FARMA - The National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association

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Welcome to the National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association (FARMA)!

FARMA is a co-operative of farmers, producers selling on a local scale, and farmers' markets organisers. This site is the portal for FARMA. If you are looking to find farmers' markets, farm shops, or pick your own farms in the UK, please see our sister sites.

FARMA works throughout the UK and is the largest organisation of its type in the world, representing direct sales to customers through farm shops, Pick-Your-Own, farmers' markets, home delivery, on-farm catering, and farm entertainment.

FARMA inspects farm shops and farmers' markets to ensure that they are 'the real thing'.
We've launched a new site for Pick Your Own farms in the UK!

Join FARMA today!

Latest News.

> Better sales, happier customers: Making Their Day with Jurek Leon

> Visit Stroud: farmers' market of the Year

> Learn from the UK's top PYO

 

Join Friends of Local Foods

 


WHAT MAKES A WINNER: PYO
Rectory Farm Pick Your Own, Oxfordshire
Winner: FARMA Pick Your Own of the Year 2008 May 2008

 

What Makes a Winner?

Continuing this year’s series of ‘What Makes A Winner’ events, Tuesday 20 May is a great opportunity to see Rectory Farm, Stanton St John, Oxford, winner of the FARMA Pick-Your-Own of the Year, 2008.

In addition to a wide range of crops for PYO, farmer Richard Stanley has introduced a seasonal farm shop with a butchery and café, both operated by independent, top quality businesses. Richard applies rigorous science to his horticulture meaning that he is willing to try many types of growing and irrigation techniques and is innovative in his variety choices.

The day includes a farm walk with Richard, growing manager Paul Clark and ADAS soft fruit advisor, Janet Allen. Learn from the best!

Ticket price just £55 +VAT for FARMA members!
Ticket price £80 +VAT for non-members

Click here for more information and booking info

 

MAKING THEIR DAY
Focus on Customer Service with Jurek Leon April 2008


What makes a winner? Farndon fields farm shop

This workshop will provide you with easy-to-remember life-skills that will change your approach to selling. Find out:

  • Where your touch-points are
  • How to answer a question (and it’s not about telling people all that you know)
  • How to turn a complaint into something positive – for you and your customer.
  • How to offer customers valuable ‘extras’ that cost very little or nothing.
  • And how to match your products to what customers need.

It’s not rocket-science. It’s not management mumbo-jumbo. It’s simply a new way of looking at yourself and other people. And it really works.

Who should attend?
Farm shop proprietors, farmers, farm shop managers, farm shop staff, farmers’ market managers, and stallholders at farmers’ markets.

Ticket price includes a workbook with exercises that can be repeated again and again.

Ticket price just £55 +VAT to FARMA members!
Ticket price £70 +VAT to non-members.

MONDAY 19 MAY 2008
09.45 - 16.00
Elveden Estate, Thetford,
Norfolk, IP24 3TQ

Click here for more information and booking info

 

 

 

 

What Makes A Winner: Stroud farmers' market
Learn from the best! May 2008


Getting into a rut with your farmers’ market ideas?
COME TO STROUD FARMERS’ MARKET AND BE REFRESHED!

What Makes a Winner?

Stroud farmers’ market, winner of the 2008 FARMA Farmers’ Market of the Year, has brought new life to a fading town centre and is the centrepiece of the community. It is run by Clare and Kardien Gerbrands whose energy, passion and creativity has pushed the frequency of the markets to weekly on Saturdays, and grown the number of stallholders to over 50. Although the farmers’ market no longer receives any funding, it enjoys the support of the town centre management, District Council, Stroud’s MP, David Drew, and many local businesses.


YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US ON FRIDAY 30 MAY from around 19.00
for a sociable dinner at a local restaurant to meet stallholders and supporters of the farmers’ market. There are plenty of hotels and B&B close by for an overnight stay.


It is an early start on Saturday 31 May.
The market is set up and trading by 09.00 in the Cornhill Market Place and adjoining streets. Following a tour of the market (and take a look at the Made in Stroud shop in Kendrick Street nearby) we will adjourn to the Imperial Hotel in the centre of the town for presentations, discussions and lunch. You are also warmly invited to take a look at the farmers’ market offices and storage facilities, about a mile away.


WHAT WILL YOU GET FROM THE EVENT?
Lots of take-away ideas for organisers or stallholders:
How to make the farmers’ market matter to local people. Rise to challenges. Get sponsorship. Use the media. Market organisation, and the software running it. The concept of ‘Made in Stroud’ to showcase local producers. Friends in high places. Make time to attend if you can, it could be just the refreshment you need!

 

Ticket price just £40 +VAT for FARMA members!
Ticket price £60 +VAT for non-members

Click here for more information and booking info

 

 

Upcoming events

FARMA announces 2008 local food Award Winners
The very best in farm shopping and local foods November 2007

FARMA Awards 2008

The FARMA National Awards are unique.
They reward excellence in a number of different categories related to farm retailing and direct sales and, in order to enter them, FARMA members put in a great deal of effort. We ask about business performance, staffing and training; about marketing and publicity; what they are doing as a business to reduce their environmental impact; and what they believe they contribute to their community. These are not everyday questions but they are questions that FARMA believes everyone involved in farm direct sales should be asking of themselves and their team...

Click here to find out more more

The 2008 Award categories are:

Click here to find out more more

10 years of Farmers' Markets celebrated on BBC's Countryfile programme; farm shops showcased
Stroud Farmers' Market
Ludlow Food Centre
November 2007


BBC Countryfile visited Stroud Farmers' Market, winner of this year's Certified Farmers' Market of the Year award and talked with Clare Gerbrands, market manager, and our own Gareth Jones. Sandy Boyd of Ludlow Food Centre was also interviewed in the programme on the topic of farm shops.

See the programme below:

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News Archive

 

For more news, visit our news archive.

 

 

 

 

 

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