Buying locally produced food and drink

Reducing food miles and enjoying the taste of really fresh quality produce

More people want to know where they can buy locally produced food and drink - and there are a couple of useful websites to help you find the shops and markets.

www.local-food.net is the website of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire (BBO) Food Groups. They publish an annual Food Guide, which is free and contains lots of information about where to buy local produce.

www.tvfm.org.uk is the website for Thames Valley Farmers’ Market Co-operative. TVFMC runs dozens of markets, including Reading on the first and third Saturday each month. This is located in Great Knolly’s Street. There is car parking behind the market, either free in the auctioneer’s area or paid-for in Reading Borough Council car park a few yards away.

You can search both websites for more information about producers whose products are now on sale in Hurst. Two Hoots Farmhouse Cheese is sold in P&D Jennings butchers (and at Reading’s Farmers’ Market), along with lamb from Hurst and eggs from Theale. The Hurst Bakery and Provisions now sells wines from the Valley Vineyard at Stanlake Park and ales from the Loddon Brewery. The Binfield Vineyard features on the BBO Food Groups website.

Woodley Town Council runs a monthly farmers’ market in Coronation Square on the third Wednesday of the month. Wokingham Town Council runs a monthly farmers’ market in the Market Square on the first Thursday of the month.

Reading-based True Food Co-op now has sales of organic food and household materials at the URC Church Hall, Church Street, Twyford on second and fourth Wednesdays from 5pm to 8.15pm. Take along your own containers to refill with organic rice, meusli, dried fruit and nuts etc. In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, there is a wide range of packet and tinned goods including tea and coffee, and household items such as washing powder and toilet rolls. www.truefood.coop/truefood.html