What's in season?

August

Before each market we list here what local seasonal food you are likely to find at Elham Farmers’ Market, and the week’s special recipes.

August is the time for soft fruit, all those cherries and currants, and the first of the new season apples. There’s plenty of choice with vegetables, with tomatoes, courgettes and aubergine being a true reflection of summer, vying for attention with peas and beans. What a choice! 

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables
Aubergines, beans (broad, French, runners), beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, courgettes,  cucumber, herbs, lettuce, marrow, button mushrooms, peas (mange tout and sugar snap), peppers, potatoes, radish, spinach, spring onions, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes.

Fruit
Apples, blackberries, cherries, currants (black, red, white), damsons, loganberries, raspberries.

Meat and game
Beef, chicken, duck, guinea fowl, lamb, pork, rabbit, venison, wood pigeon.

Fish
Cod, crab, crayfish, Dover sole, grey mullet, halibut, haddock, herring, lemon sole, mackerel, monkfish, plaice, pollack, scallops, sea bass.

 

July

July is a time of plenty. We can look forward to strawberries, gooseberries and cherries amongst others.
Now’s the time to make the most of the young broad beans, peas and new potatoes, to be enjoyed with new season lamb. July is also a good month for quail, beef and guinea fowl. There is lots of fish in season, including mackerel, plaice and lemon sole.

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables:
Broad beans, dwarf beans, carrots, calabrese, chard, courgettes, lettuce, mange touts, new potatoes, peas, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spring onions, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, watercress

Fruit:
Black currant, cherries, elderflowers, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, tayberries

Meat and game
Beef, chicken, guinea fowl, lamb, pork, quail, wood pigeon

Fish
Crab, crayfish, Dover sole, grey mullet, halibut, haddock, herring, lemon sole, mackerel, monkfish, plaice, pollack, scallops.

June

June is the time to rediscover the tastes of early summer. The first Kentish fruit is in: welcome to the strawberries and gooseberries, after months of rhubarb.
Asparagus may still be around for a while, but now’s the time to make the most of the young broad beans, peas and new potatoes, to be enjoyed with new season lamb. June is also a good month for quail, beef and guinea fowl. There is lots of fish in season, including mackerel, plaice and lemon sole.

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables
Asparagus, broad beans, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, new potatoes, peas, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spring onions, watercress

Fruit
Cherries, elderflowers, gooseberries, redcurrants, rhubarb, strawberries, tayberries

Meat and game
Beef, chicken, guinea fowl, lamb, pork, quail, wood pigeon

Fish
Crab, crayfish, Dover sole, grey mullet, halibut, herring, lemon sole, mackerel, plaice, pollack, sea bass, sea trout

April/May

This must surely be the end of winter, with the arrival of asparagus, gooseberries, lamb and watercress. This is a whole new panoply of tastes to explore in the coming weeks.

This month’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, new potatoes, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spinach, spring cabbage, spring greens, spring onions, watercress.

Fruit:
Apples, gooseberries, rhubarb

Meat and game:
Beef, guinea fowl, hare, lamb, mutton, pork, rabbit, veal, wood pigeon.

Fish:
Cod, crab, halibut, John Dory, lemon sole, salmon, sea bass, sea trout.

March

Radishes and spring onions appear this month, a sure sign that spring is on its way. We still have to wait a while for new season fruit, but make the most of forced rhubarb which is sweet and colourful.  

This month’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Cabbage (savoy, winter), carrots, cauliflower, chicory, kale, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, main crop potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, spring greens, spring onions, swede, turnips,.

Fruit:
Apples, rhubarb.

Meat and game:
Beef, guinea fowl, mutton, pork, rabbit, veal, venison, wood pigeon.  

Fish:
Cockles, cod, hake, John Dory, lemon sole, mussels, oysters, salmon, sea trout.

February

It is still a fairly lean month for fresh seasonal fruit so make full use of what you have left stored in your freezer. Spring greens are starting to appear to add to the cabbages which are still plentiful. Pheasant is no longer available but there’s still plenty of meat and fish from which to choose for a varied diet. 

This month’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (savoy, winter), carrots, cauliflower, chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, maincrop potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, spring greens, swede, turnips.

Fruit:
Apples, rhubarb.

Meat and game
Beef, guinea fowl, hare, mutton, pork, rabbit, veal, venison, wood pigeon.  

Fish
Brill, clams, cockles, haddock, hake, halibut, John Dory, lemon sole, mussels, oysters, salmon, turbot.

 

January

At the beginning of the year, we are starting to yearn for fruit other that apples and pears – time to look out for the first early forced rhubarb. It’s still very much the season for root vegetables and cabbages of all sorts. We are waiting for the new season lamb and can enjoy the last of the game, while fish is plentiful

This month’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (savoy, red and winter), carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, parsnips, main crop potatoes, squash, swede, turnips, winter greens.

Fruit:
Apples, pears, rhubarb, walnuts.

Meat and game:
Beef, duck, guinea fowl, hare, mutton, partridge, pheasant, pork, rabbit, teal and mallard, veal, venison, wood pigeon.  

Fish:
Brill, clams, cockles, haddock, hake, halibut, John Dory, lemon sole, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, turbot.

December

Fruit, vegetables, fish and meat/game available in December are similar to last month’s. Root vegetables and cabbages dominate the vegetable list, while a wide selection of fish and meat is available.

This month’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Brussels sprouts, cabbage (savoy, red and winter), celeriac, chard, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, parsnips, main crop potatoes, squash, swede, turnips, winter greens.

Fruit:
Apples, chestnuts, walnuts, pears.

Meat and game
All farmed meats and game are available in December except lamb.  

Fish
Brill, clams, hake, halibut, huss, John Dory, lemon sole, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, scallops, sea bass, turbot.

November

November means fewer local seasonal fruit, but there is no shortage of vegetables, meat and fish. It’s time for Brussels sprouts and a range of cabbages, ideal with a warming game stew or crisply stir-fried to accompany the many types of fish available now.

This week’s shopping basket

Vegetables:
Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (savoy, red and winter), carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, onions, parsnips, main crop potatoes, pumpkins, shallots, squash, swede, turnips, winter greens.

Fruit:
Apples, chestnuts, walnuts, pears.

Meat and game:
All farmed meats and game are available in November except lamb.  

Fish:
Brill, clams, haddock, hake, huss, John Dory, lemon sole, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, scallops, sea bass, turbot.

October

With October come the first of the root vegetables, time to start chopping those turnips and swedes for those hearty stews. Pumpkin is also available for soups or roasting with herbs. The choice of fruit is diminishing, but there are plenty of apples, pears, blackberries and cob nuts to enjoy. Meat is plentiful and from the game stall, you can find the first pheasants. There is also a large choice of fish and shellfish in season.

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables
Beetroot, broccoli, cabbage (savoy, red and winter), carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, chillies, courgettes,  cucumber, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lambs lettuce, lettuce, marrow, onions, parsnips, peppers, main crop potatoes, pumpkins, salsify, shallots, squash, swede, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips.

Fruit
Apples (Braeburn, Bramley, Cox, Gala, Russets), blackberries, cob nuts, pears.

Meat and game
All farmed meats are available in October plus duck, grouse, guinea fowl, partridge, pheasant, teal, mallard, venison, wood pigeon. 

Fish
Clams, cockles, crab, grey mullet, haddock, halibut, John Dory, lemon sole, lobster, mackerel, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, scallops, sea bass, turbot.

September

Before each market we list here what local seasonal food you are likely to find at Elham Farmers’ Market, and the week’s special recipes.

September is a time of plenty, whether fruit, vegetables, fish or meat. A taste of summer is still here with courgettes, aubergines and beans, but we know autumn is also on its way with blackberries and damsons appearing on market stalls. So make the most of this harvest season.

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables
Aubergines, beans (French, runners), broccoli, cabbage (savoy), carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, courgettes,  cucumber, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, marrow, button mushrooms, main crop potatoes, radish, spinach, salad onions, sweet corn, tomatoes.

Fruit
Apples (Braeburn, Bramley, Cox, Gala, Russets), blackberries, damsons, grapes,  greengages, melons, pears (Conference), raspberries.

Meat and game
All meats are available in September except pheasant which comes in next month.

Fish
Clams, cod, crab, crayfish, Dover sole, grey mullet, halibut, haddock, herring, John Dory, lemon sole, mackerel, monkfish, plaice, scallops, sea bass, tubot.

August

Before each market we list here what local seasonal food you are likely to find at Elham Farmers’ Market, and the week’s special recipes.

August is the time for soft fruit, all those cherries and currants, and the first of the new season apples. There’s plenty of choice with vegetables, with tomatoes, courgettes and aubergine being a true reflection of summer, vying for attention with peas and beans. What a choice! 

This week’s shopping basket:

Vegetables
Aubergines, beans (broad, French, runners), beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, courgettes,  cucumber, herbs, lettuce, marrow, button mushrooms, peas (mange tout and sugar snap), peppers, potatoes, radish, spinach, spring onions, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes.

Fruit
Apples, blackberries, cherries, currants (black, red, white), damsons, loganberries, raspberries.

Meat and game
Beef, chicken, duck, guinea fowl, lamb, pork, rabbit, venison, wood pigeon.

Fish
Cod, crab, crayfish, Dover sole, grey mullet, halibut, haddock, herring, lemon sole, mackerel, monkfish, plaice, pollack, scallops, sea bass.