The Birmingham Post's search for the best farmers market in the Midlands has begun. Rural Affairs Reporter Sarah Probert visits the first of several markets to be shortlisted for the Market Masters prize... "The problem with ostriches is their brains are the size of a broad bean," the enthusiastic farmer utters, as the scent of sizzling burgers waft beside him. "It means they can't remember who you are, in fact they can't remember what happened half an hour before and they can be incredibly aggressive." This, apparently, is partly why ostrich farms have failed to take off in Britain and why Oslinc has travelled to Solihull farmers' market from its Lincolnshire base. The farm has 21 birds, keeping just three birds in an acre of land due to their aggressive nature.
Market facts:
Held: Monthly, first Friday 9am-5pm
Location: High Street
Number of stallholders selling their own produce: 100 per cent
Length of time operating: five years
Number of stalls: 30
Price producer is charged per stall: £21.50
Customers: 2,000
Produce sold: Meat, wine, vegetables, honey, preserves, bread, soup, cheese, eggs, plants
Operated by: EG Skett
£20 buys you...
* A litre of apple juice from Norburys Norment Farm and Cider (£2.20)
* Litre of French onion and white wine soup (£3.75)
* Goats cheese from Umberslade Farm, Tanworth-in-Arden (£2.75)
* Locally-made Solihull honey (£1.75)
* Two Ostrich burgers (£1.80)
* One dozen large free range eggs (£1)
* Six rashers black bacon, dry cured with salt and Demerara sugar left to mature in molasses and honey brine, (£3)
* Bread and butter pudding (£1.10)
* Two lamb chops (£2.29)
Total: £19.64
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Although the market is strict about where producers are from - insisting they live within a 30-mile radius, Oslinc is classed as a specialist supplier and in the absence of a more local producer, has been invited to sell in Solihull. It may not bring live birds with it but sells ostrich meat and feathers. If ostrich does not quite take your fancy, the market does have a vibrant mix of produce from home-made soups, cooked by a retired farmer using produce grown on his land near Rugby, to locally produced honey, cheese and meats. It is quite easy to stumble on the town's farmers' market as it stretches itself along High Street - a perfect location in the shadow of the popular Touchwood shopping centre and an array of shops. The fact that Solihull has few vegetable shops or butchers', other than the nearby supermarket, is also an advantage to those selling on the market. Bob Rose, of Marsh Farm, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, relies on farmers' markets to sell his free range eggs. "The market maximises our profit because there is no middleman. But there is a lack of promotion. "A lot of these markets are well-established and because they are self-sustaining they are left to their own devices but that means they are slowly declining," he said. Mark Hayward, town centre manager, is keen to refresh the market and is buzzing with ideas to improve on its success. If Solihull won Market Masters, his plans are to improve its profile with extra publicity, promoting healthy eating with guest stalls at the market, such as recipe demonstrations. The £500 prize money, which he hopes to use to encourage match funding, would also be used to support local allotment growers to stand at the market and fund a recipe booklet, highlighting the benefits of buying food by local producers. | 
