Market manager Kardien Gerbrands talks about Swindon’s farmers’ markets

I read an interesting article yesterday about some groups of people in Fife and Norfolk who decided to experiment with only eating food from within 100 miles of where they lived.

Well, although they started off as 100 per centers, they eventually settled on a 60-70% local figure, mostly so they could have chocolate, coffee, tea and a drop of Prosecco!

At the heart of these experiments was the local farmers market, which both supported the idea and was actually the catalyst in the first place.

With two farmers markets a week in Swindon, one on the Sunday at the Outlet Village and another on Thursdays at Havelock Square, with a wide range of produce available week in, week out, it is actually quite easy.

What makes it hard for many is the fact that you have to put up with lengthy periods of time without the foods you adore until they next come into season.

A great example for me is cherries. I could go to the supermarket and buy cherries from the far flung corners of the globe most times of the year. I love cherries, but they only have a one-month season (July-ish) in England, so to eat them only from local producers means 11 months without.

However, the reality is that the month when they are in season is an absolute delight!

It’s like Christmas or your birthday; you have to wait till it comes along and, when it does, it’s great!

The markets this week:

  • 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
    •  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 Road, SN2 2DY  
    •  Havelock Square Farmers’ Market, Swindon, every Thursday from 9am until 2.30pm. 
    •  Trowbridge, second and fourth Friday, 9am to 1pm, Fore Street, BA14 8HX
    •  Wanborough, third Saturday of the month, 9am to midday, Wanborough Village Hall
    •  Warminster, first and third Fridays, 9am to 1pm, Central car park, BA12 9BT