Market On The Moor: Meet Patrick
Nowadays it is hard to find a variety of fruit and vegetables without plastic, or at least with minimal packaging. While regular supermarkets are somewhat showing improvement on their packaged goods, most produce is out of season and transported across the world. Now i'm not saying to stop shopping at convenience stores, I still do on a regular basis! However we can all do our part by shopping locally and helping businesses in our area when we can.
My friend Patrick runs a fruit, veg, herbs and flower stall every Saturday on the Moor in Falmouth. He sells as much locally grown, in season produce as possible, with items grown on his land and on a nearby farm.
He also sells other produce such as local eggs, wool from his neighbours sheep, locally made condiments and even hand-made bird boxs, helping to support businesses and individual ventures in the area, not to mention amazingly fresh cut flowers throughout the Summer months.
Patrick noticed (like the rest of us) that there wasn't a 'proper' veg and fruit stall in town at all after the last one closed at the market and has been selling there ever since with great success. Patrick has been a massive help on my journey to creating less waste. Since becomming even more aware of the environmental issues with plastic packaging, Patrick has been striving to sell unpackaged produce. He also provides free paper bags, and highly advocates the use of reusables while encouraging customers to bring back the sometimes-unavoidable plastic trays for use as containers for growing things like cress and bean-sprouts.
In addition to avoiding plastic where possible, Patrick also provides and sells produce to local businesses, ESSEN Street Deli in Penryn (they’re mobile and deliver too) and the wondrous Provedore in Falmouth, therefore reducing food waste as well as food miles.
Patrick's produce changes weekly but has recently included veg such as lolcal greens, beetroot, carrots, fennel, rhubarb, garlic, mushrooms, potatos, shallots, onions, radish's, bramley apples and chard. All of which are very good quality, cheap and yummy!
He even sells home grown saffron when in
season (October/November).
Within reason, Patrick will source outside of Cornwall and occasionally even outside the UK to near neighbours so that we can enjoy delights like new cherry tomatoes and even peaches and some other delicious soft fruits that the UK climate doesn’t lend itself to. It’s a gentle balance of local and “must haves”.
Patrick, tends his own acre-patch at home and has so many plants, he could literally open up a second eden project. He loves to grow flowers and vegetables from snippings and seeds and is more than happy to sell these to people wanting to grow their own produce but need a head start! He also sells a massive variety of different plants and succulents on his stall, including baby cactuses which are my favourite! You can visit Patrick's stall every Saturday 9-5 on the Moor, Falmouth. Keep up the good work!!
