Our food producers are local home cooks, with traditional skills increasingly recognised as important and they contribute to the growing interest in the provenance of what we eat. Many of our cooks use recipes handed down from their mothers and grandmothers - tried and trusted to work!
We have several crafters who sell their handmade wares at Market. Their skills and talents are diverse; see below for more info about each one.
A few of our producers bring surplus vegetables, flowers and other garden crops to Market which gives direct access to fresh, local produce without food miles
We have members looking for work to fit in with school hours and others who have taken early retirement; Market activity gives them a rewarding occupation with their new-found time. Other producers have found the Market a low cost and low risk way to sell their products in a co-operative environment in which they have a say. Being a producer means people can turn their talents and hobbies into cash and make new friends at the same time.
Producers and helpers (at August 2018):
Food/preserves
Molly Ranger spent her working life teaching home economics at secondary school level, and since retirement combines being an accredited WI judge with baking traditional Welsh teatime favourites including Welsh cakes, bara brith and teisen lap.
Shena Sarjeant spent half her working life as a home service adviser with three gas boards and then decided to become a freelance Home Economist working for a number of firms including Neff and New Zealand Lamb. She now juggles the WI, work for the Motor Neurone Disease charity and church commitments with baking family favourites and gluten free treats. Preserves are a great interest and her grandmother's Seville marmalade is very popular.
Veronica (Rose) Morgan, seen here making her own pasta, has a degree in microbiology and has cooked for Country Markets for over 30 years. Her wide repertoire includes specialities such as plum and almond tarts, party meringues, sticky toffee puddings and prize-winning marmalade and chutney. She has passed on her love of cooking to her five children and enjoys exploring new tastes and flavours.
Jennifer Cook was employed by Aga in London as their Cookery Adviser and later in Cardiff was a partner with three others to form FourCooks catering for companies in the area. Specialities are savouries (including the legendary Glamorgan sausages, sausage rolls, spinach turnovers and a new line: Scotch eggs) and cakes.
Mavis Tierney has been a WI member for 45 years (she joined at a very young age!) and has recently qualified as a preserves judge. She is an allotmenteer, so has plenty of choice when it comes to making her interesting combinations of jams and preserves.
Carol James combines working full time in a busy admin role with her passion for baking. She learned many of the traditional recipes and techniques from her Scottish Mum who used to run a cake stall in Germany. Her favourite things to make are small "bite sized" treats such as millionaire's shortbread, bakewell slices and cookies. She is also our treasurer, so spends lots of time trying to "balance the books!"
Jean Hunt produces honey right here in Cowbridge.
Jean Griffiths enjoys baking traditional cakes in her farmhouse range cooker. Her specialities include farmhouse fruit cake, Welsh cakes and bara brith.
Rachel Cox has 2 young children, but manages to produce a vast range of baked goods for every market, including deliciously light sponge cakes, rock cakes and very more-ish fudge.
Garden produce
Awen Evans grew up in a small village near Llanelli. Gardening is in her blood - her grandmother used to take produce to market and the young Awen was always desperate to help with the bunching. From there here love of gardening was fostered and has led to a lifetime's passion.
Gill Sanders is a keen allotmenteer and brings beautiful flowers and plants to market when in season. She very diligently does all the washing up in the kitchen too.
Craft - knitwear, jewellery, toys, cards
Anne Morgan has a lifetime's experience of producing and helping to run markets. She enjoys sewing, cross stitch and making cards to sell.
Grace Whatley is a passionate and gifted crafter who knits industriously and makes beautiful jewellery to sell at market.
Mavis Tierney, as well as being a preserves-maker-extraordinaire, is a skilled craftswoman specialising in hand painted silk scarves and silver jewellery to sell at market. She also takes on the role of tea-lady, serving in our little cafe.
Rachel Cox is also a skilled sewer, specialising in cushions, aprons and items for children.
Get involved
Our Market welcomes new members as both Producers and Helpers.- Membership costs 5p which makes you a shareholder and gives Producers product and public liability insurance providing they sell under the Country Market label and abide by the rules in the Handbook.
- All goods are offered for sale collectively – no Producer has preferential treatment
- There are no minimum quantities to produce – just produce the amount that suits you
- Country Markets have a formula to help Producers determine a fair selling price, enabling them to receive the right return for their hard work
- All Producers contribute to market running expenses through a commission on their products; the rate is determined by the members as well
- Producers are paid monthly for their sales
- We need help from members with the running of the market, but we are flexible to individual circumstances, social commitments, etc
- A wide range of home-produced foods and preserves can be sold as well as garden produce and craft products
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