'The word community, when you hear it often, starts to lose its meaning. But here, in this small car park by the ruins of St Dogmael’s Abbey, you get it.'
- Diana Henry, food writer
We love the St Dogs market. Just up the road from the fforest offices & Granary Lofts, the office elves pay a visit every Tuesday to buy breakfast (the biggest croissants you'll ever see) and sometimes lunch too. Winner of 'The Best Food Market' at the BBC Food & Farming Awards 2016, St Dogmaels local producers market may be small but to be voted the best in Britain, it has to offer more than just great produce, and it does.
Established in 2009 with some financial backing from the Rural Development Project, the founders of the market started their journey by purchasing authentic, high quality market stall units. This is perhaps the first thing you notice upon arrival: the pretty green and white tents that look like they belong at a 1960's fair-ground. Its a welcoming environment thanks to the quaint stalls and happy faces manning them.
But of course, the main attraction at this market it the produce on offer. With 18 stalls + additional during the busier Summertime, the market offers a wide range of local produce including quality meats, dairy products, organic vegetables home-baked goods and a variety of plants & flowers.
'The market is 'local' in its truest sense, in that the produce is all grown, reared or manufactured within a 30 mile radius of St Dogmaels.'
As well as bringing together great local producers and great food, keeping food miles to an absolute minimum, its also a vital social hub for the locals of the surrounding area. A great place for socialising as well as doing your weekly shop, there are volunteer musicians providing live music, cookery demonstrations and outside craft workshops that often feature at the market. These days, its not just the locals that are benefiting from the St Dogs market as people are coming from much further afield to experience the unique atmosphere and to sample some of the best quality local food.
