wellness
Camden's Two Farmers Markets Offer Peak July Produce This Week
Camden shoppers can fill baskets with peak July produce at two longstanding markets this week.
How we reported this
Camden residents filled baskets with strawberries and courgettes at the Inverness Street market on Tuesday morning as the weekly produce stalls opened at 8am.
Interest in direct-from-farm purchases has risen this summer amid ongoing concerns over food miles and price spikes tracked by the Office for National Statistics. July marks the height of the British berry and squash season, giving buyers a short window to secure flavour at lower cost than supermarket imports.
The Inverness Street market operates every Tuesday and Friday along the narrow street behind Camden High Street, where six regular growers set up by 7.30am. A second option sits at Parkway, where the Camden Farmers Market runs Saturdays from 10am to 2pm near the junction with Arlington Road. Both sites accept cash and card, and vendors report selling out of soft fruit by midday during warm spells.
July produce to watch for
At Inverness Street this week, punnets of strawberries sit at £3.80 while early tomatoes sell for £2.50 per 500g. Courgettes appear in 1kg bags priced at £2.20, and bunches of rainbow chard cost £1.80. Parkway vendors list similar stock plus new-season raspberries at £4.50 per 250g punnet. These figures come from price boards posted on 7 July and remain steady through the month unless weather disrupts supply.
Buyers who arrive before 10am at either site secure the widest choice and avoid the queues that form once office workers finish lunch. Stalls also carry recipe cards from the Camden Community Kitchen project, which runs free tastings on the first Saturday of each month. Those cards suggest simple grills for courgettes and quick jams for surplus berries.
Market managers advise checking the Camden Council website each Thursday for any last-minute stall changes caused by roadworks or weather. Regular visitors report that bringing reusable bags and arriving early keeps weekly spend under £15 for a household of two while supplying fresh items through the following weekend.