Local farmers, farm shops and pick your own food finds

We prefer patronising local farmers and growers over buying organic from a supermarket.  There was a report out last week from the BBC concerning the harm to the environment in importing organic foods from all over the world to large supermarket chains. 

It also tends to be far more expensive than locally produced foods - some organic, some free-range - from our weekly farmer's market.  As all that is sold there must come from a 30-mile radius of Edinburgh, we get fresh, flavourful foods.  And try more veg that's in season.

We get our eggs from the Bethany Charity shop around the corner, as they have their own free-range hens. 

Most of our farmer's market farmers butcher and package their own meat as well and take orders for specialities like Christmas turkey crowns and hams. 

You'll also find a large assortment of fair trade products in supermarkets.  And Oxfam charity shops also stock a lovely array of fair trade products and toys made from renewable resources.  I found loads of wonderful Christmas present items there - perfect hostess and work colleague gifts. 

I know what you mean!! My aunt has chickens and I love getting eggs from her "girls" (as she calls them). Store-bought egg yolks are so anemic looking!

My sister keeps 3 lovely Leghorn hens and they chase the dogs around the land - they have 2 acres!  They, too, have lovely eggs and she's gone off store-bought ones entirely.

http://www.farmersmarket.co.uk/ is a good source.

We prefer patronising local farmers and growers over buying organic from a supermarket.  There was a report out last week from the BBC concerning the harm to the environment in importing organic foods from all over the world to large supermarket chains. 

I totally agree. I used to be the queen of everything organic, but I've now switched to local over organic - IMO you still get the improvement in flavour, and you're doing something to sustain local growers. Supermarkets are just using organic as yet another marketing ploy and a means of over-charging.... Besides, local farms are often organic or nearly organic anyway.... I quit our organic box scheme when we started getting fruit from abroad - I mean, come on!!! In the middle of summer there is NO excuse not to give you local produce....

I quit our organic box scheme when we started getting fruit from abroad - I mean, come on!!! In the middle of summer there is NO excuse not to give you local produce....

OMG!    And here are local farmers literally loaded with succulent, fresh fruits and veg.  Raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, dark greens to die for, gem squash, acorn squash, courgettes.  The colour of our local market was incredible.  Most of it was organic as well.  All the meats were free-range and largely organic as well.  And not sent out to large slaughterhouses and meat packing plants.  TBH, it was cheaper than buying organic out of supermarket as well.

The flavour just couldn't be beat, and most use environmentally-friendly packaging as well.  We also bring along our own trolley and rucksack to use. 

We used to use supermarkets, but now only do so for staples and the odd emergency. 

OMG!    And here are local farmers literally loaded with succulent, fresh fruits and veg.  Raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, dark greens to die for, gem squash, acorn squash, courgettes.

I know! I was HORRIFIED to see a little label on the kiwis saying that they'd come from abroad. And more than a little irritated.

All the meats were free-range and largely organic as well.  And not sent out to large slaughterhouses and meat packing plants.

I just had an long, frustrating argument with dh and one of his friends about slaughterhouses and how I thought it was important to support local farmers who use small abatoirs (sp?) They wouldn't listen and insisted that there weren't any of those around anymore and even if there were, no farmers would ever be able to justify the expense or impracticality of using them. So imagine my utter delight when I was watching Rick Stein's Food Heroes and he did a story about just that subject and how much more humane it was and how much better the meat was.... And dh was sitting there watching too! 

Small abatoirs are so important in this day and age, especially when you consider the potential for cross-contamination with large slaughterhouses and meat packing places. 

It's worth it to us not to eat as much meat so that that which we can is better quality. 

Hopefully, as demand and support for these small, local farmers grows, more of them can prosper enough to stay in business.

This appeared in our local newsletter:

http://www.organicbutchers.net/

Seems they deliver all over.

cait that is awesome!!!!! i'd much rather do that if i can't make it to the butcher!!  good prices too!

I've saved that as a favourite seller on eBay...  I will probably give them a try sometime!

My mom always had chickens when I was a kid. They had full range of the property during the day and thier egg yolks were almost orange. The first time I cracked a store bought egg, I was SHOCKED lol.

My grandparents have a small farm and they raise chickens as well (never for eating, just for eggs). I LOVE visiting there... the eggs are so tasty. Here, I always do the next best thing and buy free range eggs... they seem to be widely available here in the UK.

I have also heard that more of the food sold in the UK is less likely to artificial ingredients than in the US. Is this true?

Yes! I've found that true. You see "Non-GM", "no preservatives", and  "no artificial ingredients" everywhere. In the US, alot of foods are loaded with that stuff, but here they tend to avoid it and make it clear on the labels. You still get junk food, but I've found even the junk food has less additives. Perhaps it's because it's a smaller country, things don't have to be shipped across great distances and therefore don't need as many preservatives? It's alot healthier, anyway.

We prefer patronising local farmers and growers over buying organic from a supermarket. There was a report out last week from the BBC concerning the harm to the environment in importing organic foods from all over the world to large supermarket chains.

That sounds nice, but I don't think there are any farmer's markets near me here in the city, otherwise I'd buy from them. Are there any places near Glasgow? And is it true that I'm really not doing any better by buying organic from supermarkets?  I always go for the organic, natural version when I'm shopping, if it's available.

That sounds nice, but I don't think there are any farmer's markets near me here in the city, otherwise I'd buy from them.

No farmers markets in Glasgow?! 

My in-laws go to one in Partick every other weekend... Saturdays, i believe.
There's one in Clarkston,  and one in Queens Park as well.
And they have occasional farmers markets at the St Enoch Centre...  not on a regular basis, but fairly often.

Look what i found, Honeybee...  both are verrrrry near you!

http://www.northlan.gov.uk/your+council/news/events+information/farmers+market.html

OK thanks! Guess I wasn't looking hard enough, lol. I'm moving to the city centre soon though, that's what I meant.

Well, the Partick one wont be far from you if you're in the city centre.
I think it's near the subway...

If any of you have time, you have to see this. Well funny.

http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html