Market manager Kardien Gerbrandstalks about Swindon farmers' markets

HONEY farmer James of Seven Bridges Honey farm will be in attendance this Sunday at the Designer Outlet farmers’ market with his selection of honey and beeswax products.

Unfortunately, it has been a bad year for honey production in the Castle Eaton area with the weather we’ve had this summer.

Although there has been very little rainfall, especially in the early summer, the temperatures have been very low and these factors have combined to reduce the nectar production in plants, thus leaving the bees short of the necessary raw materials.

The production at Seven Bridges fell from 1800 pounds last year to only 650 in 2015, which is a horrendous drop by any standards. That’s farming - totally at the mercy of the weather.

We are delighted to announce the return of fresh fish to the market this Sunday with Paul’s Fish, who also cook a wonderful paella or two at the market, returning after a lengthy time away.

Fish has been both popular and incredibly unreliable at the market over the years, with three different fresh fish stalls coming and going. Paul knows the market from a few years back, however, so we are confident that this time around we will have a consistent fresh fish counter added to the market mix.

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