... find out about little producers/farmers?

[julie_lanteri]

Last time I went blackberry picking, I spotted a farm where you could buy free range eggs and found out they could even deliver them for free if you live nearby! (ok, I'm not a country girl so things like this amaze me, that and honesty boxes...)
Then I drive back from work one day and there's a sign with "Plums" "Sweetcorn"...
Is there anywhere like a forum/website where people can log on their address and what they are selling and for potential buyers to research the area? It would be so great if there was!

Like "John, address, at the moment I have ..... for ...£.
And search "Town + 5miles, apples"

I hope there is... or maybe a computer wizzzzz will see the potential and decide to create one :p

[oldjerry]

OK,please don't take this the wrong way,but it's called community,and it's about going out and meeting your neighbours.Some of them will be a pain in the rear end,but some will be quite nice,and they will tell you who grows this,and who grows that,and who might want to buy what you've got.It's easy when your freinds are on line,but your neighbours are the people you really live with.There's no sustitute for talking to people, the virtual world is just that virtual.Please don't take this as a personal criticism,it's just an old bloke ranting at modernity.

[julie_lanteri]

not at all, thanks oldjerry. At the moment, I live in town so nothing very interesting there. When we go through little villages we realise there is so much out there but it's hard to find out unless it's on the main road. So I was wondering if there was an alternative to trying all the little roads in the surrounding area or knocking on stranger's doors :p

ps: we should be moving soon and I can't wait to be part of a community and I totally agree with you about talking to neighbours etc. just need to hope they know people who know people who know people...

[123sologne]

I would also like something like that. Living in Reading, I know a few farms in the surrounding area, but I can see others and I wonder if I went knocking at their door, would they actually open it happily? And what do I do if I discover that what they sell is poorly reared (hens in cages etc)?... And there is no point talking to my neighbours, they are supermarkets fanatics...

[jim]

Dear Julie lanteri,

Does your area have a transition town or slow food group? If so they're likely to have a website detailing local producers. eg:-

http://www.greenerfareham.org.uk/

Google "transition towns" and "slow food" to find out. Hope it's been useful,

Love and Peace
Jim

[Green Aura]

This might help http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/ - but if they're really small growers etc you need the local connections I'm afraid.

[Susie]

At the moment, I live in town so nothing very interesting there. When we go through little villages we realise there is so much out there but it's hard to find out unless it's on the main road.

Julie, I'm in the same boat here - as soon as I venture into the fens I see little signs at the side of the road for honey, eggs, veg etc. I think I might have a morning one day driving round and knocking on doors.

[pelmetman]

We live in a very rural village and everyone automatically presumes everyone is all so friendly and swapping produce etc etc. Unfortunately we have not found this to be true.

Hardly any of our neighbours speak to each other, yes we have tried but if you are lucky you get a grunt but mainly they all just ignore each other. At first I wondered if it was because we had moved in from outside the area but no, apart from a few families the rest of us have all moved from different parts of the country.

Of course not everyone is like this and there is one chap that we swap fruit with for pigeons, rabbits and pheasants.

All I wanted to point out was that living the rural life is not always the friendly, everyone looking after each sort of place that books often write about.

Sue

[spider8]

Being nosey, when and where are you moving? I hope it will give you more scope for -ish growing etc. Here we have some fantastic produce in meat and craftwork but the veg side of things is pretty dire - even the Farmer's Market has only five stalls and most of those are craft ones. There is an organic veg grower who has a stall there most of the time but his veg are very limited. Plenty of egg sellers about the island but the main bargains are on Freegle (Freecycle) as people often give away fruit, veg and plants for free.

[oldjerry]

Selling eggs bacon sausage etc from the farm gate for years,we met all sorts of people,and the only prob was how much time you spent chatting.In recent years avian and swine flu fantasy media marketing exercises meant it was difficult to have people close up with the liv
estock but most people understand.(One bloke used to do a 40 mile round trip every week just to buy duck eggs)
Pelletman ,there's some miserable buggers round here too,but everybody grunting at each other? That would do my head in.
If you're cruising round and see eggs,honey,goat milk (for pets only of course!!) or whatever for sale,give it a go,when you work outside and rarely see anyone during the day,it's nice to meet new people,many of whom are having a far more interesting day than i am!

[julie_lanteri]

Thanks Jim and Maggie for the links. I've found a few butchers nearby and I'm learning about transition towns (I'm only a baby ish... I've got loads to learn :p )
Spider8, we're hoping we'll be able to move before the summer. We'd love to stay around Colchester, village location this time!
Sue, it's sad that people are not more welcoming. Have you been there long?

[pelmetman]

Hi Julie

We moved here around seven years ago. We previously lived around your neck of the woods, Brightlingsea and Alresford so know Colchester very well.

There are lots of lovely little villages around the Colchester area. By the way there is a good farm shop on the Alresford/Brightlingsea Road, or it was when we lived there.

By the way welcome to the forum.

Sue

[cocobelle]

Apart from driving around your local countryside to find local suppliers, which in itself is an afternoon of pleasure. Most small suppliers even understand the importance of marketing and will advertise their farm shop or service. Also look out for organic box scheme's which service most areas and get their produce mainly locally. Also as was mentioned, many towns now have farmers markets which is a good place to start. Of course you can get all of this info online generally.

[Sophie_Chillie]

Also a townie I find it difficult to just go and knock on doors but the idea is good. I wish we were all more community driven but alas just is't so and at the very least I'd feel foolish.
I thought there was a website set up for small suppliers/producers - a co-operative enterprise? Not sure of the link now but worth a Google perhaps?

Oh to live in the countryside...hopefully one day :-)