Headington Farmers' Market

It's a shame this small but well-formed farmers' market only happens on the fourth Friday of the month - I'm sure many of its customers could happily use it weekly.

Produce ranges from gluten free vegetarian cooking sauces to Cotswold honey and local cider, through vegetables, bread, meat, eggs, fresh fish and even jewellery - plus a bunch of other reasonably local seasonal treats. The cluster of stalls that make up the market fills the top chunk of Kennet Road at Headington shops, convenient for catching people en route to local supermarkets and showing them what high-quality goods local producers can offer whilst bypassing the middleman.

The emphasis here isn't on organic food, but most of the sellers are locally-based (though it still proves economically worthwhile for Pagets to bring produce from their 4th generation, 270 acre vegetable farm in Devizes, Wilts!), and they are specialists in their field. Eadles Farm (featured in the Guardian newspaper) brings 'very free range' eggs, hot meat sandwiches and not only black, but also white pudding, amongst its range of meats. Brynmoor Conserves also sells pepper and tomato plants today - the same variety that will eventually provide the content for the pickles and sauces on sale. Bensons not only have several types of apple juice, but also ice lollies and wickedly tasty traditional cider. And unusually for a small farmers' market, there's fresh fish here too. And you can even get there before work, if you're canny, as this market starts at 8am. Find the date of the next one online at www.headingtonmarket.net.

Roo (DI Reviewer), 22/05/08

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