On a bright sunny morning I’m here in the heart of Banbury
for the monthly farmers’ meeting where there appears to be a good range of food
stalls. It was my intention to take a
few photos on this first visit only but….taking note of certain stalls ad
products that were familiar, I began to greet well-known friendly stallholders.
I’m drawn irresistibly towards the flower stall of UGM
Nurseries bright with plants and blooms for the house and garden and manning
the stall is market manager Leo McCallum…
Of course, it’s unthinkable not to chatter, to ask how their
stall sales have done recently and discover which other market venues they have
visited and talk to those who make and create their own produce, learning about
their methods and ideas for taking their particular range further.
New stallholders will always want to ask me why I’m pointing
my camera at their produce, asking about what they sell and where else they
pitch their stall and I’m ready to explain my great greediness for eating,
cooking and talking about food and why I write about my regular visits to all
kinds of markets and events. I really do
find food fascinating and I’m always hungry for a new food experience, unusual ingredient,
herb or spice.
I leave the brightness of the flower stall to chat to Roger Styan,
another member of the well-known Styan Family Produce business for vegetables
and fruit.......
I often buy from another
family stall at Deddington’s Farmers’ Market finding their veggies very
acceptable. Recently Roger was at Banbury’s
Food Festival selling their new seasons plums with two different varieties for
tasting which was just great.....
To the stall of New Creation Farm for apples and juice, heritage
fruit jams and other fruits and the different varieties they bring to ones
market experience……
Next to view the venison at Wild Venison with game butchered
and supplied by W.F.D.M. Ltd through Denshams Butchers of Witney, whose produce
I’ve met and bought before from Charlbury
Farmers’ Market……
To the stall of Scrumptious Catering for their savoury
Arancini, which are breadcrumb coated and fried stuffed balls of savoury rice
and scotch eggs with their regular sausage meat and breadcrumb coating, both of
which are delicious. Now either of these
items would contribute to a great plate of food for any family meal, eaten as a
snack item or for a quick working lunch…… We had an interesting discussion on
the difficulties and vagaries of item production which connected with my own
fudge and jam production days. We were
to meet up again soon at the next Charlbury Farmers’ Market on Saturday 12th
September, an event to be looked forward too, for its quarterly meet date.
Then to the stall of Yokel for “The only fruit yogurt made
with just fruit and yogurt, with no added sugar, added colouring or added
starch”; a new product to me which, of course, I had to sample and then buy a
pot for a sweet home treat …….I regularly eat yogurt and normally buy from the
range of Arla Lactofree products as I have a small sensitivity to the lactose
in dairy products but an occasional whole milk item presents no problem!......
To the fish stall of Selsey Shellfish Direct for its crabs
and lobster which I was proudly shown for photograph inspection by Keith
Birkett ……and magnificent specimens they were too…
Next to meet up with Katie of Q Gardens Fruit Farms of
Abingdon who are “the largest fruit farm in Oxfordshire and the home to the Harwell
Cherry” about which particular fruit I know nothing at all, which leaves me
wanting to know more. I previously met
Katie at Deddington’s Farmers’ Market in August when I bought a carton of their
dark and juicy blackberries, which were truly gorgeous..........
Another new stall at Fowlers Cheese - Fowlers Forest Dairies
Ltd., Small Lane, Earlswood, Warwickshire B94 5EL. Tel: 01564 702329, with their wide range of
farm-produced and farm shop cheese sales
whose purveyor was keen for me to know of their long and ancient history of cheese
making as the oldest listed cheese maker; who was also interested to know my
identity and reasons for quizzing him about his product stall. Their product is sold at very many monthly
and weekly markets and I feel sure we will meet up again soon for the dear SO
is particularly fond of all kinds of different cheese.......
I also catch up with the stallholders of The Old Farmhouse Bakery.....
19Gales for all manner of delicious
bakes and pies, who I also meet at Deddington’s Farmers’ Market
The Meat Joint for their great range of meat cuts, sausages, burgers and faggots, which I get to sample today and also often at Adderbury Community Food Market and at Deddington Farmers’ Market; they can also offer a home delivery service too....
And Brookleas Fish Farm too
Also....Sufi Spice...but ..OMGoodness...I seem not to have a photo to add to my Post....
I enjoyed a great visitor
experience at Banbury’s Farmers’ Market and I shall visit again soon but,
unfortunately, not in October, for my kitchen is now full of elderberries, apples
and rhubarb which need turning into jellies and jams for the Christmas store cupboard
and beyond......
I have to confess the autumn
harvest has rather overtaken the blogging and writing and it needs to be dealt
with ASAP and, of course, there are other events and markets to be visited and
home chores to be done…..and it’s good to be occupied but…..
Happy market visiting everywhere.
Margaret xxx
