Market manager Kardien Gerbrandstalks about Swindon farmers' markets

HOORAY! The asparagus has felt the warmth of the sun on its bed and decided to send its spears rising up out of the ground to absorb those life giving rays.

Asparagus is a classic seasonal crop; it is available for a period of mere weeks, usually during May, but essentially it depends on the warmth and sun.

The UK season is now well under way and you will find a plentiful supply of it at Styan’s Produce at the Designer Outlet farmers’ market this Sunday and at other farmers’ markets around Wiltshire.

We all love this distinct and fine vegetable crop and, while you can’t go wrong with steaming your spears and eating them with a bit of Hollandaise sauce, here are some other ideas to get the most out of this health giving foodstuff: l Use a vegetable peeler to strip ribbons from stalks of just-blanched asparagus, creating a vegetarian ‘carpaccio’ of almost raw, paper-thin slices and mix with ham and spaghetti and cream cheese sauce; l Or how about asparagus and bacon soldiers with a boiled egg? Snap off the woody end of the asparagus, place on a soldier of bread and wrap in streaky bacon and grill for 15 mins; l Finally... don’t forget it is great barbecued!

Markets

  • Bradford on Avon, third Thursday, 9am to 1pm at Westbury Gardens, BA15 1DE.
  •  Bradford on Avon, last Sunday, 10.30am to 2.30pm at Lamb Yard, BA15 1FG.
  •  Calne, second Saturday, 9am to 1pm, near the library, SN11 0JU.
  •  Corsham, third Saturday, 9am to 1pm, High Street SN13 0HB.
  •  Devizes, first Saturday, 9am to 1pm, Market Place l Malmesbury, second and fourth Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, Market Cross 
  •  Royal Wootton Bassett, fourth Saturday, 9am to 1pm, High Street.
  •  Salisbury, weekly on Wednesdays, 9am to 2pm, Poultry Cross.
  •  Swindon Farmers’ Market, every Sunday, 10am to 4pm, Swindon Designer Outlet, Kemble Drive, SN2 2DY.
  •  Havelock Square Farmers’ Market, Swindon, every Thursday, 9am to 2.30pm.
  •  Trowbridge, second and fourth Friday, 9am to 1pm, Fore Street, BA14 8HX.
  •  Wanborough, third Saturday, 9am to midday, Wanborough Village Hall.
  •  Warminster, first and third Fridays, 9am to 1pm, central car park, BA 12 9BT