Food: Level up your grocery shop at The Gransdens Farmers’ Market
“Coming to our market has been described as like getting a ‘big, warm hug’; there’s a real family atmosphere on market morning.” From the warmth of the welcome to the lovely local produce on sale, there’s much to commend The Gransdens Farmers’ Market in South Cambridgeshire, as co-founder Elaine Boyd tells Velvet’s Alice Ryan
First things first: how and when did the market come to be?
After the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a lot of focus on projects to bring people together and reinvigorate community halls. Steph Beaumont and I had both been involved in large-scale community projects previously and felt that a farmers’ market would be a great focal point for Little Gransden Village Hall and would be something to appeal to all sections of the community. After lots of planning and research, we launched with a very small market, in the pouring rain in March 2023.
What makes it stand out from the farmers’ market crowd?
For us, it’s all about the people. We have a great team of volunteers who make everything run like clockwork. We work regularly with 80 brilliant traders who bring great products and who really enjoy being at this market. One of them recently described coming to The Gransdens Farmers’ Market as like getting a ‘big, warm hug’ and there’s a real family atmosphere on market morning. We also have brilliant visitors with a mixture of really strong local support, lots of regulars and lots of visitors from the wider area.
How many stalls do you usually host? And what range of produce can shoppers expect to find?
We have 37 stalls every month. We focus on food, drink, garden and homeware and you’ll find great sourdough, ethically raised meat and game, locally grown vegetables, fresh flowers, cheese and deli produce with lots of extra treats and delicacies. Every month has a mixture of regular stalls and fresh faces so there’s always something new to discover.
Can you introduce a couple of your stalwart or star traders?
Ooh that’s a mean question! We think all our traders are really great, but if we have to choose, then we’d probably give a shout-out to the traders who took a leap of faith and joined us for our very first market and who are still with us today – so a huge thank you Babylun Sheep, Cakes by Lexi, Chocolate Seekers, Farley's Food, Friars Farm, Little Dutch Bites, Sweetpea Market Garden, Ticketyboo Home Fragrance, Willow Tree Distillery, and Whitmore’s Plants and Flowers. These were the traders who believed in the potential of the market when it was just a dream!
When we’ve done our shopping, is there somewhere we can rest our bags and refuel?
Absolutely. Our Market Café serves up tea, coffee, bacon and sausage baps all morning - with meat-free and gluten-free options too - and we have seating indoors and outside. For those with a sweet tooth, we always have a food truck serving pancakes, waffles or similar treats.
What makes farmers’ markets a tastier option for grocery shopping, would you say?
We think it’s about the freshness, variety and sustainability. So much of what’s available is produced within just a few miles of the market. Everything is of the highest quality and you’ll certainly find yourself trying new tastes.
And what makes them a cleaner, greener option?
With most of our traders being so local, there’s a very real reduction in food miles and lots of the traders use eco packaging rather than plastics. The meat and bread we serve in our café is also available in our brilliant village shop, Gransden Food and Wine, so there are more chances to ‘shop local’ in between markets. We recycle our coffee cups and we also offer a discount on tea and coffee if you bring your own cup!
And a more enjoyable one? It’s more pleasurable than a supermarket trip, isn’t it?
What’s not to enjoy about taking the dog for a walk, combining that with breakfast, a browse around a busy market and a chat with friends and then taking home some brilliant produce?
When does the market take place and how can we keep up to date with news?
The market runs from 9am to 1pm on the fourth Sunday of each month. You’ll find lots of news about the market on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @thegransdensfarmersmarket. And come and say hello – we’d love to see you!
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Alice Ryan