Farmers and producers have sold their goods at markets and direct to the public since the very beginning of agriculture – even subsistence farmers sometimes have an over-abundance of a seasonal product that needs to be sold. The modern expansion in numbers of Farmers’ Markets enables us to return to the tradition of buying fresh quality ingredients direct from the producers.

The advent of affordable home refrigeration, the spread of supermarkets with abundant cheap mass-produced foods, and the rise in global trade drew the consumer away from the tradition of buying fresh locally produced foods. During the latter half of the 20th century, it could even be said that an element of food snobbery entered into our buying habits, as packaged and prepared foods were often seen as indicating a household’s comparative levels of disposable income. Serving fresh strawberries in January, even if they did taste bland, could be the highlight of a chic dinner party! There is plenty of evidence to show that today’s children have lost the understanding of the link between the land and the food they eat – we’ve all heard anecdotal tales of children who can’t believe that milk comes from a cow, not a carton!

Today, at last, we are enjoying a reversal in the trend of distancing ourselves from the origins of our food. Each year there are more Farmers’ Markets in more towns and villages throughout Britain.

The basic rules governing most Farmers’ Markets require that the food and drink on sale is locally produced, that the stallholder is directly involved in the production process, and that any prepared dishes (such as jams & jellies, pickles and pies) must include at least one ingredient of local origin.

Now we are able to buy our foods knowing what they are and where they come from – what a delight it is to talk with the farmer, his family and his workers about their fresh produce! And the producers gain too – they get valuable feed-back from their customers.

“Farmers' markets are the embodiment of the availability of home grown foods. They are the British farming industry's most high-profile shop-window”

National Association of Farmers’ Markets
South Vaults , Green Park Station, Green Park Road, BATH BA1 1JB

Tel: 01225 787914, Fax: 01225 460840