WELl, I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely ready for some summer weather! It is not very nice is it? Last Saturday’s market was one of those extremely rare days when it just honks it down non-stop. As ever, the stoics amongst us made a point of the fact that “at least it isn’t windy” and there were a number of sensible weather watchers who realised a late visit would be less damp, and it did, in fact, clear up around midday. Obviously, it was a very poor day for traders, but thankfully this week looks a lot better, it might even be warm enough for a bbq!

Large would be a good description for the way the markets are looking for the summer months. We have increased the number of vegetable and meat farmers so there is an ever wider selection of locally farmed produce. This is our essence, the bedrock of our raison d’etre. The quality and freshness of market produce is such that every Stroud resident should be able to access it; the more merrier!

Our vegetable range currently has Newark Farm, Hotch Potch, Coleshill and new stroud based Good Small Farms which are organic certified and Paget’s Produce, Styan’s Family Produce and soon to return Adeline Farm, which aren’t. Newark, Hotch Potch, Good Small farms and Adeline are seasonal, meaning they have periods of absence from the market. Currently Newark Farm, who specialise in winter veg and potatoes, are coming to the end of their run, whilst Hotch Potch and GSF are just beginning. Styan’s and Coleshill are set up to produce throughout the year with field and tunnel crop combinations.