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| New Forest Local Producers markets |
New Forest Local Producers markets have been a successful, regular feature in Beaulieu, Lymington, Lyndhurst and Fordingbridge for almost three years.
The Sunday markets were initially supported by a grant from European funds which comes to an end this summer.
“The markets have simply grown beyond our wildest dreams” explained Gerald Mabbutt of Pondhead Farm, Lyndhurst, who is one of those instrumental in forming a new co-operative to cope with the growth and the continuation of these markets.
The first of many changes planned by the local producers’ co-operative takes place on Sunday 9th March with the relocation of the popular Beaulieu market to the village centre.
“We felt that in a beautiful and historic village such as Beaulieu these traditional markets belonged in the village” added farmer Nigel Witt from Fordingbridge.
From their inception, the markets have received the wholehearted support of the Montagu family.
Ralph Montagu, also a New Forest Verderer said “The Local Producers’ Market made an encouraging start outside the village at Beufre Barn, but relocating to the centre of the Beaulieu – a visitor destination in its own right – should enable traders to take greater advantage of passing trade.
By supporting the small scale producer, we are helping New Forest farmers to diversify and survive, and this is important because they are the people who maintain our precious landscape.”
It will be business as usual in Beaulieu village hall on Sunday 9th March from 10.00am – 2.00pm and every second Sunday in the month thereafter. With local meat producers’, organic vegetables, bread made from local products, goats’ cheese, honey, eggs, jams and chutneys, mohair goods, organic skin cream from locally grown marigolds and more, all carrying the New Forest Marque®, the markets will continue to provide fresh local produce with low food miles from producers who care about their product. |
