Buy local

Eating quality fruit and vegetables is extremely important to health and wellbeing. The conserved and varied terrain of the surroundings of Radovljica offers healthy, seasonal produce throughout the year, particularly during summer and autumn, which has thrived in the natural conditions in the natural surroundings and is thus reflected in its quality. Despite the fact that similar produce is in abundance in shops throughout the year, identifying its quality is of key importance. Make the most of the advantages of home-grown seasonal produce, which is lovingly tended to and produced by farmers, growers of fruit and herbs, and in doing so help ensure your future health. Below we have put together some facts that attest to the advantages of locally produced food.

THE ADVANTAGES OF BUYING LOCAL FOOD

• The favourable climate and conserved environment have a positive effect on the quality of local produce of both plant and animal origin. When buying such products, quality is not questionable.

• By opting for local, seasonal food, you can rest assured that a short while ago it was in its natural state and consequently its nutritional value is maximised, since, in comparison with imported food, it was picked while at optimal ripeness. Home produced, seasonal food looks attractive in itself, and consequently does not require any substances that could falsely enhance its appearance. Fruit is picked by hand rather than by machine, which has a particularly beneficial effect on produce that is of a more sensitive nature.

• Buying locally produced food helps reduce the negative effects on the environment, which are a result of long transport chains. Long transport routes require suitable warehousing and use of packaging, which can later become problematical waste material. In addition, the length of the route together with the accompanying procedures has a negative effect on the quality of the produce.

• Buying local food helps support local producers and encourages local farming, preserves jobs, supports self sufficiency, maintenance of the landscape and settlement of our countryside. Your purchase helps ensure that farmers in our community will remain in the future, thus future generations will have access to wholesome, fresh and nutrient-rich local food.

• A beneficial side effect of eating seasonally is the wider range of food we can include in our diet. Eating seasonally means that we can try something new every month or two. By purchasing locally you have to conserve and revive traditional local skills and knowledge in the field of farming, as well as preserving culture.

• Supporting smaller producers, who have been pushed into the margins due to unfair trade practices. In food chains with less or fewer intermediaries, farmers are rewarded for their efforts with fair pay. Short food chains promote relationships between producers and customers, which enables us to get to know who produced the produce you just purchased.

WHERE TO BUY LOCAL PRODUCTS?

- Visit the local market. Farmers from the narrow and wider surroundings offer the produce and products for sale every Friday between 2pm and 5pm and every Saturday between 9am and 12pm in Lesce at the Farmers Markets in front of the KGZ Sava Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative (Rožna dolina 50, Lesce). In addition, food producers as well as artisans and antique dealers meet every first Saturday in the month at the Radol'ca Market, which takes place from 9am to 12noon in front of St. Peter's church in Linhart Square. In the event of bad weather the event takes place in Radovljica Manor. 

The products available to buy include dairy products, dried meat products, various types of flour, baked goods, liqueurs and juices, jams, herbs, fresh and dried fruit, fresh vegetables, honey and other products made from honey, as well as other organic produce.

- A wide range of seasonal produce and other products is also available in small, local shops. One such is 18sedem3, which is in close proximity to the old town centre, while the other, named Domača trgovina, is located in Cankarjeva ulica street.

- Another option is to contact one of the many local suppliers and arrange for regular supplies of their products. You can find details of some of them below.

LOCAL SUPPLIERS

RADOVLJICA ARTISANS

In addition to local producers, artisans hold a special place in Radovljica. The town and its surroundings has long been a place of creative people and we can proudly confirm that it remains the case to this day. You can meet local creators, artists and artisans, who put their heart and soul and youthful enthusiasm into creating unique products, as well as local food producers, each month at the Radol'ca Market, where they showcase their unique jewellery, textile, ceramic, wooden and decorative products. Some of them also sell their goods in their own handicraft stores, which are located in the old town centre or in close proximity.

Click the links below to take a look at what's available:
Magušar (ceramics and ceramic products)
Krona (fleece bags and other fashion accessories) 
VDC (clay products)
Leseno (wooden products)
Manus (leather products)

There is also a range of local products and souvenirs from Radovljica available at the Radovljica Tourist Information Centre.

In a previous blog, we have already written about Radovljica's artisans and their unique products, which make ideal gifts for your nearest and dearest, which you can read here.

In the same way that buying local produce helps contribute to the local environment, as mentioned above, buying products from local artisans contributes a lot more than it may at first seem; in addition to creativity, also the existence and preservation of manual skills. This way of buying encourages ethical shops, as artisans are paid what they are worth for their expertise and time, while in exchange we get unique, quality and handmade products. We should aim to purchase with an awareness of the positive consequences of buying locally, which is incomparable in terms of buying similar products made in mass production systems from the other side of the world.