What is a Farmers' Market?
A Farmers' Market is one in which farmers, growers or producers from a defined local area are present in person to sell their own produce, direct to the public. All products sold should have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the stallholder.
What's the difference between these markets and any other?
The public can be confident of the origins of the foods, ask questions and get closer to the sources of local foods. The producers get valuable feed-back from customers. Farmers' Markets are for all kinds of food producers and offer a low-cost opportunity for many farmers who have not 'sold direct' before. Farmers' markets are the all about the availability of home grown foods. They are the British farming industry's most high-profile shop-window.
In Northumberland, there are regular farmers' markets held in Alnwick, Berwick, Greenhead, Hexham, Morpeth and Ponteland - and through the summer at Lindisfarne and at Rothbury.
The selection of produce available at a Farmers' Market will clearly vary with location and season. Customers shopping at farmers’ markets can get reconnected with the seasonality of food and re-learn to enjoy fresh, tasty produce in season.
Farmers’ markets aim for an atmosphere which is vibrant, upbeat and fun, helping to re-vitalise town centres and to make shopping a sociable and enjoyable experience.
Reliable farmers’ markets quickly become part of customers’ regular shopping habits – they can plan their shopping knowing that they can get much of what they need at the farmers’ market. Many producers rapidly get to know regular customers who will place orders to be collected at the market.
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