Farmers' market at Little Hadham

Nicola, Pete, Lola and Nell want to travel the world with a difference. We hope to get a taste of many countries without adding to climate change (with needless emissions from aeroplanes) or having to waste hours of holiday time in airport terminals. We hope our adventures inspire you to take a Grand Tour of your neighbourhood whatever the weather. This post is from Nicola

When I first went to the Little Hadham farmers’ market, held indoors in the village hall, on sale seemed to be just two items - potatoes and bottled Hadham Water (the latter has very recently folded after a contamination incident, a real shame, not least because the company employed 50 people locally and as the nearest bottled water to the site of the London Olympics was gearing up to supply competitors and visitors to the 2012 games).

At the final Saturday of August a few years later it’s a different story. The hall is packed with shoppers and stall holders - selling steamed puddings, meat pies, honey, decorative olive oils, local beers and sheepskin rugs as well as bread, cakes, fruit and veg. Everyone is local.

My companion, Lola, (who walked down the hill via bridleways with me) has saved all summer to acquire a fiver to purchase a mouse so was aghast by the prices. “20 pounds for olive oil! That’s four mice…” Long may she use such a fascinating yardstick for my shopping basket.

On the walk back home we shared brownies and scrumped Victoria plums which are at their best at the moment, and even more so when straight from the tree.