Let’s go to the markets

THE Farmers’ Market movement is coming of age – it’s now over 12 years since Myrtle Allen and I first set up our stalls in Cork’s Coal Quay side-by-side with fish smoker Frank Hederman, vegetable grower Caroline Robinson, Klaus and Hannah Balz with their beautiful bunches of fresh flowers and a couple of other brave souls.

Sat, 25 Jul, 2009 - 01:00

Darina Allen

Darina Allen is co-founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School and more recently the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School in Shanagarry, East Cork.

The bona fide Coal Quay Traders were very amused by the motley crew, but in a not insignificant way history was being made.

There was a tentative rebirth of the market system which enables a growing number of farmers and producers of food to sell directly to those who wish to buy fresh local food. There are now over 140 farmers’ markets in Ireland and they continue to grow.