Stoke Newington Farmers' Market
Every Saturday at William Patten School, Stoke Newington Church Street, London, N16 0NX. 10am to 2.30pm.
The Stoke Newington Farmers' market is the only weekly all-organic farmers' market in the UK. When you shop at the market not only do you get delicious food but you are also helping to support small, sustainable farms and farmers around London. All the farmers come from within 129 miles of Hackney - and most come from within 60 miles of the market. By buying direct from the producers you can find out exactly how your food was produced and these small farmers can get the regular income that they need to flourish.
The market has a wide range of produce including chicken, lamb, rare-breed beef, sausages, pork, eggs, raw milk, cheeses, bread, vegetables, salad leaves, cakes, organic wines and beers, seasonal fruit, sea fish and mushrooms, organic pasta and chocolate. We run our own organic coffee stall at the market where you can enjoy a Turkish borek or a bacon roll from one of the hot food stalls alongside your latte.
Reducing your carbon footprint.
We only have small-scale organic or bio-dynamic producers at the market. Organic farming can help cut greenhouse emissions: it uses less water and less energy than conventional farming, which is heavily dependent on the high-energy processes and fossil fuels used to produce fertilisers and pesticides. We believe that organic food production is also better for wildlife, livestock, people and the environment. The success of the market has enabled several of the farmers who attend the market to take on more land and convert it to organic production - over 400 acres has been converted since May 2003 when the market started. We now support a total of 23 small family-run farms and food businesses through the market. Most customers get to the market on foot, by bike or on public transport - 92% in our most recent survey - which means that the market is also helping to cut down on car journeys.
Buying direct
Because all the produce here has been grown, reared or produced by the people who are selling it, you can find out everything you want to know about the food and how it was grown or cooked. The money you spend goes directly to the people who actually do the work to produce the food you're eating - the farmers and makers - rather than supermarkets and wholesalers.
Supporting ultra-local producers
As well as supporting farmers from close to London, over the past few years we have also worked with food producers from around Hackney to help them set up and develop products to sell at the market. Current local producers include Hatice Trugrul who makes traditional Turkish börek from market ingredients; Global Fusion, who offer Creole-style vegan cakes and soda breads; Fat Cat cakes, who bake wonderful cakes and biscuits; Rafe Jaffrey, who makes spicy soup and pakoras; Anthony Ferguson of Niko B. Organic Chocolates, who creates chocolates flavoured with spices and seasonal fruits; Johannes and Michael of Primo e Ultimo, who make fresh pasta, and ice cream in the summer and Anshu Ahuja who has set up her Bombay Burger Company to sell her version of the traditional Bombay snack.
Fair prices
While organic food is necessarily more expensive than food farmed conventionally because of the labour-intensive methods used to produce it, the farmers at the market charge a fair price for their produce and pay fair wages to the people who work for them. In June 2009, the Stoke Newington Farmers' Market also became the first farmers' market in London to accept Healthy Start vouchers. The vouchers from the government-backed scheme for low-income families can be used in exchange for fresh vegetables, fruit and milk. Our box scheme also accepts the vouchers in part payment for a veg or fruit bag.
Seasonal produce
Buying local also means you stay in touch with the seasons. There won’t be apples in May but, when they are in season, from August to March, the farmers will bring in many different varieties. You’ll also find seasonal produce you may not have come across before, such as sloes, medlars, wild mushrooms and raw cow and buffalo milk. Have a good look round the market before you buy – just to check what’s in season – if you don’t know how to cook something just ask! We also run regular Marketchef sessions where local cooks demonstrate delicous ways of preparing seasonal produce.
Selling at the market
If you are interested in selling at the market, please see the Getting A Stall page.