The idea for a Farmers' Market may have come from a carton of strawberries. Frances Eddy was shopping at a local store and came across what she considered were cheap strawberries. When she asked a staff member why they cost so little, she was told they came from a Third-World country. Eddy thought it likely that the strawberries contained more harmful pesticides than those grown elsewhere and may have been rejected for sale in the US.

Frances told me she felt Bermuda was too heavily dependent on overseas produce and that it was high time we went back to the old days of growing more of our own produce. She came up with the idea for a Farmers' Market featuring locally grown produce and homemade goods. Since its first weekend on February 9, the market has been a resounding success.

"I think September 11th was a wake-up call for us that we need to consider growing more food for ourselves,'' she said, referring to the Island's reliance on other countries for food.

"People believe there is insufficient land, and while this may be true, we can increase productivity on it. There is a lot more space that can be utilised.''

Frances said the Island's supermarkets definitely do support local farmers, but that in many cases the smaller farmers do not grow enough produce for the supermarkets to rely on, therefore the farmers were often left with surplus when the supermarkets had already secured their produce.

Of course the supermarkets provide a great service in supplying us with year-round fresh produce to eat with many now offering organic produce as well. However, Frances felt there was room for more locally grown fruits and vegetables, especially in a market setting where you have the opportunity to meet the grower and find out how his or her produce was grown. Frances, who has visited markets from St. Lucia to Paris, said she's not the only one who enjoys visiting markets abroad.

"People often tell me when they travel abroad they head for a farmers market,'' she said.

Aside from fresh local produce, the Island's new Farmers' Market in the open air lot on the North side of Bull's Head on Saturdays also offers fresh fish, potted plants, orchids, seedlings and locally prepared herb teas, jams, pepper sauces and honey.

Frances said the market turnout has been excellent and there's usually something new every week .

"We also have musicians, jugglers and other entertainers. This weekend we are going to have a composting demonstration,'' she said.

Frances told me she would like to see more fruit growers participating in the market.

"We need to encourage more growing of fruits again in Bermuda. Also, there are lots of unusual fruits people grow in their backyards, like persimmons or nectarines - usually for themselves, but if they do have any excess it would be nice to see them in the market.''

Frances said the market has at least three organic growers, offering sweet potatoes, carrots, bok choy and other Asian greens, sugar cane and parsley, to name a few.

"We don't have an organic certification organisation in Bermuda,'' she said, "but these growers do not use chemical pesticides or fertilisers."

Frances also teachers organic gardening. She has 16 students and they farm in the Paget community garden. She said that when she initially returned to Bermuda from Canada she found it tough growing organically.

"In Canada the only problem I can recall was occasionally slugs, but in Bermuda the soil and climate are different and there are more pests. It's not easy at first but you have to have in your mind that you want to protect the natural environment, birds, insects and soil.

"Once you make the commitment, if you have a problem then you can find a solution. Nature is there to support and if there is enough diversity nature will balance itself out. Don't expect perfection!''

She's hoping the Farmers' Market encourages more people to make use of their backyards, even if not intending to sell what they grow. Growers do not have to come every week. They can sell things on consignment if they don't have the time to sell at the market themselves. There is a consignment table, and you can give 30 percent of your profit to the person manning the table to sell your goods for you, she said.

The early bird definitely catches the worm at this market as many vendors say they sell out of goods by lunchtime. Frances noted that homemade items must be licensed by the Health Department.

"Going to a Farmer's Market is like going to a natural history museum,'' she said. "It tells you something of the people who live in a place, what they eat and what grows there naturally. I have always been attracted to fresh produce markets.

"In California in college there was a roadside place where I got a full range of fresh very cheap produce-so I was able to live on very little during those years.''

If you wish to have a stand at the Market contact Frances Eddy at 238-0059 or her son Jonas at the market. The market opens at 8 a.m. and is located on Canal Road in the open air parking lot on the north side of Bull's Head.