There was a happy buzz of activity in the playground as I entered the Wolvercote Primary school grounds last Sunday. This is quite usual on Sunday mornings when the Wolvercote and North Oxford Farmers’ Market is in full swing. With children’s faces adorned with face paint and glitter tattoos, and Henry Mcguinness, the Wolvercote busker, providing background music, the market was particularly jolly.

Wolvercote and North Oxford is one of six community-run farmers’ markets that operate in Oxford who have banded together to promote local food. Their aim is to encourage us all to add local food to our weekly shop. Richard Howlett, the bookings co-ordinator of Wolvercote and North Oxford Market, says that there are six markets operating in Oxford that operate within farmers’ market regulations (administered by national organisation FARMA) so it makes sense to start working together more. Thus Oxford Community Markets came into being. The markets involved are: Wolvercote and North Oxford Market; East Oxford Farmers’ and Community Market; South Oxford Farmers’ and Community Market; The Leys Community Market; Talking Shop and Sandford Market; and Cultivate’s Veg Van.

The group has already set up a joint website (www.ocmarkets.org) and is producing a booklet describing the benefits of shopping at farmers’ markets. This new collaboration coincided with special events at both Wolvercote and North Oxford, which included Fun at the Market, where live music and children’s activities made a trip to the market more like a great day out. William Black the baker, who established The Natural Bread Company by selling his home-made bread at Appleton Market in 2007 market, is a regular trader at Wolvercote now. He has done so well as a market trader he has opened two shops, one at Woodstock, the other at Eynsham, and is working hard to get his third shop up and running. The new one will open as a bread shop and café on October 8 in Little Clarendon Street. He is installing a pizza oven in the shop too.

William is excited about this new venture: “There can’t be many establishments in Oxford that will be selling sandwiches created from bread made by the trader,” he says proudly. His breads are a marvel to behold. William’s sourdough comes with a gloriously thick, crunchy exterior which makes your mouth water by just looking at it. William’s wife Claire Véry is also a baker, her specialities include pissaladiere (a pizza-like tart), which add perfectly to splendid food on display in their shops. In the centre of the market space at Wolvercote you will find Momo Fujita-Clarkson, whose stall is filled with a delightful assortment of Japanese delicacies created from traditional Oriental family recipes. Outside, standing close to David the nut man, are members of the Secret Pizza Society, who cook their home-made pizzas on a wood-fired stove. The perfect dish to share with friends if you are not cooking a Sunday roast.

Oxford Community Markets is particularly keen to challenge the image of farmers’ markets being expensive. Helen Hewlett of East Oxford Market, which was a finalist in the BBC Food and Farming awards a couple of years ago, says: “ We believe our markets offer a fair price to consumers and to farmers. These days when many of us are concerned about knowing exactly what is in our food and where it comes from, farmers’ markets are a great place to shop as you can speak to the producer, talk to the guy who raised the cow and the woman who made the cheese directly.”

Plus when you shop at a market, you pick up eco cred and do your bit to support local trade, as Helen explains: “Shopping at our markets means supporting the local economy, reducing your carbon footprint, getting to know your neighbours and being able to buy the best food your area has to offer.”

What I enjoy about visiting a farmers’ market is how friendly all the traders are, so it is not just a matter of walking round with a shopping basket, but entering into meaningful conversation.

I bump into trader David Bar, who is always to be found selling hazelnuts and oils at this time of year. Despite only seeing him once a year we recognise each other and enjoy a meaningful chat about this year’s harvest. Walnuts it seems are two weeks late this year, which means David should be trading at the market for several weeks to come.