HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT!!

Published: 19 May 2011

Lichfield's successful and established monthly Farmers' Market will be celebrating its 10th Birthday on the Market Square on Thursday 2 June. The first Lichfield Farmers' Market, on Thursday 7 June 2001, took place amid an outbreak of foot and mouth disease which threatened to delay the date of the opening. There were twelve producers, arriving from 7 o'clock in the morning, eager to sell their fresh and local produce to customers just as eager to purchase the tempting and tasty variety of food on display.

Today the Market, which is held on the first Thursday of the month, has increased to between 35 - 40 producers still enjoying a significant amount of public awareness and attention from the young to the old. Original producers such as Woodhouse Farm, Riddings Farm, Romerden Farm, 19gales, The Old Stables Bakery, Halfpenny Green Vineyards, Mulberry Farm and Woodhouse Green Nurseries continue to attend every month.

Alongside these will be a various array of other long standing and new producers, all eager to display, promote and sell their fresh, local and tasty produce as well as various high quality art and hand made craft stalls. There will also be a selection of soft fruit as June marks the beginning of the soft fruit season. There is always the opportunity for customers to 'try before you buy' as many of the stalls have free samples of their high quality produce.

To celebrate the occasion the Mayor of Lichfield, Councillor Brian Bacon, will be on the Market Square at 10am to hand out free samples of Birthday cake whilst inviting the public to take part in the competition to 'Guess the Weight' of the Birthday cake, both cakes being baked by members of the Lichfield Country Market. The Mayor will be returning to the Market Square at 2pm to announce the winner of the competition and all proceeds will be donated to the Mayor & Sheriff's Charities, so why not come along and enjoy the day.