One year on
A farmers market is more than just a market. Market confusion reigns still
This time last year I'd just published my ‘coming soon’ post, making my first tentative steps into the world of Substack.
One year on, I’m curious to look back to see which posts have been best received. Shine a modest spotlight on some of my own favourite posts that you may have missed especially as not everyone looks through the archives!
At Spring Equinox in March last year I wrote about the Hungry Gap and dandelion and burdock.
I loved writing about the complexities of Easter and Passover with one of my favourite phrases; why I never put butter on a bacon sandwich.
I’m proud of this piece, charting my mother’s family journey, told through food, from Vilnius to Namibia, on to South Africa, Rhodesia and finally to London. How to Stuff a Monkey.
An essay about larders because I’ve always wanted one.
Mulberries and peaches share a mixture of memory, history and recipes. On the farm with Wild Country Organics, The Insect Whisperer was well received. There will be more farm articles this year and a wider focus on the elements of farmers markets. Do you have a favourite piece or subject?
Thank you as always for continuing to read my work, for commenting and supporting.
If you think that my articles are worth paying for and a monthly or yearly subscription isn't possible;
Whatever your reason for being here, and I hope it’s because you DO love my writing, I’m so glad you’ve joined me.
Are we any closer to understanding what a farmers market is? Do we care?
I'm continually hearing people talk about their local farmer's market, only to find when I ask a few questions that it's nothing of the sort. I understand. It's not always straight forward to tell the difference and it’s easy to call any market a farmers market. If there are oranges and bananas for sale, you can take it for granted that it's not a farmers market. Unless you live in a part of a world where oranges and bananas grow. There might be farm stalls present but how do you know where the produce comes from, or if it's arrived at market via a wholesaler. How can you tell what the standards of production are. How the animals were raised, fed, looked after, whether the fruit was sprayed.
Are there olives at your UK market? Ah, you might think, trick question. Olives are imported so it won't be a farmers market. Any UK farmers market manager reading this may well be raising their eyebrows or sighing deeply. Infighting about whether olives should be allowed to be sold at a certified farmers market, was known to UK farmers market organisers as the olive wars. Olives were the subject of many an argument until the subject was banned. Those in favour say that olives are imported but then processed locally. Those against argue that as olives are imported and not grown in the UK they shouldn't be permitted.
I took many calls from olive sellers, and olive oil importers wanting to sell the oil they pressed themselves from their own harvest. And many angry, annoyed, perplexed olive sellers and oil producers were turned away not understanding that just because they were allowed to sell at other ‘farmers markets ‘ doesn't mean they could sell at one with strict rules.
How far have your stall holders travelled? There were arguments about radius too. In the UK, some markets allow 20 or 30 miles from which to source their stall holders. Others use their county border as a barrier. Urban markets may allow a much greater range: 50 to 100 miles. There might be exceptions for guest stalls and products such as fish or game.
Is a stall holder selling a product that isn't from their farm? That's reselling. Some markets will allow it, others, if they have strict farmers market rules will not. As a customer you may not mind; it gives you something interesting to try, another reason to spend money, and linger at a stall. The reasoning against it? A bought in product could be anything; the longer the chain the more difficult it is to check the provenance. It could start out as a next door farm giving their neighouring farm their honey to sell, but turns into a farm bringing root ginger or mangoes because customers have asked for them. Farmers markets are all about short chains, cutting out the middleman. What the farmer has grown or raised is sold direct to the customer.
Last September I reported from the relaunch of the The UK wide Farm Retail Association’s logo, with Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. The FRA’s ‘Real Farmers’ Market’ certification scheme, as it's website says, ‘was devised to give the public a clear understanding of which markets are true Farmers’ Markets.’ Over the whole of the UK, there are only forty certified farmers markets listed on their website. It’s extremely difficult to find an accurate statistic that reveals just how many farmers markets take place in the UK. Many aren’t farmers markets. Some don’t use social media or don’t advertise their presence well. According to Social Tree, ‘As of 2023, there are over 2,500 active farmers markets in the UK, representing a 400% increase since 1994.’
The FRA used to have farmers market rules for the public to see on their website.
At the organisations farmers market Certification relaunch in January, chair Emma Mosley laid out the key principles for a market to become certified: these rules still aren’t on the home page for customers to find.
Champion farmers: customers should be able to buy directly from farmers, growers and suppliers
Prioritise local produce: stall holders should be recruited from as close to the market as possible
Be proud of your provenance: each product should have been grown or made by the stallholder, and ingredients sourced as locally as possible
Understand your products: stallholders should be able to talk about how the product has been produced, from field to fork
Be correctly insured: traders must have suitable public, product and employment insurance
Follow the correct legal procedures: traders and markets must follow relevant national and local laws, and ensure each trader is registered with Trading Standards and Environmental Health.
Promote yourself as a ‘Real Farmers Market’: be proud to fulfil these principles and shout about it in communications
Enforce the above principles: the market organiser should have systems in place to ensure the above principles are enforced
After a market applies for certification, the FRA will review evidence such as the market’s website, social media channels and Trip Advisor, while unannounced auditing will take place to ensure markets fulfil the core principles. If a market does not adhere to the principles, the market organiser will be contacted and given a chance to address the issues.
Emma Mosey is very keen to support existing farmers markets and grow the sector. She commented;
‘‘It is vital there is an industry standard for farmers’ markets in the UK so customers can be sure of the provenance and locality of the produce,”
How to define a farmers market? I raised this last year with the World Farmers Market Coalition. Supporting local food, creating and supporting communities and the farming sector; The WFMC wants to be everywhere in the world, working with farmers markets and giving a voice to local food production. It’s fascinating that the same problems and questions occur at farmers markets the world over. They state that a shared definition could:
Empower local and international institutions to protect and promote genuine farmers markets.
Ensure that these markets provide fair opportunities for farmers.
Help consumers recognize and support authentic farmers markets.
At an online meeting of WRMC members in January, the definition of a farmers market was discussed. How do you define the word ‘local’? Is a digital farmers market a real farmers market?
Even defining the word ‘farmers’ and how the words farmers market (farmers’ or farmer’s) was debated. Are non food farmers included, eg wool and flax. What about foraged or wild gathered foods? And fishermen? What percentage of primary producers should there be, in balance with bakers and makers. Are crafts allowed? What percentage requirements for local ingredient sourcing for value added foods? How many ready to eat food stalls?
The starting point; the initial working definition;
A farmers market is a recurring and managed assembly of local farmers or their employees selling directly to the public local agricultural products they have grown, harvested and/or processed.
The evolving definition:
A farmers market is a recurring and coordinated assembly of local farmers or their representatives selling local agricultural products they have grown, harvested and/or processed directly to the public.
Why is a definition so important? To ring fence and strengthen the sector. To protect our integrity and showcase the distinctiveness. As the Director General Carmelo Troccoli says;
‘‘Defining what a farmers market is isn’t just about semantics; it’s about setting standards.’’
A farmers market is more than just a market. We learn. We build trust, we meet friends and neighbours and create community.
Is confusion still rife? Is it clear whether your local market is a farmers market? Do let me know. It’s an ongoing debate.
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Sound common sense - great post Cheryl
Congratulations Cheryl! A year is a big deal. x