Saturday 26 September 2009

Saturday morning in town.




When I say "town" I mean our little local town which has only a fe w thousand residents and where, whenever you go, you meet so many people you know that it takes three times as long to shop. That's not a bad thing, is it?


Today it is warm, sunny and cloudless - so our little town is looking at its best. It is also the fourth Saturday in the month, so it is Farmers' Market Day. Don't get too excited about this - we are not talking here of those wonderful Canadian Farmers' Markets - where there are acres and acres of produce and handicraft stalls. No, our Farmers' Market has only about ten stalls - one selling very expensive (but scrummy) cakes, two vegetables (organic), one buffalo meat, one butcher, one herbs, one garden plants, a couple of cake stalls and a wine stall. Sadly it is not all that well attended. You will see that one of my photographs has not a single person buying. So it does not bode well for the winter.


Today there was a new stall from Whitby selling shell fish products and smoked fish - it all looked so fresh and tempting. Unfortunately the farmer is not a shellfish eater and does not like anything smoked - so I gave it a miss. Now i am wishing I had bought some crab for my tea!


It has become a tradition that a group of us meet for coffee in The Bolton Arms (the building on the horizon in the photograph with the garden plants in the foreground) on Farmers' Market day -so you can imagine us sitting in the bay window of the lounge there, looking out over a gloriously sunny dale, drinking coffee and chatting - lovely morning.


Have a good weekend - and those involved in TFE's Monday poem had better get thinking, methinks!




34 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Lovely morning indeed! Our town just started a farmer's market this year. It's within walking distance and on cooler mornings it's been fun to walk Edward and Apple up to buy vegetables and local honey. Today is the last day however and it will resume in the Spring. Our skies here today are not nearly as blue as yours however....more thunderstorms expected!!

TheChicGeek said...

It is lovely, I think, to live in a small town where you know everyone. It is always a treat to come and see your pictures and hear your tales of the day.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Grizz………… said...

It is dim and damp here—a few very light showers during the night and at dawn, and still looking like it can't make up its mind whether or not to rain a bit more.

Your post reminds me that I need to check the orchard market down the road and see whether my favorite Honeycrisp apples now being picked for sale.

Saturday coffee at the Bolton Arms sound quite cozy.

Leenie said...

I enjoyed your post and your photos of your market day. Farmers Markets seem to be the new cool thing in our part of the world. We bought local corn at ours yesterday and enjoyed corn on the cob, watermelon and fresh trout DH caught in a neaby lake. Life, for the moment, is good. I hope the rest of your weekend goes well.

Anonymous said...

Well, I come to visit you for a contrast to my life.
Next time buy crab!
I'm a complete sucker for farmers' markets of all stripes.
Apparently Michelle Obama has encouraged cone in BC (see Reya's blog)

Have a lovely and peaceful weekend.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Looks like a nice little farmers market. My problem with the Edinburgh farmer's market (being a veggie) is that it is very meat oriiented. It's also very popular and things sell out very quickly - and I'm usually not there at the start!

Edinburgh's a good place for bumping into people you know,

Heather said...

I love the look of your market square. It seems as if it might not have changed for generations. We too have a Farmers' Market which is quite well attended and gives a lively buzz to the town. Sadly we have several empty shops now, but that is due to greedy landlords who charge too much rent. This week's poetry homework is beyond my capabilities but I have written a 'cop out' piece!

steven said...

hello weaver - i'm living in one of those canadian towns blessed with a farmer's market covering acres on saturday and a smaller but really good market on wednesday when some of our downtown streets are closed off to traffic!!! but . . . i would trade a day of that for a day in the dales . . . . . have a lovely evening. steven

Totalfeckineejit said...

What a beautiful day in a beautiful town(are they cobble stones?) ,Weaver, we had the same blue skies and sunshine here too,absolutely wonderful.It's a pity the market isn't more popular but they do always seem to be so expensive.I like the sound of The Bolton Arms though , does it serve real ale?

Totalfeckineejit said...

Oh and the Monday poem, mine is as about as ready as it will ever be,I wonder how many will join us,not many this week I think!

Titus said...

Weaver, what sun-drenched photographs. So cheering.
And what a pity there are not more people shopping at the rather lovely looking Farmer's Market.

Not started thinking about TFE's challenge yet, but hey, I've got Sunday ....

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Lovely to see your regular haunts Weaver. Looks like a picture perfect English countryside life to me - right out of a wonderful English novel!

BT said...

What a fabulous picture you paint of the farmers' market. I could almost be there. Then I can imagine you all sitting chatting and drinking coffee in The Bolton Arms - wonderful. I wish I was there too.

Jeannette StG said...

Oh, I love smoked fish! Especially smoked eel (I know people here in the US think it's disgusting, but they've never tasted it:) )
Have a great weekend with wonderful dished!

Anonymous said...

I love farmers' markets but rarely attend them. I often wish we lived in a village or little town where one can get to know one's neighbours. I live in a busy suburb that has a transient population due to the tenants of the many appartments and flats. I can go down to the shops and come home without running into anyone I know, besides the shop owners. Your relaxing stop at the pub sounds like a very pleasant way to spend time. Enjoy your weekend, Weaver.

Kim Palmer said...

There is much to be said for the benefits of small town living. Its nice to know many of the members of your local community and be able to rely on the support that they offer. The feeling of extended community and family. Your wee neck of the woods looks lovely.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Pamela - our farmers market really struggles to keep going, but the stuff on it is really good quality.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks ChicGeek - glad you enjoy your visits - shall pop over and see you soon.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Scribe - honeycrisp apples sound wonder ful. Join me any Saturday at The Bolton Arms for coffee - would love to meet you.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Freshly caught trout sounds wonderful too Leenie. As for corn - the stuff we get here is so different from what you can get that we rarely eat it except when we are in the US

The Weaver of Grass said...

elizabeth - the mere mention of that crab has made my mouth water.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Juliet - there is a lot of meat on ours too and I am always a bit suspicious of the vegetable stalls as I don't think it is all organic.
There is a wonderful cake stall with enormous meringues but really I should be averting my eyes from that.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Heather - our town has several empty shops too - it is a sign of the times I think. The ones which are opening tend to be twee touristy ones and let's face it the season is nearly over.
Re tomorrows poem - I am having a go but boy is it hard!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Steven - my first experience of Farmers' Markets was in Toronto - it was fantastic. It was there that I had my first experience of fiddle shoots - I do so love them whenever I visit Canada.

The Weaver of Grass said...

TFE - yes they are cobble stones (not so good when you wear high heels!) and they have recently been replaced at high cost I believe.
Monday poem - still hard at work here. I'll put something in even if it sends my brain into melt-down.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Titus - good luck with the Monday challenge.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Bonnie - it is a lovely little English town - sometimes I think we don't appreciate where we live enough.

The Weaver of Grass said...

BT Bolton arms Saturday morning, it's a date!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Jeannettee - yes there was smoked eel too - pity you can't pop over and have a mooch round our market.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Sylvia. I once lived in the suburbs, in the same house for seventeen years and yet hardly got to know anyone in the whole road. Here everyone knows everyone (some would call it nosy but I call it interested).

The Weaver of Grass said...

Kim - it is lovely.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Thank you for sharing your world. That is the most fun of going out--seeing all the people we know.

Your coffee time sounds delightful. And what a beautiful sight to view while sipping.

~*~Patty S said...

Lovely to visit your and your wonderful blog! So much to see and enjoy!
It gives me endless delight to 'travel' to far off places without leaving my favorite computer chair ;)
Your coffee gathering with a view sounds ever so special!!!

Unknown said...

Just catching up her, Weaver! Shellfish and smoked foods are my favourites; I'll have the farmer's share!