Farmers’ markets can be the very heart of the community for those few hours they take place within the month. This is very true with the Lewes Farmers’ Market; it is full to bursting with Lewes residents, visitors from the surrounding villages and hamlets, and we even have visitors from Brighton and London! It is impossible to walk through the market without bumping into someone you know. It really is a place that is full of smiles and chatter and this creates a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

As so many people come into town for their local purchases, Lewes Farmers’ Market invites local groups, not-for-profit organisations and charities into the market to highlight local issues, promote local events and raise money for their programmes.

In June we had the Lottie Project – a local children’s growing projects available to all Lewes primary school’s Year 4 students – at the market giving away herb, flower and vegetable seedlings in return for donations towards the project. They would like to thank everyone who came and chatted and donated and are pleased to announce they have raised £122. This will go towards the cost of music project (for the children who are taking part in the Lottie Project) run by a local initiative called Moving Sounds who run workshops making music using recylced materials. The children will create songs based on their experiences of the project. Last month they were with us they raised enough money to make better the paths at the allotment.

www.commoncause.org.uk

Another group we had with us on Saturday was the Lewes Coalition, an alliance of local protest groups and residents associations,  who were collecting signatures in protest to the application to develop on Malling Brooks, a part of the Ouse floodplain. You can read more about the issue on their website, and if you haven’t signed but still wish to, they have a petition there you to sign.

www.lewescoalition.org.uk

If you are local group, not-for-profit organisation or charity and would like the opportunity to be at the market please go to my website and fill in the application form on my applications page. I advise you give me a few months notice as we are often booked up two month ahead of time.

The hungry gap is the period of time between the end of the last harvest and the beginning of the next, a time where the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables is far reduced. In the UK this hunger gap lasts from around March to June.

Of course, there are still many veggies available at this time of year, and in May we have the much longed for asparagus! Fresh and local asparagus far exceeds the varieties from foreign climes in taste and texture, and our guest stall at the farmers market sells out fast!

The joy of buying seasonal produce is highlighted with this example. The anticipation of fresh seasonal asparagus is almost as good as actually eating it! And I am already excited about the upcoming soft and cane fruit season! Eating strawberries and raspberries year round is just not satisfying. And you simply cannot beat that first smell and taste of a ripe picked raspberry….wow! It really is worth waiting for!

So, even though it is our Hungry Gap, you won’t be disappointed with the variety of vegetables we have in season throughout May (please note that not all these are available at the market in May; if they are not, then they are coming into season throughout the month).

Here are some examples of what you can find:

Early carrots
Chicory
Kale
Lettuce
New potatoes
Radishes
Salad leaves
Spinach
Swiss chard
Purple sprouting brocolli
Watercress
Spring cabbage, Spring greens and Spring onions!
Bunched beetroot
Sorrel
Early leeks
Oriental vegetables

Parsley
Chives
Thyme
Sage
Mint

And don’t forget our wild harvests. The fresh tips of nettles make a zingy tea! Why not try something new?

Wow, January was a cold one! Steel toe cap boots may be necessary for Health and Safety, but they sure are not necessary in cold weather! I think the pain alternated between my feet, and my face when the breeze got up!

A lovely stallholder took some fabulous pictures of customers and stallholders (and me – with a red nose and a brown hat with my red Hi Vis!) in hats, a fab summary of the day!

Don’t forget to come visit on Feb 7th. It’s all about love! Love Food: Love Local Food is our tag line for day!

One of the real privilages of shopping at a Farmers’ Market is the quality of the food available. Everything has been reared, grown, and produced locally, by people who are passionate about their product and who work hard to perfect it.

Many of our products have won awards and I will keep you posted as and when these awards are won.

Remember that just because a product has won an award, it does not then become more expensive! Not at all. What a privilage that we can eat award winning products at regular prices.

Last month it was Sussex High Weald Dairy’s turn.

BRITISH CHEESE AWARDS; 26 September 2008

There was a record breaking 910 cheeses entered into this year’s Awards, made by 183 British cheese makers. Less than 5 % of cheeses won GOLD AWARDS!

High Weald Dairy received 6 Awards. 

1. Organic Ashdown Foresters Smoked:   GOLD AWARD

                                                          and

 WON its class: the BEST FLAVOUR ADDED CHEESE class, best out of 108 cheeses.      

Comments from the judges…

“Smoked Ashdown Foresters is made in an attractive truckle from rich organic milk, giving the cheese a deep sunshine yellow colour and smooth rich texture – slowly smoked over oak-chips it is smooth, dense, rich and creamy with the subtle flavour of the smoke permeating the buttery cheese…..truly delicious”

2. Organic Ashdown Forester:  GOLD AWARD

3. Tremains Organic:  GOLD AWARD

4. Sussex Slipcote :  BRONZE AWARD

5. Saint Giles : BRONZE AWARD

6. Duddleswell Smoked: Bronze Award

So, if you want to come and try some, Sussex High Weald Dairy always have tasters! Come and see what you think of their award winning fare!

Birthday party!

Lewes Farmers’ Market, the first farmers’ market in Sussex and one of the first ever in the UK, celebrated it’s 10 birthday on Saturday 4th October. Here is a slice of the fabulous birthday cake for you to enjoy!

This is the first ever blog from Lewes Farmers’ Market. Keep watching and we will keep you up to date with news from the market, from the stallholders, and from Lewes.