Wimbledon Village Farmers’ Market has been gaining traction for over 10 years, supplying locals with a wide range of artisan products, from freshly baked bread and British-caught fish, to Portuguese pastries and Korean fried chicken. It is a valuable asset to the community, and in order to understand the importance and impact of not only the Wimbledon Village Farmers’ Market, but farmers’ markets as a whole, I interviewed Adam and John, two market traders, both passionate about the produce they have to offer.
John Deacon, a beekeeper running Wimbledon Village Honey, prides himself on making local honey, “a quality product which you can’t find anywhere else”. Not only is it said that eating honey from your local area can help reduce symptoms of hay fever, I observed customers coming over to the stall and saying how, after buying a pot “they can’t go back to store-bought.” When asked about why we should be supporting farmers markets, John said: “you’re supporting the local economy”, adding that “it’s also a social event”, highlighting the community-driven atmosphere that farmers’ markets provide.
Adam, salesman of Wild Country Organics, supplying the whole of London (with approximately 29 other stalls all over the capital) with organic farm-grown produce, had more to say on the matter, stating that it’s integral for people to come to these events in order “to keep the sector going” because “it’s not a model that can continue without the continued support of the customers” adding proudly that “it’s a shame that people can’t see these tomatoes, because the ones in the supermarket do not look like that” proving that shopping organically is not only more sustainable, but yields better produce. Moreover, Adam stressed that one of the main reasons to shop organically are the health benefits, revealing something rather alarming: “The reason why the owner got into growing organic vegetables was because his father had a farm. He had Parkinson’s disease and the doctors directly linked his father’s condition to the chemicals that were being sprayed nearby” just showing how detrimental modern farming can be to people’s health, and the value that shopping locally and organically can bring.
However, one of the main downfalls of shopping locally is the price, with most saying that it’s too expensive. When asked to respond to this, Adam said: “the more people that buy organically, the more sustainable farmers that can exist, so the more affordable organic produce becomes, and the more healthy people are.” John added, “it’s your choice, no one’s forcing you to do it” but I hope that after reading this article, shopping for organic and locally sourced produce will become a choice that you are all willing to take, benefitting not only your lives, but the lives of the farmers and artisans who dedicate their Sunday morning to feeding the people of Wimbledon.
