Last Friday saw the re-opening at 10am of the Rye Country Market at the community centre on Conduit Hill. Most of the familiar faces were there in the lobby, waiting for the doors to open – not in the usual order perhaps, because there was our Rye News editor-in-chief, Charles Harkness, first in the queue.
We are usually greeted by Philip Ashton-Cobb, coming round in advance with purchase slips, but we learnt that he is indisposed and might be off for several weeks. His wife Patricia and her daughter were there with all the other helpers to hold the fort.
Once inside, the usual dash is for the fresh vegetables, but there were few to be had this early in the year. There were dairy products though and goose eggs, a particular favourite in our family. There were spring flowers too, mostly daffodils, but I bought a lovely woven basket made up by Marie Ballard, containing roses, carnations and chrysanthemums – irresistible!
Other home-made wares were plentiful, and the jam-makers had been busy as had had the quiche and cake makers. I chatted with Len Platt who lives in Military Road. His savoury bread rolls are an excellent and fairly recent addition to the range of produce on offer.
After the initial flurry of making purchases, the tables in the centre became the focus for meetings with friends and neighbours, over tea or coffee supplied from the kitchen. The country market had resumed its place in the life of the community.
Image Credits: Heidi Foster .