|
October 18th - Autumn Souq al Ard
The suspension of the souq is only temporary - it's just that it gets too hot in July and August, and a lot of our loyal customers are on holiday. We prefer to run a GREAT market, so we will take time out and return to you after Ramadan and Eid.
In the meantime we will be busy. We want to source new products and producers. We also want to include more entertainment - so if you have bright ideas contact us. Whatever happens, we hope to relaunch Souq al Ard on October 18th after Eid.
Souq al Ard - fresh from the farm to the city
Souq
al Ard is a weekly farmers market where customers can get the chance to buy a wide range of "rural" products such
as fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs and cheese, plants and cut flowers as
well as olives and honey, hard yoghurt and pickles and all kinds of home-cooked
produce. The Souq al Ard is run EVERY Saturday from 10 am till 2pm at Beit al
Bawadi in Abdoun, and usually there are around 25 producers bringing the best
of local produce for healthy living.
Part
of the attraction of Souq al Ard is that the food is locally sourced and so the
product changes with the seasons - every week there is something different to
try or taste. Customers who come to Souq al Ard also enjoy the hustle and
bustle of a farmers market, and the chance to meet with producers. And the
producers themselves love the interaction - where they get to talk with the
customers and find out what they want. Clearly the customers want healthy
food - and so producers who use sustainable farming methods, such as chemical
free and grey water recycling find that their choice is rewarded - they get a
better price for their fruit and vegetables.
It's a winning combination - with
producers and customers happy with the trade.
The evidence of success is clear
to see - most customers leave piled high with bags (paper of course!), and many
come back the next Saturday and do their weekly shop at Souq al Ard.
With
this successful formula, the Souq has gone from strength to strength. Between December 2007 and the end of June 2008, more than
JD45,000 of trade had been carried out at Souq al Ard. Most
producers report that sales are increasing; many regularly sell in
excess of JD150 in the four hour market. They look forward to reopening in October
|
