Welsh Farmers Markets from a personal point of view is the start of a series of articles looking at Farmers Markets across Wales, their benefits and down falls to us the general public, to the traders that stand the markets and the Welsh economy as a whole.
It has been some time since Welsh Country looked in depth at Farmers Markets, back in 2022, yes post Covid, but the effects of the Covid pandemic are long and is still having repercussions.
That article can be found at www.welshcountry.co.uk/farmers-markets-in-wales-wfd/ and within that the history of Farmers Markets in Wales was spoken of so I will not repeat the facts here. But history is always in the making and is never more true than right now.
Rarely does Welsh Country have articles written in the first person but this is an exception being written by Ian Mole, officially Commercial Director at Welsh Country but often signs off as Dogsbody.
Over Covid there was a huge swing away from places where there where many people so larger stores saw their customers flock towards the Farmers Markets, as they were more often than not held outside. Post Covid this swing has reversed and in many ways understandably so.
Going to the supermarket for your weekly or monthly shop makes life so much easier. Free car parking next to the store, with all that you want for the household under one roof, be that cleaning products tinned and frozen goods to fresh meat and vegetables. So yes I’m not being hypocritical, in that I put my hands up that I also shop in the supermarkets for basics, because, yes, it’s easier. They are open for long hours and I do not have to go to six shops to do the weekly shop. BUT
What has really woken me up, of late, is ultra-processed foods (UPFs). According to NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) 57% of the daily energy intake is from UPFs with this percentile figure rising to 66% in adolescents. What is even more worrying is that these figures are the highest in Europe, for instance from the same source Italy is cited as having just 14% daily energy intakes from UPFs.
So who is NIHR SPHR? It is a partnership between nine leading centres of academic public health research excellence across England so why not Wales? Indeed NHS Wales has looked at this under the subject of weight & obesity but much is taken from household surveys rather than scientific research. phw.nhs.wales/topics/overweight-and-obesity/rapid-review-of-ultra-processed-food-and-obesity/
This subject could be a thesis on its own and diverts away from the subject of Farmers Markets.
What I would ask you is to look at the ingredients list on many of the products you buy from the supermarket. As a very general rule of thumb, if the ingredients listed are not commonly available for you to use in your kitchen then it is processed, so dare I venture to say most are UPFs.
Now go down to your local Farmers Market and unless there is a stand reselling (not allowed by the vast majority of Farmers Markets) then you will not find any UPFs at all. That is major plus for us all.
So what are the other benefits of Farmers Market shopping?
Many of the Welsh Farmers Markets have a café be that very close by, within the market or a stand selling hot & cold drinks. This public space becomes a very social area meeting those of like mind and I have always found that there is a more than friendly atmosphere.
What you cannot do at a Farmers Market is go and expect strawberries 12 months of the year. Farmers Markets brings you back to thinking in seasons be that fish, fruit, vegetables and meat, of course that is less relevant to things like cheese and baked goods.
As a consequence, unlike the supermarket where one gets to know where about the products are stocked on the shelves, but in the Farmers Market you have to have a more open mind as to what is in season and what is available. But this presents an opportunity for you to talk to the stall holders about their products. You cannot do that in the supermarket!
Taking an example of Cardigan Bay Fish. Now following a week of stormy weather they may not attend their regular markets (St Dogmaels, Aberporth and Talog), but if they are in attendance the mixture of shell fish and fish (filleted or whole) varies and in so many instances is very entrepreneurial. You can also ask about the type of fish on offer that day and how best to cook them.
I recall seeing them at one market after it had been a poor week for fishing and consequentially less fish, but they had Wild Garlic and Cheese Scones. I had no idea that I wanted Wild Garlic & Cheese Scones but there were samples and after tasting them I had to buy some.
Now these scones where not the huge full of air scones that can be bought commercially, but smaller and very green and just caught at the very edges, but I was buying by taste not looks and they were really so tasty making them one of the best suppers of the last year.
Yes, we the customer have to be open to try new flavours and new textures but what an experience from doing so. This is just one of the many benefits of shopping at the Farmers Market in that you can generally try what is newly offered.
The traders are all small businesses, mostly family or sole trader businesses and they stand the farmers markets, obviously to make money, but what I call ethical money. So if they have a main product they may add to that from other skills making sure that they do not tread on their fellow stall holders toes.
Another great example of this entrepreneurial spirit is shown by Snowdonia Farm Butchery – Neil & Gayle Spencer who stand at the Snowdonia Local Producer & Makers Market.
Sian Humpherson, organiser of the market, gave Welsh Country their background…
“At Snowdonia Farm Butchery, Neil and Gayle are passionate about proving that nature and farming can thrive together in harmony to support a sustainable landscape. On their farm in North Wales, they raise free-range pigs and poultry alongside pedigree and rare breed cattle and sheep. Their products are sold both directly at the farm gate and at local markets across the region.
“Neil brings a wealth of experience from his previous career as a butcher, deeply embracing the nose-to-tail philosophy. His knowledge of animal husbandry is rooted in a respect for the animals and a belief in the direct link between ethical care and exceptional taste.
“Gayle’s entrepreneurial spirit adds a unique dimension to their business. Driven by a desire to reduce waste and inspired by her son’s struggles with eczema, she began developing natural, sustainable products such as a nourishing tallow balm, which has proven effective in easing and managing skin flare-ups. Her creative innovations ensure that every part of the process is purposeful, with nothing going to waste.
“Together, Neil and Gayle are building a model for thoughtful, ethical, and sustainable farming that nourishes both the land and the local community.”
To quote from an anonymous phrase doing the rounds on social media…
When you buy from a small business you’re not helping a CEO buy their 3rd holiday home you’re helping a little girl get dance lessons a little boy his team shirt. Buy Local
For a full diary dates of many of the Farmers / Local Produce Markets in Wales Welsh Country has them in date order at www.welshcountry.co.uk/farmers-markets-in-wales/
The Farmers Markets Mentioned within the article are:
- St Dogmaels Local Producers Market
- Talog Farmers Market
- Aberporth Sunday Produce Market
- Snowdonia Local Producer & Makers Market
Feature image: St Dogmaels Local Producers Market
