AH, WHAT a glorious September.

I watched the sun rise over Stonehenge for the equinox and for the first time in what seems like an age I was absolutely freezing.

Autumn is on its way and we all wait to see what kind of winter we will have but in the meantime we all love the autumn sun.

It has been a generally good year on the farms, with conditions proving good for most types of crops and animal, which is nice.

With winter coming we all need to build up our immune systems by eating well and if you want to eat well then you know that you can’t do better than getting all your basics at the farmers’ market.

There is so much debate about food, about eating healthily but you can’t go wrong if you base your diet on fresh produce.

With Newark Farm now back to full size and brimming with a huge variety of produce, the selection of vegetables is superb.

It’s a perfect time of year for catching the early winter crops and the late summer crops with swedes nestling next to salad bags and tomatoes, parsnips next to peppers.

Having an apple a day will certainly add to your health and wellbeing and it’s that time of year when apples are at their peak.

I counted 12 varieties of them last week — and several pears.

I bought five apples, all a different variety, and some lovely organic soft pears, and each piece of fruit was wonderful; crisp and juicy and bursting with flavour. Vive la pomme.

Our market has been nominated for an award in the Farm Shop and Deli Awards and this Saturday customers will have the opportunity to vote for us by filling in a little form.

It is always nice to get nominated and with enough support we may even win.

You can also vote for us at farmshopanddelishow.co.uk The awards recognise the best standards in the UK’s independent, speciality retail market.

With an expert panel of judges joining Nigel Barden, chairman of the judges, the awards celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by our heroes of the high-street.

Nigel will be familiar to Radio 2 listeners — he appears on Simon Mayo’s show on Thursdays.