What’s different about Taunton farmers’ market?
It’s a cooperative, and run entirely by stallholders. Many markets are run by outside committees, but the way we do it means that we can’t just turn up, sell the goods and go away again - we have a real stake in the market. We can respond quickly to customers’ and stallholders’ needs. We might hear really good feedback - or a complaint - about a product range, and we can act on it.

Also, the market’s fully certified which ensures the produce sold really is local. All our members are primary producers, which means the stallholders have produced, grown or reared what they’re selling within a 30-mile radius of Taunton. Plus, we’re open longer than most, 9am-3pm, whereas most finish at about 1pm.

Do you see changing food trends reflected in what the stallholders offer?
People are short on time, and don’t always want to cook from scratch at home. They want the convenience of buying something prepared for them, so we’ve now got stallholders selling freshly-made Italian, Japanese and Indian food. These products still have to fulfil our strict criteria of being local, and using local ingredients. We also have the fresh fruit and veg and local meat and dairy too of course - lots of people will buy a ready-made dish then supplement it with produce to prepare at home.

You’re a producer too; tell us about your background in fish farming.
When my wife, Angie, and I bought Tracey Mill six years ago, I’d had no previous experience – apart from dangling a line from the harbour wall when I was a child in Cornwall. It really was a baptism of fire. I’d spent the last six or seven years behind a desk and was retiring from full-time employment. I had just half a day’s instruction on running the farm. But I like a challenge and the outdoor life – and my wife said, “You’re a practical sort of guy!”

How are the fish bred and managed?
As naturally as possible - it’s the fish version of free-range poultry. We have small ponds and the fresh water comes direct from the River Otter – a million gallons a day pass through these ponds. The fish grow at a natural rate and we give them GM-free fish food. Because of the way they’re raised they simply don’t get diseases, so there’s no need for medication. When they’re 12-18 months, they’ll be harvested by hand.

What’s the end result in terms of flavour?
My customers often say, “I didn’t know trout could taste like this!” But what you put in is what you get out. There’s been an over-commercialisation of fish farming and people think that farmed fish always means intensive farming, where fish are held in contained cages. Those are the battery farms compared to our free-range one. Fish is sold by the weight, and can be bloated, fatty and in poor condition. We keep everything low volume, high quality.

Who is your food hero?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I’ve met him and I like the way he deals with issues others are not prepared to have a go at.

What’s your earliest food memory?
I’m Cornish by birth, so I hark back to the days of homemade Cornish pasties (my mother’s) and saffron cake with clotted cream on top.

What’s your secret food vice?
That would be the clotted cream on top of the saffron cake!

Fine dining or hearty pub grub?
A bit of both. I like a cheesy steak, but sometimes something more delicate is appreciated. We have some very good local restaurants such as The Railway in Honiton – a family run business where they’ve turned a spit-and-sawdust pub into a kitchen-bar.

Taunton farmers’ market takes place every Thursday, 9am-3pm in the High Street.

http://www.traceymill.co.uk

http://www.tauntonfarmersmarket.co.uk