At Stroud Farmer's Market

I dropped H. in Nailsworth quite early this morning so she could run her card stall at their Farmer's Market, and then returned to Stroud, just four miles along the valley. I had a lot of minor errands to do and as it was early there were few people about to hinder me.

Then I went to Stroud Farmers' Market and enjoyed slowly ambling around the stalls with my camera as unobtrusively as possible. The surrounding streets are also now filled with stalls many of which don't comply with the strict rules linked to the official market about being local produce.

I tried to work out why some vegetable stalls had long queues whilst others had few takers. I expect it is the experienced buyers who know what is best, and who supplies it. I loved this box of chard sitting on the floor beside a (busy) stall.  The carrots on the stall in the first of the 'Extra Photos' are a regular offering on this pitch and I like to see them laid out like this. Nearby is a smaller stall selling only 'Jess's Ladies Organic Farm Milk' products, from this local organic herd of cows which I sometimes see in the fields on the way to Epney.

As I walked uphill towards the High Street and the other Shambles Market I couldn't resist a picture of this quite young man, with his hat on the path, playing his violin from a songbook called 'The Ceilidh Collection'. I must return more often as it is interesting to be at this special Farmer's Market and I always bump into people leading to a long chat or two.