Day 24 - Fruit & Veg Shop

I spent the first couple of years or so in our new home wishing there was a greengrocer on our High Street ... so much so that I almost wanted to start one up myself! It seemed such a shame that, in a rural community like mid-Devon, we had to rely on Tesco (and their dubious buying ethics) or drive somewhere to find fresh produce.

Last autumn, my wish was granted and this dear little fruit & veg shop opened up ... cleverly siting themselves right next door to our excellent Hight Street butcher. Even though some of their stock can occasionally seem a little "long in the tooth" (I bought a couple of quite bendy courgettes today!!) their prices are excellent, and from their very first day of opening they have been well supported by the local community and seem to be thriving. Long may they continue to do so!

To be completely honest, it's not quite as "perfect" as I had dreamed of ... my ideal would have been somewhere that sold predominantly local produce (bought direct from growers, rather than wholesale suppliers) and preferably organic wherever possible. However, I do understand the need to provide a good range and variety in order to get more customers coming back ... and they don't grow many mangoes in Exeter!! And to be fair, the owners - Ann and Brian - say they do try to get local produce whenever they can. As for organic ... again, I imagine they are keen to keep their prices down in order to sustain their popularity.