A few months back I took a wander, in one of my monthly emails, round some of the interesting and evocative smells of the farm. One day I have it in mind to do something similar with colours. Perhaps it should wait for my, until now resisted, engulfing by Facebook or Blog communication so that I can more easily share copies of colours rather than attempt to translate them into words. For now though, being much confined to life in the butchery at this season, I have in mind two images. Firstly, the quite beautiful to my eyes, visual effect of layers of different coloured spices and herbs being measured, in quantity, into a clear container prior to use in sausage making. One recipe in particular using quite a number of spices, which in their both vibrant and deliciously natural tones, layers up looking to me like the most stunning and emotionally satisfying geological strata. Transient art, lost in a moment as the tub is shaken and the sausages made. Less abstractly perhaps and bringing us up to date is the colour of the fat on the beef carcass for this months orders. It is some of the richest yellow verging on orange in places that I have seen on my beef. Yellow fat is generally ascribed to uptake of carotene in the diet, in this case a visual proof of a life spent eating grass and not cereals and concentrate feed. It is also some indication of maturity in the animal. Between the rich mahogany of the exposed aging meat and the buttery nature of the fat the beef paints a visual feast which I hope will be replicated in taste terms on your dinner tables as you enjoy it.

So, to this month, the open days are Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st December and in recognition of the increased number of orders to be collected this month we are open for collections at the farm on each of the three days from 10:00am – 4:30pm. Orders for delivery will also be split over two days, going out on Thursday to Alford, Inverurie, Insch, Tarland and Aboyne and Friday to Banchory and Aberdeen. Please note there may be slight variations on this depending on the final number of deliveries to be done, we will contact you if that is the case. We will also be at Banchory Farmers Market on Saturday the 21st from 9am - 1pm for collection of orders and purchases.

Alongside the full range of our Belted Galloway beef and Hebridean hogget (aged lamb) we are still taking orders for geese and turkeys as well as pheasant and our regular chicken from Hugh Grierson Organic. An up to date order form is attached which also details the range of bacon available and the pies and a few other bits and bobs.

It was Charles Darwin who said the the most successful members of a species were not the strongest nor the most intelligent but those most adaptable to change. In an environment that ever changes that's seems like wise thinking.
But adapting to change is certainly challenging and this month I have to report some changes at Wark Farm and the proposed adaptations to them.

For a number of reasons, Jenny has decided to mostly withdraw from the farm business, including the butchery and retailing of meat. Having been an equal partner in the enterprise since its inception this is a big change, and one that will require some alterations to the way we do business in order to continue with Wark Farm meats. Jenny will continue to do accounting and some administration and, in the short term, will assist my geographically challenged sense of direction as I learn the delivery rounds.

There are many behind the scenes changes required but the front of house ones relevant to consumers of Wark produce deal mainly with open times at the farm and with deliveries. While it may occasionally appear otherwise, I'm not actually a single celled amoeba so my skills in binary division and my consequent ability to divide and conquer are limited. Meaning that, starting from this month, the shop at the farm will only be open for collections and browsing sales on the Thursday of the open day week.
Deliveries will be made to all addresses on the Friday. And as before I will be at Banchory Farmers market for sales and collection of orders on the Saturday. These are not yet fixed in stone arrangements for all time coming but a first attempt at adaptability in the face of change. If you have any thoughts on the changes or suggestions for other ways I can improve the connection to the farm to those who consume its produce I would love to hear from you.

So for this month, we are open at the farm on Thursday 17th (10am - 4:30pm) will be delivering to all areas on the 18th and will be at Banchory market on the 19th (9am - 1pm). An up to date order form is attached for this months fresh Beltie beef, Hebridean lamb, venison from Glenkindie and chicken from Hugh Grierson.

As ever, if you have any queries about the products or the new arrangements please do get in touch.

Having filled up the last few open day emails with burbling's on food ethics, wildlife, senses and nonsenses it must be about time I came over all practical and reported on what's some of what's actually been happening on the farm this season. So:

1. All the first cut silage has been made as well as a field of hay. The yields have not been great, after the late arrival of spring and the summer heat the grass ran to seed quickly, but there's enough made now for a 'normal' winter. Hopefully a good end to the summer will allow a second cut off the red clover fields, as insurance against another long winter.
2. The sheep have been sheared, although after the hard winter quite a few had already shed their fleeces. As usual the fleeces are being sent to the Isle of Mull Weavers to be made into, rather beautiful, naturally coloured tweed.
3. This years crop of lambs and calves are growing well, with plenty of grass in front of them and their mothers, helped along by the recent rain giving the pasture a boost.
4. The breeding cows have had their routine, every four years, obligatory TB test.
5. It's time again for the annual organic inspection audit to renew our organic certification. Not to assist with farming organically you understand, but to prove that we know how to build an audit trail.
6. To complete the compliance fun, we have also just had our annual environmental health inspection in the butchery too.

There. A taste of farm life for the last little while, aside from the daily round and round farming routines of birth, death, growth and harvesting.

Our open days this month are Thursday 15th, Friday 16th and Saturday 17th August, open at the farm from 10:00am - 4:30pm. Orders will be delivered to Alford, Inverurie, Insch, Tarland & Aboyne on Thursday and Banchory and Aberdeen on Friday. This month we have available fresh Hebridean hogget, fresh Beltie beef as well as venison from Glenkindie, chickens from Hugh Grierson Organic and our usual selection of bacon and the pork pies. An up to date order form is attached should you wish to place an order. We will also be at Banchory farmers market from 9am - 1pm on Saturday 17th for sales and collection of orders.

One of the nice things about running this business is that many of you have visited the farm at some stage. Come to the farm I say. Make some connections; see what you eat, where it came from. Come and see the animals. Come and see the landscape. And there is much that is pleasing and interesting to see. Particularly at this time of year now that we are having a summer. But seeing and sight is only one of the senses to be simulated by time on the farm. There is also scent, or perhaps more appropriately, smell. The farm has a very rich palette of smells to see the seasons through, complementing its visual and auditory worlds. So I thought I would share with you this month just a few of my favourite olfactory moments. In the absence of scratch and sniff emails, you will just have to trust my descriptions ... or visit the farm and smell them for yourselves.

High up the list is a good quality bale of red clover and grass silage; take off the plastic wrap, break open the bale and you are enveloped in a sweet and sour cloud of mouth watering tanginess, which after casting around for a moment you might recognise as Worcester Sauce flavoured crisps (I know, putting my foodie reputation on the line here). Running the silage close is well made green hay, devoured by the cattle and sheep with gusto. I am often tempted to follow suit only to be brought up short by the realisation that eating mouthfuls of dry grass is not my evolutionary heritage. Also during the winter comes possibly my very favourite smell, particularly on a crisp frosty morning, the mingled scent of silage, fresh cow muck and warm cows round a feed ring out in a field. It has been known to stop me in my tracks at times, so heady is it (perhaps I am in the right job!).  

At this time of year, and this summer particularly, with its heat and sun, wafts of cow parsley perfume from the field margins rank high, getting close even to the intense honey scent of white clover flowers running with nectar; to walk though a field of honey is a very special moment. More familiar perhaps are the twins of mown grass and grass which has been squashed by animals feet or a vehicles passage, joined as it is by the rich living smell of the summer earth. Perhaps more subtly there is the intriguing complex of scents from the native grasses and herbs in the older grassland and hay meadows; a perfect place to lie on a warm day (just as a breather in between jobs you understand) and have a sniff. Just be careful not to snort a spider. I could go on. There are of course many not so pleasant smells accompanying farming life too. Pig muck roasting in the sun and the gaseous expansion of a dead sheep being two that come to mind. But on such a sunny day we will not dwell there, at least not downwind, and so I will end the tour there for now.

The open days this month are Thursday 18th, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July and we are open at the farm from 9am - 4:30pm each day for collection of orders and sales. Orders will be delivered to Alford, Inverurie, Insch, Tarland & Aboyne on Thursday and Banchory and Aberdeen on Friday. This month we have available fresh Hebridean hogget, a selection of frozen Beltie beef as well as fresh venison from Glenkindie, chickens from Hugh Grierson Organic and our usual selection of bacon and the pork pies. An up to date order form is attached should you wish to place an order. We will also be at Banchory farmers market from 9am - 1pm on Saturday 20th for sales and collection of orders.

There will be an abundance of summer produce this Saturday 6th July in the High Street Montrose as the stallholders from the Angus Farmers Market set up their stalls in their regular monthly spot. This month market organisers are pleased to introduce three new stalls and bringing exciting new foods.

On July 13th at their regular indoor venue in the Strathmore Hall, The Mart, John Street, Forfar the Forfar Farmers Market organisers are celebrating the season of summer fruits. The market is holding its very own berry festival with soft fruits being used in many different products or of course on their own with a dollop of cream. The market will have a fantastic range of first class local foods and extra local craft stalls with over 30 stalls attending making this a vibrant and exciting event.
 You can enter the “Berry Bake Off"   All you need to do is bring along your very own Berry Creation by 11am on market day to be judged by STV's news reader Lynne Rankin. Forfar lass Lynne is a regular at the Forfar market and is looking forward to trying your delicious creations. Chef Hayley will judge the junior section 11 years and under as we want all ages to give it a go so start cooking!!!!! There will be a colouring competition and a bouncy castle for the younger generation and cooking demonstrations throughout the morning for everyone to enjoy.  The market also has a fantastic cafe serving market produce and refreshments including the ever popular Puddledub Pork bacon rolls making it the perfect place to meet family and friends.
The market is open from 9am to 1pm.
See www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk or be our friend on face book or twitter

Nature has been getting in on the act too and we have nesting lapwing and oyster catchers, which is always a pleasure and in the hill field the skylarks are busy recruiting the next generation to rise ‘on long thin strings of singing’, to borrow from Alastair Reid. The brown hares too seem to have made a reasonable start to the year and are regularly in the barley field, the pleasure of seeing them, so far, outweighing the thoughts about how much of next winters cattle feed they might be eating! The farm dogs have even been joining in the fun with the terrier producing a litter of five (planned) puppies, which at four weeks old are now, reassuringly, looking and sounding more like dogs and less like guinea pigs, new homes wanted soon if anyone is tempted.

This month’s open days are Thursday 13th, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th June, rather early this month, just a result of how the weekends fall, and we have available fresh Belted Galloway beef, Hebridean Hogget (year old lamb) and roe venison from Glenkindie, alongside chicken from Hugh Grierson and the regular range of bacon and pies. We are open at the farm each day from 10:00am  – 4:30pm and deliveries will be going out to Alford, Inverurie, Insch, Tarland & Aboyne on Thursday and Banchory and Aberdeen on Friday.. We will also be at Banchory farmers market on Saturday 15th from 9:00am – 1:00pm for sales and collection of orders. An up to date booking form is attached should you wish to place an order and as ever if you have any queries on the farm or the products please do get in touch

I was reading an article recently on the production of laboratory, or in vitro, meat. It pops up as a story every now and then, portrayed either as a frankenstinean future or as the saviour of the worlds growing and hungry population. It makes for interesting reading and thinking. There are many pro's and con's ranging from resource requirements and health issues to taste and cost. But perhaps the most beguiling is the idea of having meat without the killing. Speaking as the one on the sharp end of deciding which animal will die today (and sometimes carrying it out), there is a decided attraction in the idea of meat products without that ever present ethical dilemma.

I will admit to some, probably irrational, objections to eating a factory cultured meat (as well as the doubts about whether it would ever come close in taste terms) but setting such scruples aside, is the trade off of less death for less authenticity worth it? I could see a role for it as a substitute for processed meats, where you're not really sure what the meat is you're eating anyway. Wouldn't it be better to source the many tons of such product consumed every day from a food factory rather than a factory farm? But personally I avoid all that stuff anyway. No, I'm thinking about substituting it for meat that looks and tastes like it comes from an animal, one that's lived under the sun (and rain and wind and snow!). Here's where I get stuck. Now I may be odd, indeed a number of people have been kind enough to say so over the years, but, aside from its taste, I get a good proportion of my pleasure from food from it's story. From sensing it's connection to a place, it's place, and a time and a season. A breed, or a species, a variety. A farming system and the people who were part of it. It's place in history and culture. Nostalgic? Unrealistic? Perhaps. And with no place in a world going hungry. Possibly. But it's me. And so if I'm backed into a corner of my cattle pens and forced to chose lab meat over my animals meat, or if the requirement to kill becomes too much, I will chose vegetables, with taste. And a story.

Our open days this month are Thursday 16th, Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May. We are open at the farm from 10:00am - 4:30pm each day for collection of order or browsing. Orders for delivery will be going out to Alford, Inverurie, Insch, Tarland & Aboyne on Thursday and Banchory and Aberdeen on Friday. This month we have the full range of fresh Hebridean hogget and Belted Galloway beef alongside organic chickens from Hugh Grierson Organics and a small selection of frozen venison from Glenkindie. The organic chicken order goes to Griersons on Sunday so it would be great if you particularly want chicken you get your order to us on Sunday. We also have our usual range of smoked and unsmoked bacons as well as the pork pies. An up to date booking form is attached should you wish to order. We will be at Banchory Farmers Market on Saturday 18th May from 9:00am - 1:00pm and orders can be picked up from the market if wished.

Montrose 6th April 2013 from 9am to 1pm
On Saturday 6th April in the High Street, Montrose the stallholders from the Angus Farmers Market will be looking out their tartan bonnets to take part in the Tartan Week festivities. This is a chance to celebrate Scottish people, heritage and culture and of course sample all the market brings with first class local produce. Quality home produced food is a feather in the Scottish cap and is a treat for locals and visitors to be able to buy these fantastic products right in the heart of their local communities. Organisers are running a special free prize draw for a hamper of Farmers Market goodies all you need to do is “wear a bit of tartan” and you can enter on market day. A special attraction this month will be the  “taster tent”  where you can get the chance to taste many of the fantastic meats, fish and game freshly cooked and prepared in a relaxed market atmosphere see www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk

Forfar 13th April 2013
On Saturday 13th April in the Strathmore Hall, John Street, Forfar there is a spring theme to the farmers market as customers and stallholders can celebrate the new season. The market will welcome extra craft stalls also the Forfar Sailing Club will bring along one of their boats to let customers get a feel for this great pastime available at Forfar Loch.

There will be cooking demonstrations throughout the morning using the first class local produce available within the markets growing larder, Resident chef Hayley will also show you how to make a lovely hollandaise sauce the perfect partner to the new seasons broccoli or asparagus.  Organisers are keen to encourage all ages to the market as you can never be too young or too old to enjoy good food and interest in where your food comes from. This month there will be a fun face painter for the children also crafts demonstrations including spinning, basket weaving and the chance to make your own bracelets, paint ceramics and make your own bath bombs. Storm cakes from Aberlemno  has the markets cafe serving hot foods and snacks using market produce making it a perfect place to enjoy the market atmosphere. www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk

‘You’ll get good summers up there’ so saith a false prophet from my past on discussing with them my imminent move from warm and wet Dumfriesshire to hot and sunny Aberdeenshire, quite a few moons ago now. I wonder if it is possible to sue false prophets. Quite possibly there is a statute of limitations on such things. But to be fair to Aberdeenshire weather … no, I don’t feel like being fair. Challenging times require radical solutions. I’m relying on the Hebrides for a tan this year.

Between the weather and predators, wild bird production does not look like it is up for a record year at Wark. I suspect the cold will have been putting the insects off their oats with the corresponding lack of food for everything down the line that depends on them. I hope not but as yet there are few signs of successes, and there have been some observed failures. Though a crafty mallard has managed a good brood in the wetland. We will hope the rest are just keeping their heads down, but the arrival during the breeding period of a flock of what appears to be non-breeding lapwing has not encouraged me.

Open days this month are on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th & Saturday 21st, and we are open at the farm with a selection of products and for orders at the usual times of 10:00am – 4:30pm. Deliveries will be going out to Alford, Inverurie, Tarland and Aboyne on Thursday 19th and Banchory and Aberdeen on Friday 20th. We shall be at Banchory Farmers Market on Saturday 21st for pick and mix purchasing and the collection of orders.  We have available this month fresh Beltie Beef, Hebridean hogget and chicken from Hugh Grierson Organics. As a special this month we also have our plain pork sausages made from some of our last remaining pigs. An up to date order form is attached for the placing of orders and as ever do contact us if you have any queries.

It's that time of year again. Annual organic audit time. How the seasons pass to the regular rythym and beat of beaurocracy. Certainly more predictable than the weather. So we were inspected and investigated, questioned and queried and our trails thoroughly followed. And here we are once more stamped and certified for another year as Soil Association licenced organic producers and processors. It's a drag in some ways but the consuming public deserves some reassurance that we are up to the mark and I will admit to some pride in not just knowing we are farming organically but having an independant person agree with me. It's actually got rather easier these simplified days. With no pigs and poultry the requirement for much of the audit is removed, partly as the feeding needs of cattle and sheep are much simpler (there is much to be said for animals that thrive on grass) and so there are fewer complications in that department and partly because the checks performed on pigs and poultry are more rigorous. This is primarliy because of the propensity of intensive farming methods to curtail the liberty and expressions of natural behavour of these species and so there is a strong emphasis in organic standards on ensuring that certified farming systems put plenty of well into how the animals fare.

And so onto June's sale of certified organic products. We are open this month on Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th June. Deliveries will be going out to Alford, Inverurie and Tarland on the Thursday and Aberdeen and Banchory on the Friday. We are open at the farm for order collections and fresh and frozen pick'n'mix from 10:00am - 4:30pm each day (come and enjoy the amenities of our all new tidy and smooth farm yard). We will be at Banchory Farmers on the Saturday from 9:00am - 1:00pm. This month we have fresh Belted Galloway Beef, some two year old Hebridean cross Hogget/lamb and chickens from Hugh Griersons in Perth, all certified organic. In the organically reared but not organically processed department we have the usual range of bacon, smoked sausage and pork pies. And having just said that we have no poultry, we do have a very small batch of Aylsebury ducks which should be ready this month and are available for order on a first come first served basis. An up to date order form is attached and as ever if you have any queries on the farm or the products do get in touch.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, I was selling at a local farmers market when what looked like a customer hove into view. With a little experience in this selling lark one starts to categorise incoming shoppers and this one, going by it's steady and well aimed progress, looked like a modest prospect for a minor sale. "Are your eggs organic?" came the opening and determined salvo, "Yes" I respost in exhaustive reply, such detailed facts ready to my fingertips. "Oh, I don't want them then" returned the prospect, barely breaking pace and shying off from the stall like a like a magnet coming in range of a compatriot with similar orientation. Readying myself as I was for a follow up round of questioning on price and provenance I was altogether destabilised and the many witty and cutting remarks that were to come to me over the following hours and and days rose neither to my lips nor my mind in that moment.

Dust settling, I mused, trying not to feel too criticised by a complete stranger undermining a central plank of my approach to life, the universe and producing grub. An objection on price I could fully appreciate; misconceptions about animal welfare, I could correct; a questioning of organics ability to feed the world, I would entertain and debate; but, in the absence of a question on price or the look of an ethically or philosophically motivated agro-activist, that there is something intrinsically objectionable about organics I remain puzzled by. Do some people prefer their food with traces of herbicides and pesticides? Does compromising the ability of a hen to express it's natural behavour make its egg more desirable? Or is it sociological - is organic so tainted with that wicked brush called middle-class that, even when all else is equal, its virtues are wiped out? I don't know. I suspect it’s origin may derive from a sector of the mainstream farming industry which views organic as a backwards step: it's not seen as bigger, faster, more intensive, more 'modern', therefore it's regressive and, as many humans seem to like a thing called progress, it is bad. The mysteries of this shopper will not be unravelled, having lost the images from the encounter from my mind they will remain as anonymous as the man on the Clapham Omnibus, but it is intriguing and opens the door - though for another time Ladies and Gentlemen - for us to have a discussion on whether organics does indeed face forwards or backwards.

Well, here we are, pruning done; slimmed and trimmed, fighting fit, focussed and ready to share once more with the Wark Farm core community of eaters, buyers and readers.
What a boost this easy winter has been thus far. The grass has taken the chance to go green, the lark has been busy ascending and as each week sidles past we unbend just a little from the braced and defensive position induced by the last two winters. Which is all good news for a busy spring approaching. We were successful at the end of last year with our application to the Scottish Governement for funding for an expanded programme of conservation works on the farm, including over a kilometre of new hedges, protection and management of water margins, the sowing of three new areas of wildflower meadows and various other changes to field management to improve the opportunities for various species of wildlife. All very exciting but plenty to be done to see it all underway. If there are any enthusiastic hedge planters out there, don't hesitiate to get in touch!
We are also working on a new website, reflecting our rejigged shape which will include improved ways to order and various other useful functions. Also, we have taken advantage of a rather less muddy winter to repatriate much of the mud that the last few winters have put round the buildings to its proper place in the fields and hope to do something similar shortly with the yard and road. I hope to be able to announce soon that shopping at Wark Farm in shoes not wellies might be a real possibility.
In the meantime, our open days this month are Thursday 15th, Friday 16th and Saturday 17th March from 10:00am - 4:30pm at the farm. Deliveries will be going out on the Thursday to Alford, Inverurie and Tarland and Aberdeen and lower Deeside on the Friday as normal. We shall also be at Banchory Farmers market on Saturday 17th from 9:00am - 1:00pm.
This month we have a full range of Wark Farm organic Belted Galloway Beef, Hebridean hogget/lamb, bacons and pies alongside roe venison from Glenkindie and organic chickens from Hugh Grierson. We've made a few changes to the product list and an up to date order form is attached should you wish to order.

Sliding into the New Year on warm winds and promises of spring was a radical and welcome change from recent changeovers. The stock and I have appreciated it.

As trailed in earlier emails, the changes we are making to the business start to kick in from next month. This month will be the last for the present that we have fresh pork available. It is a sad day to be writing that but, under the pressures shared before, something has to give and, speaking selfishly, I would rather it wasn't me. So this month we have the normal range of fresh pork and fresh hogget/lamb, Hugh Grierson chickens, roe venison and a limited selection of frozen beef. Next month we are going to be offering discounted frozen product only, as an aid to tidying up stock that has been frozen in recent months so that we then have room to store down the meat from the few remaining pigs to keep you supplied with bacon and pies on a monthly basis. It will also give us a little more time to implement various necessary changes to our admin systems. The frozen product will be available on first come first served basis for delivery or collection.

Looking forward, we will re-start fresh meat open days in March with Beltie beef and Hebridean lamb and hogget. We will also be changing our long established selling day from the last full week of the month to the third week/Saturday of the month. This is being done so that we are always open and selling from the farm the same week as Banchory Farmers market so that we have a good range of product available for the market. It will also we improve the efficiency of sending away stock and butchery and allow collection of orders from the market. We will also be stopping Alford Farmers market, with the last one we attend being this month.

Without the pork but re-focussing on our direct sales, we also plan to increase the range and frequency of occasional additions to the product list, such as game, guest pork, etc. with the intent that some variety might spice up all our culinary lives and expand our collective foodie experience. If anyone has suggestions for products they would like to see featured please do speak up. Don't be shy.

But for now, we are open this month on Thursday 26th, Friday 27th & Saturday 28th from 10:00am – 4:30pm each day at the farm and will be making deliveries on the Thursday to Alford, Inverurie, and upper Deeside and Aberdeen and Banchory on Friday. An up to date booking form is attached should you wish to place an order. We shall also be at Banchory Farmers market this Saturday from 9:00am – 1:00pm and Alford market Saturday 28th, same times.

Crossing everything seems to have worked so far. While there is some discontent with this grey and muddy world there is it is preferable to white. Here's hoping this is not a spoke too soon. It's been good to have an open autumn and having not had cereal crops to harvest this year we have had quite a good run despite the sogginess of the season. It's been a sheep day today, sorting through, separating and moving our ewes for the tup going in with them. And it's hogget hotpot for dinner. With the grass staying fresh over recent weeks the ewes are in good condition and certainly the tups responses when they were introduced to their allocated groups suggested that it was all systems go in the fecund department. We are planning to lamb a couple of weeks earlier next year, so keeping fingers crossed we will hope that summer will be in April again next year.

It was great to get such a range of feedback to last months email about our future direction with the business here. If we have not replied to you directly about your response, this is for you. Thank you. We do appreciate all the time and thought that was put into your responses, and any late or continuing thoughts are still very welcome. We are making some progress with planning and budgeting for the next 12 months and should be able to conform the shape of things to come in our December newsletter. Talking of which, we have added onto our product list this month a few of the more seasonal products, gammons, goose fat, turkey (from Maryfield Farm) and pancetta so that if you would like to book ahead and reserve what you would like for next month, please dive in. Similarly, if you have any particular lumps of meat in mind for Christmas consumption, please do order as soon as you can so that we can allocate what we have available.

But for this month, the open days are Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th November from 10:00am - 4:00pm each day at the farm with orders going out to Inverurie, Alford, Strathdon, Aboyne, Tarland and Upper Deeside on the Thursday and on the Friday to Banchory and Aberdeen. This month we have some very fine looking Belted Galloway Beef along with the Oxford, Sandy & Black pork and Hebridean lamb/hogget. As a seasonal change we also have a batch of pheasants from a local Deeside Estate this month too which are available as oven ready birds or as packs of skinless breasts. We also have the usual Hugh Griersons Organic chickens.  An up to date order form is attached should you wish to place an order.

Remember remember the 5th of November as the stallholders from the Angus Farmers Market set up in the High Street, Montrose for their monthly visit to the town.
This week lovers of the good old British banger have been celebrating British sausage week. Various specials will be running at the meat stalls including Borland Highland Beef introducing a new spicy sausage. Tom from Puddledub Pork will have a great selection of pork sausages, hams and pork joints succulent and tasty. You can’t have a banger without the mash and local potatoes fresh from the ground will be another firm favourite on market day. The finishing touch to your meal and the perfect partner for the good old sausage is Devilish Tomato Chutney from the award winning Isabellas Preserves, recipes using these delicious condiments can be found at the stall.
Especially for bonfire night Irene from Storm cakes and sweets will have delicious bonfire cupcakes and gingerbread biscuits perfect with a cuppa or a mulled wine to keep the chill out. A treat for the kids comes in the shape of “Horror pops” themed lollipops made only with natural ingredients and flavours. 
The market not only brings fresh locally produced food to the centre of our communities but it also is the perfect showcase for local crafters. A regular stallholder is Lynne Firth from Charmed Choices who has a wide range of fun jewellery including sweetie charms and a new range of enamelled charms with favourite characters including the Smurfs, Thomas and Spongbob.
Organisers of the market are looking forward to a busy couple of months, orders for Xmas produce will be taken at November and December markets at both Montrose and Forfar. A special Xmas market will be taking place in the Reid Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 20th December and details of this event will be in the press and on face book.
Organisers are keen to encourage new stallholders and producers of local foods, anyone interested in attending the market can contact the market manager on market day or by email details are on the market website www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk
The Angus Farmers Market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the 1st Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the 2nd Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Montrose farmers market on the first Saturday of the month and Forfar farmers market on the 2nd Saturday of the month is the perfect venue to celebrate Scottish Food and Drink fortnight. 
Both markets boast a wonderful selection of fresh local produce including tasty meat, game and seafood. To get the best flavour from your fruit and vegetables buying in season is a must and September brings colourful golden beetroot and beautiful purple cauliflower certain to give the wow factor to the dinner plate add some Rooster potatoes for perfection.
Stallholders are keen to introduce new products to their stalls and at Montrose Louise from award winning Isabella’s preserves will be launching her new Chilli jam. This sweet yet fiery jam can be used as a dip or straight from the jar to spice up meats and sandwiches.
This month will see the welcome return of Mark Petrie and his briquettes made from dried compressed sawdust and waste food from him joinery business. The briquettes can be used on open fires, stoves and barbeques.
Keen gardeners will not be disappointed this month as Frances from Ashbrook will help you pick some autumn colour for your garden or patio from his beautiful selection of plants and shrubs. A special stall will also help with spring planting as daffodil bulbs will be on sale to help raise funds for the Anna Jane Melrose fund.
The market is not only a great place to buy quality foods it is a unique shopping experience bringing customers and producers together in a relaxed atmosphere.  Organisers are keen to encourage new customers including people with young families that make the next generation of food lovers. Children can participate in the market experience by entering the Spot the Meerkat competition, Angus the “Farmers Meerkat” will be hiding at one of the market stalls and a nice prize will be awarded to the winner. Face painting a Tai Chi demonstration and the Forfar Pipe band will all add a little something special to these Saturday mornings right in the heart of town.

The summer weather brings thoughts of spending as much time as possible outdoors and a visit to the Angus Farmers Market this Saturday in the High Street, Montrose is a relaxing way to pick up everything required for feeding the family.
The market boasts a wide range of meats, poultry and seafood ready for the barbeque; for something a little different Hubertus game from Pitlochry are introducing Wild boar and apple and redcurrant and venison sausages guaranteed to impress your guests. Quality food needs little effort to make it taste delicious and Mike from Hubertus makes it even easier with his wild boar fillet ready to cook in a succulent Chinese glaze. 
To achieve maximum flavour produce needs to be in season and this month Scottish new potatoes, fresh green salads and soft fruit is at its best. There is nothing nicer than a plate of strawberries and raspberries with a nice dollop of cream to give the feel good factor. Devenick Dairy and Storm Cakes also tempt us with smooth, tasty cheesecakes and creamy Banoffe pies.
There is a treat in store for dog lovers as Jess from the Dundee Dog training group will be bringing her performing dogs to the market. Jess is a dog trainer and behaviourist in Angus and holds demonstrations with her dogs, trick training, agility and generally bringing a smile to everyone that watches them.
Organisers are keen to encourage new local food producers to apply to the market. Market information can be found on the website www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk or to apply email angusfarmersmarket@gmail.com
The Angus Farmers Market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the 1st Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the second Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Stallholders from the Angus Farmers Market are keeping their fingers crossed for good weather in the Myre on Saturday. Market manager Carol Robbie told us “a nice day makes all the difference, there is no doubt the weather has affected business but our producers and regular customers are a hardy bunch. We are always optimistic and look forward to seeing everyone back to support their local producers and to enjoy the market atmosphere. Where else can you speak to the farmers and producers directly? I am always on the lookout for new stallholders but we need the market to be successful in order to attract new producers and businesses”

Seasonal local vegetables and first class meat and poultry are the heart of the market. Highland beef, Aberdeen Angus and quality cured, cooked and fresh pork products. Puddledub pork has been attending the Forfar market from the very start and has a loyal following. Using traditional methods and secret recipes they pride themselves in offering a personal and friendly service to all their customers.

Valentine’s Day is not far away and the farmers market has plenty of gift ideas for the love of your life. Damian Bailey from Priestley’s Artisan Chocolates will tempt you with delicious chocolate bars, including “Pop goes the weasel” a milk chocolate bar with tongue tingling candy pieces. Damian also dips fruits and berries in chocolate “Mango Jerry” is pieces of air dried mango dipped in Belgium chocolate.

A perfect gift for any time of the year can be found at the Eeksie Peeksie ceramics stall .Venetia makes affordable farmyard themed kitchen and cookware.  All pieces are hand painted with animal characters and are dishwasher proof and highly durable. An unusual but fun gift for the family can be found at the Odd Socks stall. Marley Laurie makes sock monkeys, rabbits and cats in various sizes.  Specific designs and materials can be discussed with both Venetia and Marley on Saturday for personalised gifts.

Ashbrook nursery always has a wonderful display of seasonal flowers, shrubs and unusual containers filled with colourful plants. Francis and Anne are also a mind of information ready to give you tips to make your outside space something to be proud of.

The Angus Farmers Market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the 1st Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the second from 9am to 1pm. The market also has a website www.angusfarmersmarket.co.uk and you can also follow them on facebook and twitter.

The stallholders from the Angus Farmers Market will be celebrating the good old banger as it is British sausage week from 1st to 7th November. Various specials will be running at the meat stalls including Borland Highland Beef introducing two new sausage combinations beef with mustard and beef and tomato. Tom from Puddledub Pork is now a regular at Montrose and is looking forward to sharing some new sausage flavours with his customers and tasters will be available.
 Devenick Dairy have a new veal steak and cracked black pepper sausage they will also be launching a special Christmas cheese which is a camembert with fresh cream cheese and cranberries in the centre, this cheese is only available in November and December. This has been a great year for Devenick dairy as they have been on a bit of a winning streak after picking up a gold and two silvers at the international cheese awards and an innovation award for their very low fat probiotic yogurts.
To add a little something special to your teatime Cake maker Nancy will be bringing her popular muffins cookies and mini brownies she will also have seasonal apple and cinnamon muffins, treacle cakes, raspberry cupcakes and allergen free chocolate cakes
Organisers of the market are looking forward to a busy couple of months, orders for Xmas produce will be taken at November and December markets at both Montrose and Forfar. A special Xmas market will be taking place in the Reid Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 21st December and details of this event will be in the press and on face book. The farmers market takes place in Montrose on the first Saturday of the month unfortunately for market customers 1st January 2011 lands on this Saturday so there will be no market in Montrose in January but it will be back to normal at Forfar on the following Saturday 8 January.

The weather has an autumn feel now and thoughts turn away from cooking “al fresco” back to warming stews and soups. New season root vegetables are at their very best and added to quality meat can feed the family a first class locally produced casserole.
Two stallholders will be celebrating a year attending the Montrose market the first is Borland Highland beef. Borland Farm is situated between Glenshee and Braemar they specialise in Organic Highland Beef, Hebridean Lamb and Belted Galloway cattle. Borland stock only native breeds that are suited to being reared outdoors all year round.
Also Celebrating one year on is Charmed Choices. Lynne Firth decided to start her own charm and jewellery business when she wanted individual charm bracelets for friends, she couldn’t find any so she made her own and continues to look for new ideas for gifts for all ages.  
The cakes and muffins from Cakemaker have a fruity theme this month with cakes topped with late summer strawberries,autumn blueberries, zesty orange cake and raspberry muffins. There is also the usual range of special dairy and wheat free cakes and even some low in sugar so something for everyone.
The Angus Farmers market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the first Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the second Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

The Angus Farmers market will be setting up in their usual spot in the High Street, Montrose this coming Saturday and the summer feeling continues with fresh local soft fruits and seasonal vegetables.
Freshly picked and selected organic vegetables can be found at the Myreside Organics stall. Antonia will harvest her delicious French beans, spinach beet ,salad leaves and juicy cucumbers on the Friday night before market.
CakeMaker Nancy will be bringing her popular fresh strawberry and mallow cake also cake of the month is a zesty orange cake. For customers with special dietary requirements Nancy will have non dairy strawberry cake and a diabetic fruit cake. Special requests are always welcome and orders can be taken for a special event.
Lunan life breed Berkshire pigs a traditional rare breed renowned for quality pork. Their sows far row indoors with outside access. After weaning they are moved onto areas of stubble or woodland on the farm giving them as much natural life as possible. Scott from Lunan Life believes this form of rearing enhances the flavour of the pork and is eager for the market customers to try their roasts, chops, diced pork and sausages
All in all the farmers market brings right to the centre of town produce direct from the producers and the ability to talk to the very people responsible for these products is the difference between strolling down the market of rushing down the aisles..
The market organisers are keen to keep a variety of local producers and ask anyone with a new product to contact the market manager Carol Robbie Tel no 07941 721v829 or email carolrobbie@hotmail.co.uk.
 The Angus Farmers Market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the first Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the second from 9am to 1pm.

The Angus Farmers Market will be introducing two new stallholders to their regular line up at the March market this Saturday in the High Street, Montrose giving even more choice for their customers.

Nancy  Craig is a cake maker from Guthrie in Angus and will be bringing her range of homemade cakes and cookies. The selection will include bite size organic chocolate brownies – just the right size to enjoy without feeling guilty, delicious cupcakes with handmade decoration - vanilla, carrot and cake of the month – treacle. There will also be a soya version of organic oat cookies. All these tasty treats will be nicely packaged ready to give someone as a tasty gift. Nancy will be happy to take orders and will look forward to hearing customers suggested flavours for future markets.

Lunan life breed Berkshire pigs a traditional rare breed renowned for quality pork. Their sows farrow indoors with outside access. After weaning they are moved onto areas of stubble or woodland on the farm giving them as much natural life as possible. Scott from Lunan Life believes this form of rearing enhances the flavour of the pork and is eager for the market customers to try their roasts, chops, diced pork and sausages.

Ideas for Mothers day on March 14th can be found at the Charmed Choices stall. Lynne Firth is always coming up with creative ideas for her jewellery business and this month you can get handmade Mothers day cards combined with a charm bookmark making a perfect for mums and grannies.
Ashbrook nursery has a wonderful choice of plants, containers and bulbs to cheer up the patio and front door, reminding us spring is just round the corner. The Angus Farmers Market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the first Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the second Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm.

In Aviemore CFM are very pleased to welcome a team from the Food Standards Agency in Scotland  to stage a cookery demonstration, with chef Robert Tiffin of the Sizzling Scot restaurant in Edinburgh.  There will be free taster sessions, as well as the chance to use the amazing Glitter Bug Hand Washer to discover if you are cleaning your hands as well as you really think!

There will also be the opportunity to ask the experts all your questions about healthy eating and food safety.

The High Street Montrose Saturday 6th February 2010

The Angus Farmers market will be back in the High Street, Montrose this Saturday after the festive break and organisers are looking forward to seeing customers old and new enjoying the first class produce available.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so to impress your special other half with a romantic meal for two there is plenty of choice for the budding chef from easily prepared meats, delicious seafood or poultry. For your starter you could have handmade breads from the Loaf Face stall with your own homemade vegetable soups made with fresh vegetables from the market or some chicken liver pate from Milton Haugh. There is a bountiful choice for your main course organic Highland beef from Borland Farm, sweet tasty beef and lamb from Braes of Coull, succulent pork from Puddledub and fresh seafood from Arbroath fisheries. To finish you can visit the Devenick Dairy stall there you will find the most delicious cheesecake and the choice for the cheeseboard is second to none at the market with a large variety from Devenick dairy and Arran cheese.

To keep warm this winter you can visit the stall of the Kirriemuir Briquette Company. Waste wood in the form of dried compressed sawdust has been turned into 100% renewable energy briquettes perfect for stoves, oven fires and barbeques.

Market organisers are keen to encourage new stallholders to keep the market fresh and to give variety and choice to their customers, anyone interested in joining the market on a two month trial can contact the market manager on 07941 721829 or make enquiries on market day.

The Angus Farmers market can be found in the High Street, Montrose on the first Saturday of the month and the Myre, Forfar on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm.