Farm shop or supermarket.!!!

[farm1]

Just wondering how Many fellow piston headers buy fresh veg and other consumables, from farm shops, farmers markets, supermarkets. I,ve been growing fresh veg and running a farm shop for 25 years. Lots of costumers are looking to buy local.

[atom111]

A farmers market has just started around here, we have bought meat and breads so far. My Xmas meal veg was in the main from a Farmers Shop but it wasn't local as such i wanted something different.

The farmers markets is monthly so not practical for all veg needs and in reality there is no local farmers shop that i've noticed.

We did support the local greengrocer but his fruit and veg was not very high quality and went off very quickly which is not very practical.

[jmorgan]

Problem I have is work patterns. Markets around here tend to be on weekends when I am working. Must try to find a decent one that is open all week as weekdays are the best for me. I do buy from the local veg shop when I can. Prices are great but you have to be quick in the eating or its compost. Local butchers are superb and list where the meat has come from, all local. Quality is far superior to the supermarket.

[atom111]

I should add as just mentioned the local butcher is awesome!!

[jmorgan]

Just reminded me of when I used to help my Grandfather take the papers down the farm. They were school chums (the farmer before the jokes appear). Grandfathers friends wife would offer us some eggs and bacon before walking back home. It was hanging on a hook from the kitchen ceiling. Hot pan under, carve off slices direct into the pan, back on the fire. It was a side of home cured bacon hanging from the ceiling I should point out, not a pack of Danish

[Ordinary Bloke]

Local Greengrocer and Local Butcher.

Supermarket stuff has no flavour, sadly most people don't notice the difference. Anyone reading this, try buying some non-supermarket produce and you'll immediately notice the difference...

[atom111]

The produce I bought from the Farmers Shop had a stronger flavour than the supermarket equivalent, I am heading to the GreenGrocer later to get some stuff for the weekend

[Moto]

jmorgan said:

Prices are great but you have to be quick in the eating or its compost.

Probably because the supermarket product has been injected with chemicals to stop it turning into compost.

In answer to the original post, we try to buy everything from local suppliers & producers via the local butcher, green grocer, markets and over the farm gate. Most friends who visit us comment on the quality of our food and one has even started to order food from the local butcher before they visit so they can collect it.

Moto

[Mattt]

We try to eat local too. My farmer friend has his own beef stock now, and produces amazing meat - his rib of beef is amazing. Burgers are 100% meat, and steaks are great too. If anyone in Essex wants anything, let me know

For other meats, we use the local butcher, the regulars tend to get better treatment. He will often recommend meat to us that isn't the most expensive - which for the Xmas trade, he would be happy to sell to them.

Fresh fruit/veg is harder to come by, but tastes so much better.

[deevlash]

my suprmarket is selling fruit and veg at 70% off for the next month, beat that hippy 6p a kiwi anyone?

[atom111]

where is that deevlash?

[wasted years]

Have to agree that the local farm shops/butchers are much better than the supermarkets. In the mood for some good burgers and sausages

[atom111]

Had some sausages from our Farmers Market a couple of weeks ago I had Irish Sausage and Hop Sausage both were awesome and from locally reared pigs. They were in a different league flavour wise than those at the super market, a higher league

[jmorgan]

With meat, the water that is allowed is quite annoying. I don't get it with my local butcher.

[atom111]

jmorgan said:

With meat, the water that is allowed is quite annoying. I don't get it with my local butcher.

Is that in the context of padding within say a sausage?

[jmorgan]

atom111 said:

jmorgan said:

With meat, the water that is allowed is quite annoying. I don't get it with my local butcher.

Is that in the context of padding within say a sausage?

They are allowed a certain amount in meat, then bacon and gammon is allowed a tad more. Cooked and prepacked come under different levels. Under a certain amount and you don't need to declare it. Of course, I may be talking cobblers but that was the case a few years ago when I looked into it. Have to go for a shufty to back them comments up. Having trouble finding the document I looked at a while ago.

[coolcatmaz]

where I live we have numerous farm shops offering fresh veg, meats and fruit when in season. Also have local farmers markets offering the same and the local butcher to me is very good.

Very rare I buy any of these foods from a supermarket if I can help it, I find the taste and quality to be substandard, and I'm also a great believer in supporting the local community/farmers.

Most of the farms around me offer half or whole pig/lamb/cow etc. Its a cheaper option to bulk buy meat but obviously you need a big freezer in order to take meat in this quantity.

[deevlash]

atom111 said:

where is that deevlash?

Lidl promo starts tomorrow, lots of stupidly cheap fruit and veg.

[agent006]

I'd love to buy local. Troube is that our farmers market is full of overpriced minority interest stuff (seems to be all cheese, cider and fish). All the local butchers knock off at 5, so i need to leave work at 4 in order to get there before they start packing up at half past.
To be honest it's just not worth the bother. Do most of my shopping at the co-op which i see as the least worst option of what's left.

[atom111]

deevlash said:

atom111 said:

where is that deevlash?

Lidl promo starts tomorrow, lots of stupidly cheap fruit and veg.

Thanks