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Janet started making preserves to feed the family. One summer she gave some of her marmalade to the church stall at a local fete. A friend with a B&B bought some for her guests and the next morning came hot foot for some more.
“They’ve eaten a whole jar!” she exclaimed. “And they want some to take away with them. you know, you ought to make this professionally.”She took what we had. I went without.
From such small beginnings… the following Christmas Janet organised a craft fair in the village hall. She made about two hundred jars of marmalade and chutney. I was convinced that I would be eating this for years to come. She sold out.
The next year she made and sold at craft fairs, and it was at one of these that she was invited to come to a farmers’ market, only the second to be held in Dorset.
She could immediately see the potential, and when the original grant ran out was keen to run them herself. I wasn’t.
At this time I was running Christchurch farmers’ market. This was slipping quietly downhill and I was told that farmers’ markets throughout the country were finding things difficult, and gradually fading. I spent a lot of time thinking about why this should be. Christchurch had either to be revitalised or closed. I decided to try some new ideas, and, almost like magic, it was suddenly up and running. I was pretty sure that I had ‘cracked it’. Shortly after this I received a phone call from a friend who had attended a council meeting in Weymouth.
“They want a farmers’ market,” he told me. “You and Janet ought to do it.”
It amazes me how often I get told what I should be doing.
After discussions with Janet we went to talk to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, and the upshot was that we started a market on Westham Bridge, now a car park, but originally the way across the harbour and into town. Starting at Easter, we applied all the ideas that we had worked out and our reception was more than enthusiastic. The market started at 10 am and by eleven most people had sold out. The following month was very similar. The third month the producers were bringing in so much stock that we thought the bridge might collapse. They didn’t run out, but they didn’t have a lot left.
I sat in front of my computer and worked out a business plan. It looked too good to be true, and to be honest it was, but it wasn’t so far out.
Where should the next market be?
Verwood, a village in the east of Dorset that has grown into a town, had always attracted us. Janet negotiated with the charter holder in Ringwood and obtained a license for twelve markets a year.
A word of explanation here. Market charters were granted by various kings - the Ringwood one goes back to Henry III in his minority - and grant the rights to hold a market on a particular day or days. The area covered by a charter extends to six and two thirds miles, this being the distance a man and mule can go, do business, and return home in one day.
Mrs Pook’s now runs a total of five markets and is negotiating for others.
Janet and Martin have always believed in buying locally if they can. Martin’s simple explanation for this is that you can always go and sit on someone’s doorstep if they fail to deliver. But from whichever point it does make sense. There is however a proviso - we want to buy the best. And we are lucky because in the local area there is so much good food that it is rarely necessary to go to far.
Best in Dorset farmers’ markets are run to a set of rules so that the public know that if they buy from one of our markets that the produce will meet some exacting standards.
Our markets are run to the highest standards, and we ensure that all our producers are not only aware of our rules but we ensure that they comply with them. In this way we are able to offer our personal guarantee that what you are getting is local and the best of it’s respective kind.
The Markets
The Precinct – near the Sovereign Centre
First Sunday of each month
10AM - 3PM
Boscombe was built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as Bournemouth expanded eastwards. Several years ago the main road was diverted leaving about a quarter of a mile as a pedestrian precinct. There are many shops situated both on street and in the Sovereign Centre. Many of the buildings are well worth looking at with decorative brickwork and faience work much in evidence. A lot of effort is being put into the area to improve it and our farmers’ market is part of that effort. Although not our largest market there are some interesting producers here and there is easy car parking.
Boscombe Market Dates 2007
4th February
4th March
1st April
6th May
3rd June
1st July
5th August
2nd September
7th October
4th November
2nd December
Ferrett Green – on the B3081 from Ringwood
Fourth Saturday of each month
9AM - 1PM
Verwood has grown from a village into a small town over the last forty years, its early development being before builders had to put in proper roads. Lying just to the west of Ringwood it is just over the county boundary into Dorset. The central cross roads of the town was altered a few years ago to provide a green area with a large area of paving over what was a road. Our market is held on this area which is outside the Verwood Heritage Centre where coffee and cake can be purchased. This is a very popular market and usually our largest. There are many producers from both Dorset and Hampshire. Car parking is free.
Verwood Market Dates
27th January
24th February
24th March
28th April
26th May
23rd June
28th July
25th August
22nd September
27th October
24th November
22nd December
Westham Bridge – by the marina
Second Sunday of each month
10AM - 3PM
Our original market. Situated on the old bridge across the harbour, now a car park, it can on occasion be somewhat exposed. To one side of the bridge, more a dam than a bridge, is the marina and on the other an expanse of water usually covered in water birds. This extends around to the RSPB on the Swannery car park. The town itself is a blend of the old, the Georgian and Victorian and the modern, most of which seems to blend very well. There is a well developed shopping centre, plenty of car parking and lots to see.
Weymouth Market Dates
11th February
11th March
8th April (Easter Sunday)
13th May
Oyster Festival 27th May on the Quay
10th June
8th July
12th August
9th September
14th October
11th November
9th December
Cardigan Road
Third Saturday of each month
9AM - 3PM
When the railway finally arrived in Bournemouth in 1870 the line was directed around the outside of the town and as with today’s bypasses the town quickly expanded to it and then beyond. Winton was part of that expansion and lies to the north of the town centre; it is the first shopping centre that you encounter with a wide range of shops; supermarkets from Lidl to Waitrose. For our market we close off part of Cardigan Road not far from the traffic light junction of Wimborne Road, Alma and Talbot Roads. Car parking is not so easy here, but there are usually spaces to be found in the surrounding streets.
Winton Market Dates
20th January
17th February
17th March
21st April
19th May
16th June
21st July
18th August
15th September
20th October
17th November
15th December
Best in Dorset Farmers' Markets
Producers Directory
Meat Producers Dorset
Our producers of meats are:Harvey's 'Green Pastures' Poultry
A bit about Meat
The meat in your local supermarket will have been produced by a factory process, with animals going in at one end, fattened, loaded into a lorry and taken for slaughter and then butchered. The meat is often hard because the animal was full of adrenalin when it died. Quality is secondary to price - it is important to a supermarket to be able to say that they are the cheapest. A far cry from the family farm where the animals are cared for and looked after. Once slaughtered the meat is hung to improve its flavour, beef for a minimum of three weeks, and then cut into joints that are appropriate for the market that they will go to. Sausages will be made on the farm to the farmer’s own, often unique recipes. Bacon is cured by hand too.
Barnes of Martinstown
Norman and Liz Barnes and family now concentrate on the farm shop, but still attend our more local markets. The family run farm provides home grown beef, lamb and pork. They have developed many different sausages, their own home cured bacon and the very popular Faddle of Dorset Savouries. There is a spacious coffee parlour at the shop, and an area where you may see pigs goats and calves as well as rabbits and guinea pigs and chickens - a delight for children of all ages.
Markets: Weymouth, Verwood
Address:
Stevens Farm Shop
Martinstown
Dorchester
DT2 9JR
Telephone: 01305 889216
Email: barnesnje@farmersweekly.co.uk
Broke Wood Farm
Producers of fine quality beef
Markets: Weymouth
Address: Mark & Lucy Doggerall
Brokewood Farm
Bishops Down
Sherborne
Dorset
DT9 5PN
Telephone: 01963 210758
Cranborne Farms produce their own range of meats, sausages, own-cured bacon and faggots from their mouth-watering range of traditional breed meat. Their pork, beef and lamb, all bred on the Cranborne Estate, has a particularly distinctive and sumptuous flavour. Seasonal tender Estate game (venison and pheasant) is also available.
Markets: Verwood
Address:
Cranborne Farm shop
1 The Square
Cranborne
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 5PR
Telephone: 01725 517168
Website: www.cranbornestores.co.uk
H. G. Witt and Son
From their farm at Fordingbridge on the edge of the New Forest they are producers of beef and lamb and free range eggs.
Markets: Verwood
Address:
Nigel & Eileen Witt
Midgham Farm
Midgham
Fordingbridge
SP6 3DA
Telephone: 01425 653757
Lovely ginger Tamworth pigs produce pork and bacon that ranks amongst the best. Joy Bush makes faggots and daughter Emma creates hand-raised pork pies and scrummy raspberry roulades, meringue and cream, very naughty but very nice.
Markets: They are not presently attending our markets
Address:
Joy and Emma Bush
Ham Street Farm
Back Lane
Baltonsborough
Glastonbury
Somerset
BA6 8QB
Telephone: 01458 850508
Harvey's 'Green Pastures' Poultry
Genuine free range chickens and ducks from birds that are bred to mature more slowly. Available as whole birds dressed and ready for the oven, or as breasts, thighs, drumsticks or wings.
Markets: Wareham, Verwood
Address:
Phil & Sonia Harvey
Gold Oak Farm
Crendell
Fordingbridge
SP6 3EA
Telephone: 01725 517027
Adrian and Carolyn Spicer sell all kinds of local game. Their range includes venison, wild boar, both as pork and cured ham, pigeon breast, duck breast, again plain or cured, and pheasant, and rabbit.
Markets: Weymouth, Winton
Address:
A Spicer
Court Farm Business Park
Buckland Newton
Dorchester
Dorset
DT2 7BT
Telephone: 01300 345271
Bacon and ham from pigs reared in woodland - the pig’s natural habitat - on the Somerley Estate.
Markets: Winton, Verwood
Address:
Nigel Collins
6 Linnet Close
Hightown
Ringwood
BH24 3RE
Telephone: 01425 477626
New Forest Flavoursome Foods
Tom Robinson keeps an assortment of traditional breed animals. Well known as a prize winner at local shows, his meat products are of the highest quality.
Markets: Wareham, Boscombe, Weymouth, Winton and Verwood
Address:
11 Meadow Close
Burley
Ringwood
Hampshire
BH24 4ES
Telephone: 01425 402181
Venison from the New Forest, the descendants of the deer that William Rufus was hunting and the common people poached! Now brought to you in all cuts (and quite legally) and sausages.
Markets: Verwood
Address:
Monique Gudgeon
Gill’s Hole Farm
Redlynch
Salisbury
SP5 2JE
Telephone: 01794 884543
A family run farm producing many different meat products. Mr and Mrs Mabbott also hold farm walks and open days for holiday makers in their area.
Markets: Boscombe, Winton.
Address:
Pondhead Farm
Beaulieu Road
Lyndhurst
Hampshire
SO43 7FZ
Telephone: 02380 282003
Brian and Anne Barnes and daughter Tracey keep pigs, goats and also chickens, ducks and geese. The goat’s meat is very popular as are the various eggs some of which are a bluish green from Araucana hens. Anne’s home-made cakes, some from recipes unique to her, are made only with their own free range eggs and local butter.
Markets: Wareham, Weymouth
Wyke Oliver Farm
Preston
Weymouth
Dorset
DT3 6EW
Telephone: 01305 832273
A bit about Fish
Smoking: In the distant past meat or fish would have been hung from the rafters over the central fireplace. The smoke from the always burning fire would have kept flies at bay and curing would have slowly taken place. Nowadays, a good deal more care is taken to control the process. Rather than being a method of preserving, smoking is now used to create wonderful flavours.
From sea to smoke the Bridfish team from the majestic salmon to the humble mackerel. After thirty years of using the traditional method of oakwood smoking no compromise is made on quality. Delicacies such as smoked salmon, trout, mackerel kippers eel, cod roe and prawns as well as smoked fish pates are always available.
Please visit our website at www.bridfishsmokery.com
Our producers of Dorset dairy
products are:
A bit about Dairy
We have several small cheese-makers at the markets, all making very different cheeses. Some of these are ‘straight’ and others have flavourings added. There are hard and soft goat’s and cow’s cheeses, sheep’s cheese and blue cheeses. The flavour of the cheese will vary according to the type of milk, what the animal ate and where the cheese was made.
All the eggs are free range, and range in size from quails to bantams, chickens, ducks to enormous goose eggs.
From their farm at Fordingbridge on the edge of the New Forest they are producers of beef and lamb and free range eggs.
Markets: Verwood
Address:
Nigel & Eileen Witt
Midgham Farm
Midgham
Fordingbridge
SP6 3DA
Telephone: 01425 653757
Markets: Verwood
Home Farm
Whiteshoot
Redlynch
Wiltshire
SP5 2PR
Telephone: 01725 514791
Sold at Farmers’ markets and some town markets their cheeses are much sought after.
Markets: Boscombe, Wareham, Weymouth, Winton, Verwood
Telephone: 07949 884847
Woolsery started making award winning goat’s cheeses but now also make a range of Cheddars. Full details are available on their website.
Markets: Wareham, Weymouth, Winton, Verwood
Contact: www.woolserycheese.co.uk
Markets: Wareham, Weymouth
Wyke Oliver Farm
Preston
Weymouth
Dorset
DT3 6EW
Telephone: 01305 832273
Our producers of Dorset bakery
products are:
A bit about Bakery
Cakes: Our cake makers are encouraged to use only natural ingredients, with as many as possible coming from local sources. There is an amazing range of cakes available, some quite unique, but almost all make apple cakes and many do bread pudding. The other favourites are carrot cake, chocolate and lemon drizzle.
Bakery: A little while ago I purchased a sandwich in a supermarket. Because of our odd labelling laws the ingredients of the bread were noted. All eighteen of them. In fact, since there were several different flours used, only eight of them had any right to be there; the rest were preservatives, flour improvers, and things I could only guess at. Our bakers use only four basic ingredients - flour, yeast, water and salt. They may add things such as olives or cheese, garlic or onions, but nothing unwholesome.
There are meat pies and fruit pies, homity pies and pasties. All are made to the highest standards. Some are made with short crust pastry whilst several producers have developed their own unique types. Homity pies are cheese and potato, the meat pies are full of meat, whilst the pasties, as they traditionally should, contain less meat. But even the pasties vary. In addition there are quiches and cold cutting pies.
Producers
Carole Bowen makes a range of cakes, quiches using plain or oatmeal pastry, and pizzas. In addition she runs the market café at our Weymouth market. Any of her products may be ordered by phone or through the internet for delivery at the market of your choice.
Markets: Boscombe, Weymouth, Winton, Verwood
Contact: carolebowen@btinternet.com
Martin Aldridge is a master butcher who has retired to Bridport where he such a wonderful range of fresh ingredients that he decided to start making pies. He produces an amazing variety of superb gourmet meat pies. Many of the pies, with mouth-watering combinations of ingredients, are intended to be heated, but he also makes traditional cold cutting pies. In addition he makes a variety of homity pies
Bridport Gourmet Pies
Unit 2 Gore Cross Business Park
Corbin Way
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 3UX
Telephone: 01308 420244
Oxfords Bakery is now into its fourth generation producing bread from just four basic ingredients. As well as a large number of different breads they also sell lardy cakes and many seasonal bakery items
Markets: Wareham, Weymouth, Winton, Verwood
Markets: Boscombe, Weymouth
Bovey’s Down Farm
Farway
Colyton
Devon
EX24 6JD
Telephone: 01404 871436
Markets: Wareham, Weymouth
Wyke Oliver Farm
Preston
Weymouth
Dorset
DT3 6EW
Telephone: 01305 832273
Our producers of Dorset fruit and
vegetables are:
A bit about Fruit & Veg
Dorset isn’t one of the country’s great vegetable producing counties. However we do have locally grow vegetables, including watercress. Vegetables are of course seasonal, and fruit is even more so. We start in early spring with asparagus and rhubarb and then strawberries and soft fruit through the summer. The strawberries will go on until October and apples will be with us until after Christmas.
Cliff grows strawberries near Cheddar in Somerset. He extends the English strawberry season by the use of greenhouses providing a crop throughout the summer and well into the autumn.
With orchards in west Dorset William and Caroline Jackson grow a great variety of apples and pears. The apples are sold either as individual varieties, or as selection boxes to the customers requirements. The fruit is only available in season from late summer until early spring
Suppliers of vegetables and fruit in season, Sopley have large ‘pick-you-own’ areas as well as selling at farmers’ markets
Dennis and Zhifka Tanner grow vegetables on their farm at Sopley on the edge of the New Forest. They grow most kinds of vegetables and salad ingredients providing a seasonal selection throughout the year. Dennis is now developing a box scheme for home delivery.
Our producers of drinks are:
A bit about Drinks
Nigel Stewart makes multi award winning ciders from locally grown apples. He also produces a range of apple juices, and has now started to produce his own apple brandy although this will not be available until it has matured in a year or two.
Markets: Weymouth
Bridge Farm
East Chinnock
Yeovil somerset
BA22 9EA
Telephone: 01935 862387
Markets: Weymouth
Crabbs-Bluntshay Cottage
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Bridprot
Dorset
DT6 6RN
Telephone: 01297489044
Markets: Weymouth, Verwood
The Winery
Teffont Evias
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP3 5RG
Telephone: 01722 716770
Our producers of preserves are:
A bit about Preserves
Before the advent of refrigerators and freezers there were three preservatives: vinegar, salt and sugar. Vinegar and sugar in varying proportions are used to make pickles and chutneys and sugar to make jams and conserves. Pickles are really fruit or vegetables stored in vinegar, chutneys are formed from almost any vegetable of fruit cooked in vinegar and sugar. To be fully preserved jam needs to have a sugar content above 73%. None of these products should need to be kept in a refrigerator, but should be stored in a cool place, ideally a larder. Some preserves like lemon curd do not have a high sugar content and so should be refrigerated. Honey is largely sugar and will keep without any problems.Lots of lovely home made preserves. Erica also supplies a number of retail outlets
Markets: Weymouth, Verwood
Erica Watt
Gallop Cottage
Spettisbury
Blandford
Dorset
DT11 9ED
Dennis and Steve Bawdon keep a large number of hives across the Cranborne chase and into Hampshire, producing an excellent local honey. Available both as natural runny or set. The honey is sold at Best in Dorset farmers’ markets by Mrs Pook’s Kitchen
Malcolm and Sylvia Creed-Castle come from Whitchurch Cannonicorum in the west of Dorset. Malcolm keeps bees to provide honey and makes cider from his own apples. Sylvia makes a fine range of chutneys.
Markets: Weymouth
Crabbs-Bluntshay Cottage
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 6RN
Telephone: 01297489044
Hugh and Gillian Land produce honey from their own hives in the north of Dorset, together with a wide range of honey products including comb and candles.
Markets: Specials only
The Rowans
North Street
Bradford Abbas
Sherborne
Dorset
DT9 6SA
Telephone: 01935 422580
Janet Pook’s preserves have become a local legend. Starting from ‘family’ production she has kept to very small scale and her jams, marmalades and chutneys are simply the best.
Markets: All markets, contact at Best in DorsetChris Cleal has kept bees in the New Forest area for many years and Jean his wife has been making preserves. They produce many useful bee products
Markets: Boscombe, Wareham, Weymouth, Verwood
24 Testwood Place
Totton
Southampton
SO40 3BE
Telephone: 02380 863653
Information coming soon
Our producers of Dorset plants are:
A bit about PlantsAs any gardener knows the range of plants is almost limitless. Some of our plants-people specialise in herbs, some in climbers whilst one has citrus bushes in addition to his other stock. Throughout the year you will find something interesting and quite possibly new for that corner of your garden.
Marcus has a lovely selection of clematis and other climbing plants.
Markets: Verwood, Winton
Kilgreggran
Alderholt Road
Sandleheath
Fordingbridge
Hampshire
SP6 1PT
Telephone: 01425 652747
Markets: Verwood – summertime only
St Catherines House
Milton Abbas
Dorset
DT11 0AT
Andrew and his wife Claire produce many interesting plants – some are quite common and others not so. One of the most interesting ranges is citrus fruiting plants, ranging from grapefruit to limes, lemons and kumquats and even limequats. Andrew is also expanding the range to include fruit and ornamental trees. His wide knowledge of plants and freely given help make him very popular with buyers.
Markets: Wareham, Boscombe, Weymouth, Winton, Verwood
Pitmore Lane
Lymington
Hampshire
SO41 0SB
Telephone: 07788 925350
Wendy produces a wide range of herbs in several different sizes. She also makes herb jellies and flavoured oils
Markets: Weymouth
2 Barton Cottages
Symondsbury
Bridport
DT6 6HG
Telephone: 01308 424402
Our producers of other
products are:
A bit about Other Products
Other products: Under this heading we have put Olives, coffee and ready meals. People often query what olives and coffee are doing at farmers’ markets, but in reality there is little difference between them and say cake makers or bakers. It would be nice to think that bread was made from local flour, but in reality most of it comes from Canada, the local stuff is too poor to make good flour. Olives are variously marinated by our olive seller, who also makes paklava and other Greek delicacies. Coffee is of course roasted and ground by the man who sells it.
Martin and Lesley Ashby prepare and marinade their olives in a wide variety of flavours. They also prepare many other Greek delicacies including feta cheese pastries and paklava
Markets: Weymouth, Verwood
Lots of interesting pates and terrines
Markets: Weymouth
Kate Chidley produces wonderfully witty cartoons - or more correctly ‘Cowtoons’ - of cows doing things such as watersking and ballooning. She also has colourful and attractive pictures of mermaids and ladies on horseback, although that conveys little of the true effect. Sold mounted ready for framing and in the form of cards kate attends mainly our special markets.
Warmwell Road
Crossways
Telephone: 01305 851551
Simon and Sam Speight have a small holding near Melbury Bubb in the heart of Dorset. They make pasta and pasta sauces and also have their own Sandy and Black pigs producing pork and bacon and in addition grow vegetables that they supply mainly through their box scheme.
Farm Shops
In between markets it is handy to know where you can go to get the very Best in Dorset. We have visited a lot of farm shops but we think these are the best
Home Farm Shop – Tarrant Gunville
Marlene and Rodney Belbin have a wonderful range of fine products including meat from their farm.
Take the A354 from Blandford towards Salisbury. At Tarrant Hinton turn left towards Tarrant Gunville and follow the signs.
Stevens Farm Shop
Norman and Liz Barnes and family will welcome you to their shop and coffee parlour with its lovely views across the village. Many good things including Mrs Pook’s preserves. There are also farm animals, rabbits and guinea pigs for the children to see.
From the roundabout on the A35 at the west end of Dorchester take the first exit for Martinstown. At the junction with the road through the village turn right and after about three hundred yards there is a driveway on your right with a blue sign. Drive up there to the car park
New website coming soon is at www.stevensfarmshop.co.uk
Weymouth Oyster Festival - 27 May on the Quay
Milton Abbas Street Fair - July 28th
Tel: 01258 881274
2 Farm Cottages
Cross Lanes, Melcombe Bingham
Dorchester, Dorset
DT2 7NY
| home page | about us | MARKETS | boscombe, verwood, weymouth, winton | diary dates | PRODUCERS | meats, fish, dairy, bakery, fruit & veg, drinks, preserves, plants, other, farm shops | talk to us | text only site |