Things are going well in our bid to stay out of the supermarket......apart from our little village COOP we have not been in a supermarket this year. I see Tesco announced a drop in profits yesterday but I don't think we were entirely responsible :) .
I am enjoying seeking out new shops and suppliers, as I mentioned the other day flour is being bought at the local windmill. Veg is being bought in the village veg shop or at a local farm shop if we are passing, the farm shop is on the way to the residential home my mother in law lives in so we can pop in on the way to visit. Yesterday big bags(25kg) of potatoes were £3 and small sacks of onions(10kg) £2.20 , hubby picked some up after seeing his mum.
Meat is bought from the local market and from a friend who raises meat for the freezer, I still haven't got around to cooking the goat joint we were given as a gift recently by a fellow smallholding group member. Pulses and spices are bought at one of the Asian grocery stores in the nearby town, this week they even had pasta.
Today was the first farmers market of the year and it would appear we are spoiled for choice this year, this one is closest http://www.marshallsyard.co.uk/farmersMarket.php but there's another one near our favourite nature reserves so could be combined with a day out! Then in 2 weeks time we have another one much closer to home which we regularly frequent.
Today's buys included :1 pork pie, 2 partridges, wild boar sausages,4 ostrich burgers, a pack of Lincolnshire sausagemeat (for homemade sausage rolls), a large homemade Lincolnshire Haslet, three different types of cheese, some goat butter and a Mediterranean veg stuffed Fougasse(posh bread) total spent was about £25 . The best buy of the day was a tray of free range double yolker eggs for £1.50, these were nearing their use by date(10 days to go!) we have eaten half of them already scrambled and served with the stuffed bread..........................now we are stuffed.
So far avoiding supermarkets has not been an issue and shopping has become an altogether more pleasurable (and for the most part cheaper) experience.
5 comments:
Well done with your challenge. I would love to keep out of the supermarkets but we dont have any shops around us, maybe I should try the tiny Co op near to where I work. I love farmers markets and was a producer a few years ago. I haven't been to the Marshalls Yard one but if Redhills are there it might be worth the trip, their hazlet is gorgeous. Great Egg bargain too.
Karen x
The haslet, sausagemeat and pork pie were all from Redhills we occasionally go to the shop too. I love looking at the pigs in the field before going in the shop......I suppose that's a bit cruel !
What did you used to produce?
I was a member of the Doncaster Country Markets (WI market) producing baked goods and a few preserves for our stall at the farmers markets. Plus I baked for County Shows and numerous WI events. Hence my flourgirl username, I was always covered in flour!! lol. I gave it up when I realised I would earn more money working part time in a local bakers shop.
Karen x
Living near shops I don't have to go to a large supermarket very often - thank goodness. There are, however 6 smaller supermarkets within walking distance having put smaller retailers out of business.
Love from Mum
xx
I think people are cottoning on that Tesco isn't the cheap option. I stopped shopping there a long time ago and the smaller shops that I do shop in have got increasingly busy!
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