Saturday Farmers Markets
Edinburgh Diaries
How does one explore the place beyond typical touristy places?
How does one attempt to understand a bit of a new place by doing something different?
These questions keep coming to my mind whenever I am in a new city/location/place.
The city/place becomes meaningful when I know something beyond forts/palaces/monuments.
In a given short period ( a standard constraint for most Indians ) how does one imbibe and breathe IN the city/place air?
After visiting the bookstores, I marked Saturday farmers markets.
There are local markets in different areas.
Some are open only on Saturdays, and some are open once in a month.
From the net, I get the ready list
1)Edinburgh farmers market
2)Stockbridge market
3)The grass market market
4)Leith market
5)Ocean terminal market
6)The Pitt
7)Edinburgh Flea market
8)Castle Street fair
9)The West End fair
10) Christmas market
As I have only the first half of Saturday available with me, I have decided to visit at least two
1)
Edinburgh farmers market: NCP Castle Terrace Car Park, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1
It’s one of the oldest and usually has more stalls.
It’s windy.
The market has a combination of
- Meat, fish and dairy
- Fruit, Veggies
- Juices and drinks
- Sweets, baking and since Christmas is around speciality produce
As I am trying one of the cheeses, the owner farmer is describing the location of his farm
“It is at the confluence of two rivers and we have…..”
2) Leith market ( opposite Lidl)
Commercial St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LU
the market is small compared to Castle Terrace car park.
The stalls are few.
the only common thing in both markets is pricing.
Unlike the weekly farmers’ markets like in Pune, India the rates at which things are being sold are pretty high. In the city, Lidl, Tesco and Asda compete with each other with lower rates and attractive options so that the same consumer is brought back again and again.
So weekly commitments for much higher rates is an interesting paradox.
Christmas cake at Mark & Spencer food hall: 8 pounds
Similar cake in the farmers’ market: 14 to 20 pounds
end…………………………
shailesh 