The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2020 - Issue 68 | Page 32

32 HEADINGLEY FARMERS’ MARKET
APR/MAY 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk
KEEPING THE FARMERS
MARKETS GOING
This is our second of three pieces on the amazingly successful
Headingley Farmers’ Market which we reported on in our Feb/
Mar issue. Today unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 crisis and
for the first time in its fourteen-year history, the Market and its
Rose Garden site is as silent and empty as the rest of Headingley.
THE market organising group sadly have
had to close the market for the imme-
diate future but firmly hope that, come
summertime, we will have beaten this
terrible virus and once again everyone
can come and enjoy the very best in
Yorkshire produce once again.
However, all is not lost as one of the orig-
inal stall holders, Swillington Organic Farm,
came up with an excellent idea. They have
called it the MARKET COLLECTIVE.
Their farm shop normally opens once
a month on the fourth Saturday of the
month, from 9.30 to 12.30.They are now
extending this to the second Saturday
of the month, which has always been
Headingley Farmers’ Market day. Jo,
Bob and Zane intend to run the Market
Collective until the crisis is over.
As well as Swillington’s own Organic
meat and Headbangers bacon and
sausages, customers are able to buy
produce from many of Headingley’s
usual stalls, including Cryer and Stott
cheeses, Really Indian sauces, Yorkshire
Dama Cheeses, Yorkshire Orchards juices,
Thistlemist Farm soups, and Leave No
Trace products. Also from May, stallhold-
ers from the nearby Oakwood Farmers’
Market will join and indeed the number
of Headingley stallholders taking part is
increasing each month.
Each stallholder provides a list of prod-
ucts (with prices), which are available
for customers to order. Obviously this is
rather more limited than the range they
would offer at a normal Market.
Customers check out what’s on offer
each month by following a link on the
Headingley Farmers’ Market website.
Other Leeds Farmers Markets’, Oakwood
and Horsforth are also set to publicise the
Market Collective.
Customers are invited to imagine them-
selves at their local market soaking up the
atmosphere ready to pick their favourite
goods! They email their shopping list
through to the Market Collective organ-
ised by Swillington Organic Farm.
Swillington contacts each supplier
with the orders and makes sure they
are packed and ready for collection by
customers from their farm shop on the
second Saturday of each month. At the
farm shop there are strict measures to
ensure everyone’s safety, strict distanc-
ing, hand sanitizing and security and a
large car park. Payments are made at the
shop and Swillington Organic Farm charge
a very small transaction fee to cover their
operating expenses on the day.
The Market Collective is a simple but
brilliant format designed by the enthusi-
astic staff at Swillington to ensure a safe
space for people to still do their market
shopping during these difficult times.
It also allows market stall holders to
keep on selling their delicious products,
keeping them in business and ensuring
the future of Farmers’ markets in Leeds.
This is a great service helping to keep
these vibrant farmers’ markets going
through these tough times. It is a safe win
win for farmers, producers and Farmers
Market customers all working together.
Swillington Organic Farm will be featuring in
our next issue in June/July along with more of
Headingley’s stallholders.