There is nothing quite like visiting a farmers’ market and seeing stalls overflowing with fresh vegetables, freshly baked bread or delicious homemade sausages. It’s these stalls which keep a farmers’ market thriving and ensure that customers return each week to get as much of their weekly shop done locally!

Every market has a different set of rules governing who can become a stallholder. St Ives for example has a strictly local food only policy which they try and ensure comes from within a 30 mile radius of the market.

Sennen on the other hand was started to increase community bonds in the village which has a high number of holiday homes – they allow food like oranges and grapes to be sold by local businesses in the hope that it stops people having to make the journey to the nearest supermarket in Penzance.

“There are many reasons why farmers’ markets are set up,” explained Victoria Amran, the Development Officer for the West Cornwall Farmers’ Market Project - an innovative scheme funded by a grant from West Cornwall Local Action part of the Rural Development Programme for England, funded by the EU and Defra, and managed by the South West RDA.

“A market might encourage more shoppers into town centres, to replace a village shop which has closed down, to help raise funds for village halls or simply to deliver locally produced food to local people and reduce the number of miles food travels.”

If you are interested in starting a farmers’ market in your area and would like to know more about what is involved or required to ensure it’s success in the long term please contact Victoria Amran on 07787 561770 or email tor@wcfm.org.uk