August at West Malling Farmers Market - Tomatoes, Game and the Last Long Days of Summer

August is tomato month. If you've never tasted a tomato that was grown locally and sold within days of picking, you're in for a treat. The flavour is nothing like the uniform, underripe varieties that sit on supermarket shelves for weeks. Local tomatoes - grown for taste rather than shelf life - are sweet, complex and genuinely worth seeking out. August is also when sweetcorn arrives, when runner beans are at their finest, and when the general abundance of the British summer feels almost overwhelming in the best possible way.

West Malling Farmers Market has been running since the year 2000, making it one of the longest-standing farmers markets in Kent. It takes place on the fourth Sunday of every month (not the last Sunday) between 9.30am and 1.30pm, in the heart of West Malling High Street, ME19 6NA. It's a genuinely lovely setting for a market morning out.

The market has won some impressive recognition over the years - including Best UK Farmers Market at the Farm Shop and Deli Awards in 2018, Best Farmers Market in Kent at the Kent Life Awards in 2016, and a Gold Award in the Food and Drink Market category at the Taste of Kent Awards in 2024. It was a Finalist in the Farm Retail Association Farmers Market of the Year in 2026. We're really proud of what West Malling has become, and the community of stallholders and customers that have grown up around it.

In August, alongside seasonal soft fruits and vegetables, you'll find locally produced wine, freshly roasted coffee, artisan bread, fresh fish, handmade chocolates, local cheese, game and meats, chilli sauces, olives, Caribbean marinades, local honey, beautifully grown flowers, and much more. Our own jams and preserves stall is a fixture at every market - August is a good month to look for damson, blackberry and apple, or a jar of chilli jam to go with all that late summer barbecuing.

Most stallholders accept contactless card payments, and the market is held outdoors whatever the weather - so dress for the season and come ready to enjoy one of West Malling's finest Sunday mornings.

West Malling Farmers Market is accredited as a Real Farmers Market by the Farm Retail Association, which means everything you're buying comes directly from the people who grew, reared or made it. That's a standard we take seriously, and it's one of the things that makes shopping at a farmers market genuinely different from anywhere else.

When does West Malling Farmers Market take place? West Malling Farmers Market runs on the fourth Sunday of every month (not the last Sunday) between 9.30am and 1.30pm, in West Malling High Street, ME19 6NA.

What's in season at West Malling Farmers Market in August? August is a great time for tomatoes, sweetcorn, runner beans and other summer vegetables and local apples are starting to make an appearance too – look out for great seasonal fruit and vegetables alongside a huge range of artisan food, drink, plants and crafts from local producers.

Has West Malling Farmers Market won any awards? Yes - it won Best UK Farmers Market at the Farm Shop and Deli Awards in 2018, Best Farmers Market in Kent at the Kent Life Awards in 2016, and a Gold Award at the Taste of Kent Awards in 2024. It was a Finalist in the Farm Retail Association Farmers Market of the Year in 2026.

Is West Malling Farmers Market suitable for families? Absolutely. It's a lovely morning out for all ages, set right on the West Malling High Street. Come early for the best selection.

Find out more and check upcoming dates at www.myfarmersmarket.co.uk/west-malling/