsnips, pears, leeks, quinces, chestnuts, cranberries, beetroot grouse,
goose
December: Celery, cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, pumpkin, beetroot, turnips, parsnips, sprouts, pears, swede wild duck,
goose, sea bass, turkey
The Advantages of Organic Food
Organic food is better quality food than commercial food, there are many reasons to eat organic food and here are just a few of the most
important ones. Take a tomato for example, commercial growing methods for tomatoes and such use pesticides to keep away their
natural enemies - to stop them destroying them. However, organic tomatoes have not had any pesticides used in their farming. In the
whole organic farmers use natural pesticides to keep their crop safe, this pesticide is safe and does not take away any quality of the
tomato. Because of the use of these pesticides in commercial farming, fresh produce UK such as tomatoes loose lots of their nutrition.
Another important reason why we should eat organic food such as organic tomatoes, is because organic food is picked when it is ripe,
unlike commercially grown food. This may seem like an fairly unimportant reason, but it is actually very important. Because the organic
food is picked when it is ripe, it gets the chance absorb all the trace minerals and vitamins from the soil, unlike commercially grown
food. What the consumer gets from a commercially grown tomato is a vegetable/fruit with very little vitamins and minerals . The
organically grown tomato in contrast is packed full of vitamins and minerals and has a taste that no commercially grown tomato can
match.
Another benefit of eating organic food is that the body can get all its needed vitamins and minerals from smaller amounts of food, there
is no need to eat lots and lots of food to get all your minerals and vitamins. There is no way that commercially grown foods could match
the amount of vitamins and minerals obtained through organically grown foods. An example of this is, an organic tomato has four times
as much vitamins and minerals than a commercial tomato. So instead of eating four commercially grown tomatoes to get your needed
vitamins and minerals , you only have to eat one organic tomato. I once read that a farmer said that an apple grown 100 years ago,
would today have been 50 times the nutritional value of a commercially grown apple. This statement may not be true but just imagine if it
is, how much more nutrition you would get from your food.
In organic farming the quality of the soil is very important. Commercial farming has very poor quality soil due to the continuous farming.
The soil is left exhausted, which means that it contains very little trace vitamins and minerals for the vegetables/fruit to absorb. This
means that the food grown in this
exhausted soil is merely just a 'food filler' and has very little nutritional vale. Commercial farmers do add commercial soil additives to
help this problem however, they can never replenish the soil of all its nutrients. One of the best ways to replenish soil with nutrients is
with kelp, this organic item works wonders to replenish the soil of its nutrients.
Why Should you go Organic?
Organic food helps the environment and enhances your quality of life.
The best way to start out with your organic food diet is to look round all your local farm shops, farmers markets and other organic shops.
Start buying and enjoying the organic food, there is a huge variety so make sure you experience it all! Buying organic food for yourself
and your family (if appropriate) you are choosing the healthiest way to nourish you and your family, and help save the environment.
Organic food offers so much more than just healthier food, grown without artificial fertilisers or pesticides, and the kind treatment of
animals, that are not pumped with antibiotics. The more you eat and buy organic food the more you will realise about how thew food is
produced, and about the
people who produce it and sell it. This will all add to the experience of cooking and eating organic food.
As you start eating and buying organic food you will become more aware of the issues surrounding commercially grown food. Like
animal welfare and environmental issues. There are other issues to be considered when buying food, think about coffee for example
and the issues surrounding it. The horrible working conditions, and issues that the coffee worker has to go through and the
environmental exploitation. When you realise the facts surrounding all these things you will be converted for life. Because when you
choose organic food you not only get a sense of well being, but you are also helping to make things better for others and for our
environment.
Organic food today is available mainstream so there is no excuse not to buy. Because of all the variety there is something out there for
everyone.
Getting Started
To begin with you don't need to switch totally to organic food to start enjoying the amazing products on offer. Whether you start with a
bunch of organic grapes from the supermarket or an organic loaf of bread, or even something from your local farmers market. This is all
positive action and will give positive feelings. There are many people who say that once you start eating organic food you wont want to go
back, because of the flavour. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the organic food front:
Every time you go shopping buy at least one organic item.
To start with buy everyday items like milk, bread, pasta and potatoes.
Buy something new every week.
Take advantage of seasonal and promotional offers.
Buy local - go to farmers markets or join local box schemes
Here are some ways you can find out about local box schemes:
Contact The Soil Association, and you can order 'The Organic Directory' which costs £7.95. This guide gives you a complete listing of all
organic suppliers, including box schemes and home delivery. Compiled and edited by Clive Litchfield in association with the Soil
Association - Tel: 0117 929 0661
Local food directories - There are local food directories published in certain areas, if you ask your local agenda 21 officer at your council
you should be able to find out if there is one for your area. You may even get advise on local box schemes.
Why not try arranging a visit to an organic farm.
You can do this through The Soil Association Organic Farms Network, Tel - 0117 929 0661
Go to your local Farmers' Market, take a look on this website to find out where they are.
Organic food is better quality food than commercial food, there are many reasons to eat organic food and here are just a few of the most
important ones. Take a tomato for example, commercial growing methods for tomatoes and such use pesticides to keep away their
natural enemies - to stop them destroying them. However, organic tomatoes have not had any pesticides used in their farming. In the
whole organic farmers use natural pesticides to keep their crop safe, this pesticide is safe and does not take away any quality of the
tomato. Because of the use of these pesticides in commercial farming, fresh produce UK such as tomatoes loose lots of their nutrition.
Another important reason why we should eat organic food such as organic tomatoes, is because organic food is picked when it is ripe,
unlike commercially grown food. This may seem like an fairly unimportant reason, but it is actually very important. Because the organic
food is picked when it is ripe, it gets the chance absorb all the trace minerals and vitamins from the soil, unlike commercially grown
food. What the consumer gets from a commercially grown tomato is a vegetable/fruit with very little vitamins and minerals . The
organically grown tomato in contrast is packed full of vitamins and minerals and has a taste that no commercially grown tomato can
match.
Another benefit of eating organic food is that the body can get all its needed vitamins and minerals from smaller amounts of food, there
is no need to eat lots and lots of food to get all your minerals and vitamins. There is no way that commercially grown foods could match
the amount of vitamins and minerals obtained through organically grown foods. An example of this is, an organic tomato has four times
as much vitamins and minerals than a commercial tomato. So instead of eating four commercially grown tomatoes to get your needed
vitamins and minerals , you only have to eat one organic tomato. I once read that a farmer said that an apple grown 100 years ago,
would today have been 50 times the nutritional value of a commercially grown apple. This statement may not be true but just imagine if it
is, how much more nutrition you would get from your food.
In organic farming the quality of the soil is very important. Commercial farming has very poor quality soil due to the continuous farming.
The soil is left exhausted, which means that it contains very little trace vitamins and minerals for the vegetables/fruit to absorb. This
means that the food grown in this
exhausted soil is merely just a 'food filler' and has very little nutritional vale. Commercial farmers do add commercial soil additives to
help this problem however, they can never replenish the soil of all its nutrients. One of the best ways to replenish soil with nutrients is
with kelp, this organic item works wonders to replenish the soil of its nutrients.
Why Should you go Organic?
Organic food helps the environment and enhances your quality of life.
The best way to start out with your organic food diet is to look round all your local farm shops, farmers markets and other organic shops.
Start buying and enjoying the organic food, there is a huge variety so make sure you experience it all! Buying organic food for yourself
and your family (if appropriate) you are choosing the healthiest way to nourish you and your family, and help save the environment.
Organic food offers so much more than just healthier food, grown without artificial fertilisers or pesticides, and the kind treatment of
animals, that are not pumped with antibiotics. The more you eat and buy organic food the more you will realise about how thew food is
produced, and about the
people who produce it and sell it. This will all add to the experience of cooking and eating organic food.
As you start eating and buying organic food you will become more aware of the issues surrounding commercially grown food. Like
animal welfare and environmental issues. There are other issues to be considered when buying food, think about coffee for example
and the issues surrounding it. The horrible working conditions, and issues that the coffee worker has to go through and the
environmental exploitation. When you realise the facts surrounding all these things you will be converted for life. Because when you
choose organic food you not only get a sense of well being, but you are also helping to make things better for others and for our
environment.
Organic food today is available mainstream so there is no excuse not to buy. Because of all the variety there is something out there for
everyone.
Getting Started
To begin with you don't need to switch totally to organic food to start enjoying the amazing products on offer. Whether you start with a
bunch of organic grapes from the supermarket or an organic loaf of bread, or even something from your local farmers market. This is all
positive action and will give positive feelings. There are many people who say that once you start eating organic food you wont want to go
back, because of the flavour. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the organic food front:
Every time you go shopping buy at least one organic item.
To start with buy everyday items like milk, bread, pasta and potatoes.
Buy something new every week.
Take advantage of seasonal and promotional offers.
Buy local - go to farmers markets or join local box schemes
Here are some ways you can find out about local box schemes:
Contact The Soil Association, and you can order 'The Organic Directory' which costs £7.95. This guide gives you a complete listing of all
organic suppliers, including box schemes and home delivery. Compiled and edited by Clive Litchfield in association with the Soil
Association - Tel: 0117 929 0661
Local food directories - There are local food directories published in certain areas, if you ask your local agenda 21 officer at your council
you should be able to find out if there is one for your area. You may even get advise on local box schemes.
Why not try arranging a visit to an organic farm.
You can do this through The Soil Association Organic Farms Network, Tel - 0117 929 0661
Go to your local Farmers' Market, take a look on this website to find out where they are.
Wales
Bridgend County Borough
Caerphilly County Borough
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion Conwy County Borough
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Monmouthshire Pembrokeshire
Powys
Swansea
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham County Borough
Bridgend County Borough
Caerphilly County Borough
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion Conwy County Borough
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Monmouthshire Pembrokeshire
Powys
Swansea
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham County Borough
Scotland
Aberdeen, City of
Aberdeenshire
Angus
Argyll and Bute
Borders
Dumfries and Galloway
Dunbartonshire
Dundee, City of
East Ayrshire Edinburgh, City of
Falkirk District
Fife
Glasgow, City of
Highland
Inverclyde
Kincardineshire
Lothian
Moray
North Ayrshire North Lanarkshire
Orkney Islands
Perth and Kinross
Renfrewshire
Shetland
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
Stirling District
Western Isles
Aberdeen, City of
Aberdeenshire
Angus
Argyll and Bute
Borders
Dumfries and Galloway
Dunbartonshire
Dundee, City of
East Ayrshire Edinburgh, City of
Falkirk District
Fife
Glasgow, City of
Highland
Inverclyde
Kincardineshire
Lothian
Moray
North Ayrshire North Lanarkshire
Orkney Islands
Perth and Kinross
Renfrewshire
Shetland
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
Stirling District
Western Isles