Fife village launches digital farmers’ market

The Centre for Stewardship will run Falkland NeighbourFood on the Falkland Estate with weekly collections on a Thursday from 4-6pm, with the first socially-distanced pick up taking place on June 25.

The new service will allow the estate’s farmers, smallholders and orchardists to sell their produce locally, alongside other Fife based producers and growers such as Great Oil and Olives, Leaf Natural Food Wraps (which sells handmade reusable food wraps) and Bad Gal Boocha (Fife’s first independent kombucha brewery).

Lesley Duffy of the Falkland Estate Trust, said: “The new click and collect market will give people the chance to buy food from the estate and other local producers online, which is great news for our rural economy and the environment. As well as reducing their food miles and carbon footprint, customers will get a chance to connect with the people who make or grow food at our weekly collections, boosting the relationship between farm and fork.

“The market complements our existing farming and growing activities. We’ll have apple juice on sale from our orchard and we hope to start selling our organic beef and lamb soon.”

Kim Sullivan of Fife-based Leaf Natural Food Wraps, believes the market will help support businesses and communities alike during the ongoing pandemic.

She said: “The NeighbourFood markets are such a fantastic way of connecting communities with their local producers and artisans, and as Covid-19 continues to impact on, and restrict, our shopping habits, markets like these could well be the way forward for small businesses and consumers alike. I’m really excited to be part of the new market in Falkland, which I’ve no doubt will be received and supported enthusiastically by the local community.”

Small, independent kombucha brewery, Bad Gal Boocha, will also be selling through the market.

Owner Heather Blair said: “I’ve been so excited to be part of this market since it started being developed last year. There are so many amazing producers in Fife and I think that Falkland NeighbourFood is going to be a great way to showcase that; it’s also super forward thinking and reflects how times are changing. The market will let us shout about all the produce that is on offer throughout Falkland and its neighbouring villages.”

Environmental charity Forth Environment Link, has been instrumental in getting Falkland NeighbourFood off the ground, thanks to a £208,000 grant from the Scottish Government’s EU LEADER programme to set up click and collect farmer’s markets across Scotland.

Similar markets have already been successfully established in Stirling, Balfron, Blairgowrie and Peebles, with another opening soon.

Stirling’s market has sold more than 6000 baskets of produce since launching in 2016, boosting the local economy by £141,000 with producers keeping the lion’s share of the profits (£115,800).

NeighbourFood was founded by Cork chef Jack Crotty and business partner Martin Poucher in 2018. The local food network has quickly grown to over 25 markets.

It is hoped a second NeighbourFood market will open in rural Fife later this year. Anyone interested in setting up their own NeighbourFood market in rural Fife should contact Stuart Guzinki at [email protected].