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Thank goodness the clocks have gone forward, it's lighter and brighter
if not warmer. We breathe a sign of relief at this time of year,
knowing that the best times for the markets are ahead, with plenty
of fresh spring produce to look forward to. We've been busy making
sure that all the markets are well advertised, spending time working
out how we can attract more people to the markets that aren't as
well known as some. Uxbridge for example, and Palmers Green. Whenever
someone asks us for the best market, it's always hard to pick one.
We think that all the markets have their good points, their regular
customers and producers. They all have different atmospheres and
locations. If you only go to one market, try another one and get
to see the diversity. You'll probably meet some new farmers and
try some different products too. We're also aware that some markets
have gaps that we're trying our best to fill. We know for example
that we need to find more fish and that there is a honey gap to
fill at Islington and Notting Hill. Please bear with us and let
us know if you hear about or come across a farmer who you think
should be selling with us.
What's new at market?
We're welcoming back farmers who've spent their winters growing
fresh vegetables, herbs, tomatoes and plants for you. Nigel Dyer
is back at Notting Hill, Palmers Green and Islington with a huge
range of growing herbs, tomato plants and other vegetables. He's
got bunches of rocket, mustard and cut herbs too as well as pak
choi, French breakfast radish and other delights.
Linda Beaney our biodynamic farmer has broad bean tops - you can
steam them, or make them into soups if you must, but they're fantastic
raw in salads. She also has some early broad beans and mange tout.
Linda grows them on a bit, so that they have peas inside them, and
more flavour, different from the usual flat things that look like
they've gone through a mangle. She'll have calalloo soon, which
is a first for our farmers. Find her at Peckham, Blackheath &
Islington.
Welcome back to Richard Bartlett, seed man extraordinaire, with
salad leaves at Islington only, weeks 2 & 4.
Find out more about Richard & Halcyon Seeds
at their website www.halcyonseeds.co.uk
Sadly, it's the end of the purple sprouting broccoli, one of our
favourite vegetables. The first tomatoes from the Isle of Wight
have appeared already, along with smoked, dried tomatoes in oil,
a range of garlic from the Isle of Wight garlic farm, including
their young, new season crop, organic cucumbers and the first asparagus.
A week after writing, the price of asparagus has already dropped
and several farmers are selling it. It's been spotted at most markets.
Tomatoes from Kent have also made an appearance. Fresh, peppery
watercress has appeared, as has bitter chicory - great for spring
salads or braised. Jerusalem artichokes are still around. Try them
raw in salads or cooked - they make one of the best soups there
is. Other roots still around include the under rated celeriac. Eat
raw or cooked. No one makes celeriac rémoulade anymore -
grated celeriac in a mustard mayonnaise. Blanch it briefly in acidulated
water first. It's wonderful as a starter, or with pork dishes. After
much bullying from us, we have fresh spicy mustard and cress from
The Dawsons (Peckham, Blackheath, Notting Hill, Islington…)
if you've never tasted it since those early blotting paper experiments,
give it a go. It's a revelation compared to the so-called mustard
sold by supermarkets. The Dawson's also had their first baby leaves
last weekend - mustard, mizzuna and rocket. The first early rhubarb
is around. Welcome back Strawberries. They're coming on strong now
and taste pretty wonderful. Find them at most markets. The first
raspberries have appeared (David Deme says they're regular as clockwork,
appearing in the last week of May every year) and so have the first
baby courgettes and peas - which somehow never reach the cooking
pot…
Talking of organics…
More and more of you are asking for organic food. And some of you
are assuming that farmers' markets are organic. Let's put this right.
Farmers' markets are for regional food producers to sell their own
home grown and home made foods. The produce at farmers' markets
is not necessarily organic. We do have some organic producers at
London Farmers' Markets. Only those producers who are certified
by an independent body such as Organic Farmers and Growers or The
Soil Association may call their produce organic. They are required
by law to post a certificate if they claim to be organic. If you
don't see the certificate, ask the producer.
Farmers' markets are about local, seasonal foods. At London Farmers'
Markets, our mission is to bring you local food -sometimes organic,
almost always unsprayed - but if you'd rather eat organic food that's
been flown in from Kenya, try a supermarket or box scheme! We know
that there is great demand for local, organic food. We're always
looking for more organic producers and we support the organic targets
bill. Some of our producers are in organic conversion because customers
have persuaded them that this is the way forward. However, at the
moment, there aren't enough organic farmers in the UK. About 80%
of organic fruit and veg is imported.
We also support the Wholesome Food Association, which works to
promote locally grown, authentic, wholesome food. They provide a
low-cost, local symbol scheme for producers of fruit, vegetables
and meat. We think it's a great alternative for farmers who can't
afford full organic certification.
New Market Openings
Whetstone opened on Friday May 17th. The hours are 11am - 5pm every
Friday and the market is on the high street, opposite Waitrose,
N20. Nearest tube - Totteridge and Whetstone. There are bus links
from Barnet, Finchley and Southgate. Many producers sold out within
a few hours and promise to bring more next week!
Pimlico Road opened on June 15th
We've waited a long time for this - thanks to Ruth Kennedy and
David Linley of Linley and the many local residents, residents associations
and businesses for being so supportive. David, together with the
Lord Mayor of Westminster opened the market, the weather was kind
to us and the atmosphere - well, it wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration
to call it villagey. Lots of children running around eating Flourish
bakery's fairy cakes, and adults sitting on benches enjoying Dan
Green's organic sausages and Richard Haward's Colchester oysters.
The market is held on Mozart Square, also known as Orange Square,
on Pimlico Road SW1. The hours are 9am - 1pm every Saturday. Orange
Square is about 5 minutes from Sloane Square, close to Buckingham
Palace Road.
Hackney, Broadway Market
Negotiations have taken almost two years and we're still not there
yet. If you'd like to see a farmers' market in Hackney, please write
to
Councillor Guy Nicholson
London Borough of Hackney
Town Hall
Mare Street
London E8
Councillor Nicholson, as chair of regeneration has pledged his
support but it would be good for him to see the level of support
in the community.
Market closure
Three Mills, Bromley by Bow has closed. The market was held at
Three Mills, near to Tesco, between the river and the canal. It's
a lovely, picturesque location by an old mill, but unfortunately,
although the healthy eating scheme has been a huge success, the
market has not been able to sustain a growing customer base. It's
the first time that a voucher initiative has been trialed at a farmers'
market in the UK, and the first time that a healthy living centre
has joined forces with a farmers' market to provide a farmers' market
club. We intend to try to transfer the healthy eating scheme to
another market if we can, and we're looking at other options for
East London.
From Islington to New York - Jo's trip to the
NY Green Market
Jo our Islington manager recently visited New York to spend some
time with the famous Greenmarket organisers-
Greenmarket runs a project called New Farmer Development Project
(NFDP) together with Cornell Development Project, and supported
by the US Department of Agriculture. NFDP "supports agriculturally
experienced immigrants in the NYC vicinity in establishing environmentally
and economically sustainable farm operations." Its mission
is to "combat the decline of family farms by bring about an
agricultural future for our participants, ensuring the vitality
of regional farmland and a vibrant food supply."
Jo visited a farm in Staten Island where a Sonia, a young woman
from Ecuador, was being helped with techniques for growing squashes
and melons through plastic sheeting, and then attended a lecture
and seminar in the city about greenhouse growing methods. Further
information about this project is on the website: www.cenyc.org
- go to Greenmarket. Several organizations in and around London
are working on "urban agriculture" ideas, and we at LFM
would love to see more fruit and vegetables grown locally, especially
organic. Get in touch with the office if you have anything to offer
by way of skills, ideas, land, etc.
Feedback please!
Tell us what you like about the markets, what you dislike, what
we can do to help improve them. Tell us if you have any ideas, send
us your recipes, your stories, and letters.
A case of apple juice for the best letter we receive.
When is a farmers' market not a farmers' market?
The National Association of Farmers' Markets are launching a certification
scheme so that everyone will be able to tell a bone fide farmers'
market from other so-called farmers' markets. An independent body
will determine who gets through and who doesn't. We're very keen
to see this happen. In case some of you don't know our rules, they
are displayed at all markets. Here they are-:
LONDON FARMERS' MARKETS RULES
1. PRODUCERS-ONLY. The PRODUCER named in the application must raise,
grow, produce, catch, or bake everything sold and attend the MARKET.
PRODUCERS may not sell items on behalf of, or bought from, any other
farm or supplier. The term PRODUCER includes the applicant's family
and employees when they are directly involved in methods of production.
2. REGIONAL PRODUCERS. All goods must be raised, made, grown, produced,
caught or baked within 100 miles of the M25.
3. PERMITTED PRODUCTS include fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, fish,
meats, dairy products, honey and bee products, wine, cider, juice,
preserves, baked goods, and plants.
4. CHEESE, YOGHURT, and other dairy products must be made by the
PRODUCER from milk raised by the PRODUCER.
5. The PRODUCER must raise the animals for MEAT. PRODUCERS may
use a butcher. Pigs must be born on the PRODUCER's farm. Half of
the PRODUCER's lamb and beef must be born on the PRODUCER's farm.
Lamb or beef not born on the PRODUCER's farm must spend half its
life on the PRODUCER's farm. Meat should be free-range and additive-free.
6. FISH must be raised or caught by the PRODUCER who must hold
current permits and licenses .
7. PROCESSED FOODS. All meat or fish in processed foods such as
sausages or smoked trout must be raised by the PRODUCER. Minor ingredients
such as spices may be purchased. PRODUCERS should make their own
processed meat or fish products. In rare cases, products such as
sausages or smoked fish may be made from the PRODUCER's meat by
another party. In such cases, the PRODUCER must closely supervise
recipes and other details of production and show that the meat in
the finished product is entirely the PRODUCER's. In these cases,
the PRODUCER's chief product must be fresh, unprocessed meat or
fish.
8. A GAME producer must hold and display a current licence to deal
in game, must raise at least 25% of all game sold at the market
on his own land or land he rents, and must have full knowledge of
the production system of any other game sold. PRODUCERS may use
a butcher.
9. WINE, JUICE, and CIDER must be pressed, mixed, and matured by
the PRODUCER entirely from fruit grown by the PRODUCER.
10. PLANTS may include cut flowers and wreaths when they are wholly
grown and arranged by the PRODUCER.
11. BAKED GOODS must be mixed and baked by the PRODUCER. Ingredients
may be purchased. PRODUCERS should use local ingredients wherever
possible.
12. PRESERVES, PICKLES, and CHUTNEYS must be mixed, cooked, and
processed by the PRODUCER, but ingredients may be purchased. Major
ingredients, such as raspberries for jam, must be grown within 100
miles of the M25. PRODUCERS should buy ingredients from the market
itself wherever possible.
13. PROCESSED FOODS should not contain artificial flavours or colourings.
Unnecessary preservatives are discouraged.
14. The MANAGER will determine what products are permitted at any
given market. The PRODUCER is not necessarily allowed to sell all
the products listed on the application.
15. Items not listed here are prohibited except by explicit permission
of the MANAGER. Items not listed on the PRODUCER's application are
prohibited except by permission of the MANAGER.
16. Selling before or after MARKET hours is prohibited.
17. The PRODUCER is responsible for complying with all laws and
regulations regarding the production, preparation, labeling, display,
storage, and sale of goods.
18. PRODUCERS must post prices and trading name clearly and provide
information about methods of production.
Producer news
New products from Manor Farm Game - The game season finished at
the end of January, but they'll still have rabbits, pigeons, Aylesbury
ducks, game pies and venison sausages to keep them going till game
season opens again.
Where's the cheese? Part 2.
We know you want to see more of a variety of cheese at the markets.
We are speaking to several cheese producers. Coming soon are the
Tenterden Cheese Makers. We hope they'll be selling at some Saturday
markets. They make a mozzarella, a Port Salut type cheese and 'Belles'
a light crumbly cheese in 4 flavours. We're also trying to encourage
them to bring their unpasteruised Guernsey milk and cream. Linda
Beaney will be bringing her biodynamic cheese to Islington from
June ( weeks 2 & 4) and there will be buffalo cheese at Notting
Hill wk 2 from June.
Lincolnshire Poachers are changing the day they attend from the
2nd week of the month, to the 4th, and in addition to selling at
Islington, Ealing and Notting Hill, they will be selling at Palmers
Green too.
Mere Fish farm is back, albeit at less markets. Bert the Trout
who you would have seen selling at market, has moved on, and Mere
are finding it difficult to make appearances at all the markets
they used to sell at. For the time being, due to staff shortages,
they're at Islington and Notting Hill. They're about to change the
days they attend - they'll be at market May 4th and 5th, and then
come up for the following weekend, May 11th and 12th and the 2nd
and 4th weekends after that. And we are working on them to do more
markets. We're also working on Purely Organic trout to return to
us. They've taken on a new boy to sell for them, so we hope to have
a schedule worked out soon.
Sky and Kai who sell their wonderful home made preserves have started
making hand made pasta with locally sourced ingredients. As it's
been selling out each week, it seems they've a success on their
hands. They're also now at Twickenham, third Saturday of the month.
Jane's Preserves who attend monthly at Uxbridge, Palmers Green
and Islington will be away from the markets during June and July
due to the pressures of fruit picking. If you want to visit their
farm, they're not far away have a look at their website - www.preserves.fsnet.co.uk
Coming back soon - Adam Clayton of Sunset Farm Organics. We hope
to welcome him back mid June and this time, look forward to him
being with us year round. He informs us that he's growing 150 lines
this year. Buy his vegetables at Ealing and Notting Hill. He's practically
running the business single-handed and like many producers, he has
a major staffing problem. He's only 21 and needs all the encouragement
we can throw his way to keep going. Peter & Joan Clarke are
back with a huge range of vegetables and soft fruit at Twickenham,
Pimlico Rd, Islington, Finchley Road, Uxbridge & Whetstone.
We now have…
128 producers selling with us, or waiting for a place at our markets,
with more coming aboard all the time. If you know of anyone who
may be interested, we're particularly keen to hear from organic
& non organic fruit and vegetable farmers.
We want you: Part-time market managers needed
Our regular managers work very hard, and sometimes they want a
weekend off. Could you see yourself stepping in? If you're a regular
shopper at one of our markets, you've probably got a good idea of
what's involved. If it sounds like something you might be interested
in, please call. We'd love to hear from you.
Farmers' Markets in the news
Most of you probably saw the April Observer Food Monthly featuring
Notting Hill as one of the top ten farmers' markets in the UK. We
thought that the article that accompanied it wasn't totally accurate
but it's nice to have a mention.
May saw a delegation from the Norwegian farmers union visiting
3 Mills, Ealing and Notting Hill. They don't have any farmers' markets
in Norway and are keen to start them. They were very impressed with
the markets and we're looking forward to an invitation to their
first farmers' market opening.
It must be Scandinavia week - we've also had a crew from Finish
television filming at Ealing. Nina has been signing copies of the
paperback version of The Farmers' Market cookbook at Finchley Road,
Notting Hill and Islington. In June we've been in The Sunday Telegraph
and the Evening Standard, amongst others.
Happy Anniversary to
Wimbledon, which celebrates it's second anniversary on the 29th
June with a bouncy castle, kids seed planting and a competition
to name a baby buffalo!
Islington - 3rd year on Camden Passage this June
Palmers Green, 2nd year in the station carpark coming up on 23rd
June - there'll be a jazz band playing hopefully - weather permitting.
If you see something in a magazine or newspaper, either about us,
or about farmers' markets in general, please bring it to our attention.
Recipes with rhubarb
Rhubarb season is in full swing. Make the most of it with these
simple recipes. We put these recipes out at market last year - they
were so popular we thought we'd print them again.
Rhubarb and elderflower jelly
This was going to be an experiment with rhubarb and Pimms - then
I saw the elderflower cordial bottle and the Pimms went back in
the cupboard. The result is a delicate pink jelly with the scent
of elderflower coming through.
For a one pint/500ml jelly -
1 kg rhubarb
½ litre water
2 tbl elderflower cordial
Caster sugar to taste
1 sachet gelatine (or use your favourite vegetarian equivalent)
Orange zest (optional)
Chop the rhubarb into small pieces, about 5cm. Put into a saucepan
with the water and a few pieces of orange zest (use a vegetable
peeler) and bring to the boil. Add about 200g sugar and taste when
it dissolves. You can add more sugar but remember that you're going
to add elderflower cordial too. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until
the rhubarb is soft. Strain the juice - keep the pulp for a trifle
or a fool - see next recipe. Add the cordial and make up to a pint/500mls
with water, if necessary. If you think it's still too tart, add
a little extra sugar and reheat to dissolve if necessary. Whilst
the juice is hot, put about 100mls in a small bowl and gradually
sprinkle the gelatine on top, stirring constantly. It should dissolve
easily. Don't panic about lumps, keep stirring, not forgetting to
scrape the bottom of the bowl where it tends to settle. When you're
happy that it's clear(ish), add to the rest of the juice. Pour into
a clear bowl. I don't worry about trying to turn the finished jelly
out. If you want to use a mould, grease it with a little tasteless
oil. One made early evening will have set the next morning.
Optional - if you don't have any elderflower cordial, cook the
rhubarb with a couple of sprigs of elderflower blossom - make sure
you pick them well away from roads and shake first to remove any
insects!
Later I found that Margaret Costa, in her brilliant Four Seasons
recommends rhubarb and elderflower as a great pairing, but she also
has a recipe for rhubarb fool with a secret ingredient…
Margaret Costa's Rhubarb Fool
The pulp from the jelly (or 1kg rhubarb if you're starting from
scratch - cook with only a little water - you don't want liquid
for this one)
Cream - preferably Guernsey cream if you can get to Islington or
Notting Hill.
Custard
1 tspn Pernod
I used a small pot of double cream, whipped, and made about 300mls
custard.
Mix the custard and cream together. Add the Pernod. Try it, even
if you don't like aniseed - it gives an extra something, and I promise
you, your guests won't detect it at all.
Stir through the rhubarb. Try to marble it, not mix it through thoroughly.
Nice served with something crunchy - browned, flaked almonds or
a crisp biscuit, homemade of course!
That's all for now - please share this newsletter with your friends
and family. Unfortunately, we can't print any at the moment, so
please be generous with your copy!
See you at market,
Best wishes,
Cheryl & Mark
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