Market manager Kardien Gerbrands talks about Swindon farmers' markets

WE are fortunate at the Designer Outlet farmers’ market to have traditional West Country cheeses available every week.

Most weeks we have The Glastonbury dairy with Green’s cheeses but whenever they are away we are able to call on Batch Farm cheeses from East Pennard near Shepton Mallet.

The farm produces milk from its herd of 260 Friesian cows, the milk only travelling half a mile from parlour to dairy, from which they annually make over 140 tonnes of cheddar.

The term Cheddar comes from the act of “Cheddaring” which is a unique process in making Cheddar cheese. It is a multi-step process that reduces whey content, adjusts acidity, adds characteristic flavour, and results in a denser and sometimes crumbly texture.

This is carried out by continuously turning the curd to naturally drain the whey. All the whey is then collected and fed back to the cows which gives them a lovely shiny coat!

At Batch Farm they have been making their cheeses for over 50 years and have a classic range of West Country cheeses, from mid to extra mature.

This Cheddar gets extremely tasty and is considered one of the best in the country; plus traditional unpasteurised, with a unique creamy flavour and traditional cloth-bound Cheddar rounds. There are always plenty of tasters on the stall so come and try them out.

The market runs from 10am to 4pm and features a wide range of local produce.

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