Tuesday 23 March 2010

Simple Simon's Busy Weekend!

Working hard this weekend so come out and see us! You'll find us at farmers' markets in Kelso and Linlithgow on Saturday as well as doing a tasting at Blairmains Farm shop. Then it's off to Drumlanrig on Sunday for their first farmers' of the year - look out for our delicious Easter pies and fingers crossed for some sunshine!

Monday 15 March 2010

Livingston Farmers Market

Well we gave Livingston FM one last go yesterday. It's been a poor market for us from the start. You would think that a market outside a huge shopping centre with thousands of people going through would be a sure fire hit.....but you would be wrong.
The market is in a wee square at the Debenhams entrance to the centre. Tucked away so no one passing on the road can see it and no one in the shopping centre can see it. Only the people coming out of car park 1 walk past us. These is a market banner at a road crossing but it's no where near the actual market. And it seems that the market organisers cannot advertise inside the centre.
Seemingly the organisers did do some advertising last week, but not one of the customers who did come to our stall had seen it.
So there we were yesterday: veg & soup, cheese, pies, home baking, assorted meats, crisp hut and me, Jude's Jewels. 6 stalls and a trailer. One customer even asked 'is this the farmers market?' What do you say.

Thursday 11 March 2010

Hard work this Website thing

I've been working hard all day making new jewellery for the stall but also to list on my website.
I've got the website linked to Twitter, and Twitter interlinked with Facebook. Everytime I update the website I can choose to update to Twitter as well and this then links to Facebook. All clever stuff and free advertising. It's amazing how many fans I have on my Facebook page. It's really starting to mushroom. The more people that see my pages, the more their friends see, and so it goes on.
I'm in the process of adding links to my site and having other sites add a link back to my website. This is all to keep me up there on page 1 of Google.
I realise that I work from home and have time to spend fiddling with the computer, whereas many SAFM producers are probably hard at work in other areas, and can't spend the same time on the PC.
However, if you have a website and some free time, it really is worth while giving the whole social networking thing a go. You never know who is out there looking for produce.
Jude.

Saturday 6 March 2010

First ever time at a farmers market!



Bonnie and Scott brought their piggy to market for the first time and Montrose was the lucky venue. With their own farm shop they are used to meeting the public but I wonder what they really thought of the experience?
http://www.localfoodweb.co.uk/recentregister.asp?shopid=1181

Queens Park Farmers Market

Good weather brought customers out and made for a happy atmosphere. Nice to see so many young families buying produce. Lots of regulars at the stall. Good mix of stalls but still too many meat producers. Nice touch to have the Scottish music and the face painter on site.

Good Soup Group at Edinburgh Farmers Market Today!

I popped along to the Edinburgh Farmer's Market today, to see what was happening. There was decent weather, a busy crowd and high quality fare for grabs.


I also had a quick wee chat with Sharon from The Good Soup Group.





Wednesday 3 March 2010

Scottish Farmers' Market Partnership takes off.

Today the steering group (and the minister) met to set the direction for the development of farmers markets across Scotland. How would you like to see markets develop?

Monday 1 March 2010

2010 SAFM year Planners

OK I know it's March... but I still have a few hundred of these year planners left - does anyone want some to give to customers?
Also, there is free artwork available for farmers' market organizers and maybe producers to put out press ads, details you can get from me John Gallagher 01786 842367. Yes two free things and it's only March!