THOSE earning their crust in the jams and preserves making sector claim that it is not worth them returning to market until the last Saturday of January.

This because everyone who likes a bit of pickle will have had some for Christmas and those supplies will be running out just about now.

Luckily for all of those whose mustard and marmalade stocks are getting low we have a right plethora of stalls of jars of jellies and chutneys this Saturday.

Lishkin’s Preserves, who have been filling in when Selsley Foods were away in 2014, will be at the market this week and every first and third Saturday thereafter.

They have a busy Facebook page if you want to check out what they are producing. They really have a wide range with all their jams being “extra” jams with over 50 per cent fruit and often fruit picked the day it is jammed. Their “rustic” marmalade range, which involves the fruit being cooked intermittently over a three day period, and the chutney range, for which the vegetables are grown in their greenhouses and garden.

The Country Girls, formerly WI Markets, are back with their homemade preserves and we have a new stall starting – Maryanne’s Bakes – which specialises in scones and jams.

For speciality products in the same vein Adam will be on the Wiltshire Chilli Farm stall (Wiltshire food producer of the year 2015) and the Garlic Farm return with their great range.

Over at Days Cottage this Saturday we will see the last of 2014’s apples as the final few boxes come out of the cold store.

They will have Longney Russets and Howgate Wonder this week but through the season, they have had 40 varieties of apple to sample and buy as well, as nine varieties of pear, 12 varieties of plum plus quinces and grapes.

Elsewhere, we have local Stroud Stained Glass artist Liz Dart, local potter Claire Powell, the Kin Juicery, the Cotswold Curer, the Veggie Deli and free range eggs from Naite farm and Overton Organic.

What do you like most about Stroud farmers’ market?