Christmas Shopping at the Farmers Market

Christmas Shopping at the Farmers Market

With the recession still affecting all of us, make sure you get the best value for your money by doing your Christmas shopping at the Farmers’ Market.

Forget the supermarket trolley rush. Forget the crowds. You can purchase all your festive food at the market safe in the knowledge it will be sourced locally and of the highest quality. You can also purchase your cards as well as an excellent variety of locally made gifts. However as most of our producers/stallholders are relatively small we would strongly recommend you place an ORDER as soon as possible.

Some CHRISTMAS SUGGESTIONS :-

Meat:- The meat choice is fantastic. Free range turkey and chicken, gammon, beef, all sorts of sausages and festive trimmings. What about game this Christmas ? i.e. wild goose, duck, pheasant or venison.

Vegetables and fruit:- Seasonal vegetables include parsnips, carrots, swedes, sprouts, cauliflowers, leeks, winter, savoy and red cabbages, kale, winter greens, brassicas, plus salad leaves, endives and squashes as well as many varieties of apples and pears.

Fish:- December and January are excellent seasons for wet fish and shell fish especially for oysters and dressed crab. Order a side of smoked salmon in good time for Christmas or, for a real treat, hot oak roasted salmon.

Cakes/desserts:- Try some locally made Christmas cake and Stöllen cake, all sorts of Christmas gateaux, Christmas logs, brownies, and special mince pies (such as cranberry and apple filling). If you like to make your own mince pies we will again have amoretti mincemeat.

Bread and Cheese:- Bread freezes well so stock up with a variety for the Christmas period. Spelt and rye bread goes well with Olde Sussex or Buttercup truckles or waxed wedges of Scrumpy and Goodwood.

Jams and preserves:- Start Christmas day off with cranberry and orange marmalade. To spice up cold meats try mulled wine jelly, cranberry chutney, or whisky mustard (also available as gift packs) or Keiko sauce.

Decorations:- You can order your Christmas tree at the market, Christmas wreaths, Christmas table centres, coloured bees wax candles, holly and mistletoe.

Gifts:- Our famous local bird artist, Ian Bowles will be selling his fantastic calendars. Alison Everitt, cartoonist, has her own unique range of Christmas
cards. The Church will be selling Shipbourne tea towels as well as THE Shipbourne Recipe book and jute Shopping Bags. With homemade jewellery, scarves, aprons, cushions, metal work gifts, botanical books and Christmas
azaleas all your present problems are solved !!!

We also want to try and win the Best Farmers’ Market in Kent again. To vote
please click on to www.tasteofkentawards.co.uk or ask for a voting form next time you visit the market

WHAT’S ON AT CHRISTMAS
Thursdays December 3rd 10th and 17th ‘normal’ markets with lots of gift
ware.
Wednesday December 23rd An extra special market. Pick up your orders and last minute gifts.
The Farmers’ Market will re-open after Christmas January 8th.

Shipbourne Farmers Market have just been awarded the five star ‘Scores on
the Doors’ rating, which is only given to food and drink businesses that
demonstrate the very highest standards in health and hygiene. Shipbourne
is one of only three Farmers’ Markets in the country to receive such a high
accolade. ‘Scores on the Doors’ is a national scheme regulated by environmental health officers in England and is a system that formally checks every establishment selling food, to monitor compliance to food business practices including record keeping, hygiene and food safety management. The scheme ensures food businesses reach an agreed standard, with five stars being the highest possible achievement.