I grew up on a hill farm in the High Peak. My mum and sister are farmers, so I’ve seen firsthand how challenging farming has become. Farm incomes have dropped by 30-40% in recent years, and between 2021 and 2025, nearly 10,000 farms are expected to close in the UK. These figures represent not just numbers, but families, communities, and ways of life that are disappearing.

Manchester has changed a lot in recent years. It’s expanding, busier, and filled with new buildings and people. However, despite this growth, the city lacked a proper central farmers’ market. We are surrounded by so much countryside! The Peaks, the Lakes, Yorkshire, and Cheshire! It felt like there was a real gap, a place to connect the city with the countryside and help people understand the food that sustains them.

That’s the inspiration behind Yan Tan Tethera. It’s about meeting the people who grow your food, buying the best produce directly from them at reasonable prices, and staying informed about the issues that matter to rural communities. It’s also about coming together, sharing stories, and considering the kind of food system we want to support.

Kat Wood, Founder of Yan Tan Tethera