Well here we are then, the end of another year….well not quite, but this week’s will be the last delivery and last Farmers’ Market of the year for me. If previous Christmas markets are anything to go by (and after having stood at 20 of them I think that they are) it will be frantic. Customers always arrive really early, trying to beat the rush, but so many of them do it that they become the rush. Come 1.00pm it will be time to wind down and to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation. It also provides an opportunity to take stock of the year past and to plan for the forthcoming growing season – and to work on my tax return, eek!

It was a funny old year. But they all seem to be funny old years of late, usually for different reasons. Sometimes too wet, this year too dry, too many bugs, too many ailments, rampant weeds, crop failures, unreliable machinery, spiralling costs. To be fair that’s just the way it is, this year was no better or worse than other years (apart from the lack of rain), there are always highs and lows, successes and failures, unpredictability, but what’s wrong with that when you are surrounded by beautiful countryside full of amazing flora and fauna, sometimes not seeing another soul during the working day, your only company the birdsong or the humming of insects. It feels like a privilege, even when accounting for the shitty days, because even those invariably have unexpected uplifting moments in them when you are captivated by the industry of a busy Wren with a Napoleon complex darting noisily here and there, or when one is mesmerised by ants stealing away crumbs dropped from a sandwich that have a mass greater than their own bodies; precious moments that raise your spirits. We should all take the time to stop and stare.

Yesterday I received a Christmas card from a customer at the market. Ned comes every Saturday, and has done for years, with his nonagenarian father Eric, and they always buy some bits from me. This was not any old Christmas card, but a hand made unique card with a personal message of thanks to me, “For Phil, still known as the Organic Man”, from the giver and artist, and with a hand written message from Eric and his wife Valerie (who used to attend but no longer does). Another of those precious moments that are humbling. Incidentally, Valerie is writing a memoir of her childhood growing up in Gasthorpe near Knettishall Heath, it is serialised online at https://gasthorpetales.substack.com and is an intriguing glimpse into rural life on the Suffolk/Norfolk border in the 1930’s/40’s.

I am a convert to Bingo. Well not actually. But last night in my local pub we participated in Rock ‘n’ Roll Bingo, a variation of the much loved original version of the game, and it was extremely good fun. Instead of numbers on a card you have songs and artists to cross off as and when the compere plays a track that corresponds to those featured on your card. There was much enthusiastic (often tuneless) singing along to the music as it played, with some interesting modifications to lyrics at times. On our table of 5 we won £75 and a bottle of wine! Clearly beginners luck. Look out for it in your locality, and get a group of friends to join you for a fun evening. Our Bingo caller was dressed as Santa in an impressive costume. He looked the part with his rotund figure that we speculated was down to some convincing padding, but at the end of the evening when he changed into civvies it was apparent that no padding was required 😀

So, down to business. This week the shop contains most of the vegetable items that are considered essential for the festive period. Brussels sprouts of course, but if you would like other greens there is Savoy cabbage, cavolo nero and sprout tops that have a few of the sweetest tiny sprouts attached to their stems. Then of course you’ve got to have parsnips (ours are coated in Parmesan and roasted), swede, decent roasting potatoes (Cara), carrots for making my patented carrot parcels (see below), leeks. Some of you may do fancy things with red cabbage, or you might want squash for a post-Christmas soup?

Apples are Spartan, there are oranges, lemons, limes and some Clementines. The avocados were even smaller than I was expecting last week, so in anticipation of them being similar this week I have reduced their price further. They needed some ripening, so be aware that this week’s might require the same. Don’t forget apple juice for the nominated driver, or for mulling.

What happens after Christmas? Well, the next deliveries will not be until 8th/9th January and the first Wyken market of the year is on Saturday the 10th. It’s long enough for absence to make the heart grow fonder don’t you think?

I still have shopping to do, but that can wait until after 1.00pm Saturday, there’s no rush. Oh, and I am still to get a Christmas tree, the one shown above is last year’s….flipping heck.

Thank you all for your patronage, it really is very much appreciated. I look forward to more of the same in 2026, if that’s not being too presumptuous? . Have a lovely Christmas and New Year, I love you all.

Phil