Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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gil
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Setting up a farmers market - Pt1 the trial runAnyone else on here been involved in doing something like this ?
A group of us locally are working on the idea. Visited Orton Farmers Market to see an example of good practice. Having a trial run in a couple of weekends' time (13th May), with another planned for pre-Xmas.
Anything we should bear in mind / good ideas ?
What do you like to see/eat/buy at a Farmers Market ?
What's been missing from any you've been at ?
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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Parking! I've given up going to the one in Witney as there is literally nowhere to park as it brings in extra cars. Victim of its own success really. Sadly if I see the signs advertising it I know to avoid town on that day as I'd just be driving round and round with little chance of finding a space.
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gil
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Parking is something we have to address if the market takes off, though there is space on the streets around the hall.
Apparently some of the Orton residents feel like you do, even though a field has now been provided for parking. Lazy folk prefer to park on the main street.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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I don't mind where I park but the standard car parks on market day are full by 9.30am (the earliest I can reasonably get there) there is no additional parking to allow for the fact its FM day, and driving round and round is pointless - sadly there isn't a bus alternative.
Sorry, didn't mean to concentrate soley on parking.
When I have gone (and sometimes there is the odd space in Sainsbury's carpark - there's an irony) its always struck me that as its a more sociable kind of shopping there ought to be refreshments and tables for folk to socialise and gossip, well if the weather was nice anyways. We use to have a mini shop thing on a Thursday at a local church where I use to live and the vicar was always at one of the tables for a chat. I thought that was a good and visible social thing; there if anyone wanted to talk about something. Could see that being of use to other community leaders or similar
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bernie-woman
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One of the stumbling blocks we came across was identifying a source of usable electricity for chiller cabinets.
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toggle
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I've got 2 farmer's markets on saturday morning, about equally easy to get to. The reason I go mainly to one rather than the other is:
1. it provides a better price range. I can't afford premium organic everything, I can afford locally produced and tastes better than asda's veggies. I can afford 80p cabbages. I cannot afford a fiver on a small bag of organic mixed salad greens.
2. good sausages are nice, but there are other meaty things that would be good as well, apart from £30 roasting joints and 3 thin slices of streaky bacon for £2. Someone who will sell me a WHOLE chicken that actually tastes of something is essential.
3. game, it's near impossible to get game in london. so having a stall selling is it a bonus
4. hot food is nice, but i prefer stuff i can take home and cook myself. And please tell stallholders that nothing ruins a good burger faster than cheapest supermarket buns.
5. someone selling english apples, preferably for more than a few months of the year, can give me a nice variety, including bramleys and loads of small, snack size apples for the kids. This has got to be the biggest draw for me, because I love english apples and haven't eaten imported ones since i found this stall 4 years ago.
6, you will ahve some producers that come in every second weekend, or the first of each month. Make sure you can give a leaflet out of when you are expecting these people as well as saying which producers will be there all the time.
Another thing to add is work out whether you are a farmers market or a farmer's and other sutff market. Decide whether you will allow imported produce, because ti's organic and whether someone is going to be allowed to sell imported handicrafts, whether made by a certified organic, women's refuge, commune, or not.
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Northern_Lad
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| toggle wrote: | | 5. someone selling english apples, preferably for more than a few months of the year, can give me a nice variety, including bramleys and loads of small, snack size apples for the kids. This has got to be the biggest draw for me, because I love english apples and haven't eaten imported ones since i found this stall 4 years ago. |
Ah, see, now, I think it's a good thing not to be able to get apples for 6 months of the year. My supplier brings the apples out as and when they're ready which means that each month there's something different to try. Any that are part their best, or just not up to saleable quality, get turned into cider.
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toggle
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the last batch I got a few weeks ago were pretty good, perhaps not as good as straight off the tree, but still a huge cut above what I could get from asda. They are definately not selling goods past their best or not of salable quality in my books, or in the books of the large number of people who queue up every weekend to get their apples.
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gil
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Just got back from our trial run farmers, producers and craft market. Went pretty well for a first attempt.
We had a group of farmers from Orton market, plus local ones (so a range of meats, poultry and eggs), a local 'celebrity' chef, a local fruit grower/plant nursery, some fruit/veg, country wines, handknits, jewellery, soap, secondhand books, and various others.
Also a hot homemade soup stall; and a cafe area selling teas and home baking by the local rural womens group.
Good turnout from the public, and positive feedback from them. They were asked to fill in quick 3-question form as they left :
1. What did you think of the event today ?
2. Do you think there is scope for the town to have one regularly ?
3. Would you get involved in helping to organise ?
Responses tended to be 1. great 2. yes 3.no.
Had advance coverage in the local press, but not on the day itself.
Parking was sufficient.
We could (and will) do a lot better next time. 
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