Last Market of the Year

It was a cold day for our first market in January and considering it coincided with the start of the latest lockdown was well attended. There were many regular customers and one or two new ones discovering us for the first time! Keeping you supplied with fresh, local produce such as meat, fish, cheese, bread, eggs and veg and a choice of baked goods, preserves as well as specialist products including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks remains our priority. To keep informed of who to expect each month why not sign up to our newsletter (home page)? Looking forward to meeting you at a market soon.

Donations totalling a magnificent £112.87 were made by customers towards the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal at our market on Remembrance Sunday 2020. Turnout held up despite the new lockdown measures having come into effect three days earlier. It was good to see so many people out to support the market. We observed the two minutes' silence at 11 o'clock and were entertained by local singer Don McDermott who helped raise the mood by performing many of the well-known songs from the wartime era and 1940s/1950s.

The May market was the second held during the coronavirus lockdown conditions. The early morning sunshine brought out our customers who were able to shop for food essentials in well a spaced out market, where social distancing proved almost second nature! We had a good selection of produce from ten producers this time including new season's strawberries and asparagaus. The next market falls on Sunday, 14 June. Hope you can make it!

The first market to be held during the coronavirus lockdown took place on Easter Sunday. Customers were able to shop for a range of fresh local produce in the open air, whilst observing the 2 metre social distancing rule. Measures were in place to control the number of people on site and this worked well whilst the hot sunshine and fresh air was adequate compensation for a few minutes waiting! There was a good range of produce available from the eight stallholders that attended, ie fresh baked goods, including bread, pies, pasties and quiches, all meats and poultry, fresh and smoked trout, eggs, honey, cheeses as well real cider and the wine-lovers beer. All our small producers were happy to be able to offer this valuable service to customers during the continuation of the lockdown period. Many now offer a free home delivery service immediately following the market and information on this can be found here .

Customers weren't disappointed as six stalls braved Ciara yesterday and managed to hang on in there whilst 40-50 mph winds did their best to disrupt the market. Despite the weather warnings, a number of regular customers ventured out and were able to purchase meat, fish, eggs, cheese and honey from Eadles, Selsey Shellfish, Brookleas Trout, Gould's Cheese, Castleman's Farm and Halfacre's Honey. Fortunately the rain managed to hold off until midday when it was decided to call time. Thanks to everyone who came down to support our local producers. We are proud to say that we can still maintain the claim: "we never cancel, whatever the weather".

Maidenhead Farmers' Market reached a milestone on 8 September when we celebrated our twentieth birthday! Music by the Moonlight Foxes and friends set the mood of the morning. We welcomed old and new customers who enjoyed a slice of birthday cake and also received a free '£2 off' voucher by way of a thank you for supporting us which they could offset against a purchase of fresh produce at one of our stalls. We were in the vanguard of local farmers' markets back in 1999 and still adhere to the ethos of supporting local farmers, growers, bakers, cidermakers, beekeepers etc, enabling them to sell direct to the consumer. Markets have expanded greatly since and now nearly every town and village can lay claim to their local producers' market which has encouraged many people to set up new food businesses. To ensure you are buying 'genuine own produce' we do run checks and try to visit all our producers beforehand as we always did to maintain standards. Celtic Bakers provided the delicious organic carrot cake (pictured held by Diane Harker, Market Manager - with some of our stallholders and helpers). Photo: Maidenhead Advertiser