HOW can you justify selling veal?" is a question that a lot of people ask Caroline Groves on her farmers' market stall.

To answer it, 27-year-old Caroline, one of the owners of Larkin's Family Reared Meats, keeps a folder of pictures of the veal calves in their open shed to show worried customers and she is happy to explain how the animals are reared.

"We sell pink veal. It's from calves which have not been weaned but which have straw for food and bedding," she said. "We look after our animals very well and anyone can come and see them at the farm.

"People have a bad image in their minds about calves being reared for veal. We don't use veal crates and our calves are older than most pigs are when they are sent to slaughter at around 16 weeks."

The calves arrive when they are a few weeks old and spend their first weeks in individual calf houses for health reasons. At five weeks old they are moved into an open-sided shed with the other calves where they are bedded on straw.

"Our calves have a good life until they go," said Caroline.

The running of Briarsfield Farm, at Tibberton, near Droitwich, is a family affair with Caroline, her sister Rosie, aged 25, their parents Alan and Sue and Caroline's seven-year-old son, Joe Barley, all helping out. The family have always eaten meat from their farm. After the BSE and foot-and-mouth food scares they decided to sell their meat at farmers' markets so local people could buy meat from a local source.

The family also rears rare breeds - Ryeland sheep, middle white pigs and Dexter cattle.

"We like to keep things as natural as possible. The mother animals which we keep all have names and the animals spend most of their lives outside," said Caroline.

After slaughter, the meat is returned to the farm where the Groves family hang and prepare it.

Various cuts of beef, lamb, veal and pork - as well as sausages - are available from their farmers' market stalls.

RECIPE: LARKIN'S CREAMY PINK VEALIngredients2 veal steaks 1 leek, sliced 5 mushrooms, sliced 1 clove of garlic crushed 250ml double cream 200ml light crème fraiche Salt & pepper to tasteMethod

1. Slice veal into strips and start to brown gently in a pan. Add the crushed garlic, sliced mushrooms and leeks and cook for 3-4 minutes adding salt and pepper to taste.

2. Once all the ingredients are cooked gently pour in the cream and spoon in the crème fraiche. Fold in gently moving it continuously. Keep heat on low and bring to simmer.

3. Serve immediately with either fragrant rice or creamy mashed potato.

Serves 2-3 people

Worcestershire Farmers' Market Dates

Droitwich: Victoria Square, April 7, 9am-2pm.

Worcester: Royal Worcester, May 6, 10am-2pm.

Bromsgrove: High Street, April 14, 9am-5pm.

Malvern: Abbey Road, April 21, 9am-2pm.

Worcester: St Peter's Garden Centre, April 28, 9.30am-2pm.

Pershore: Broad Street, April 9, 10am-3pm.

Broadway: Village Green, May 7, 10am-3pm.

The following goods will be available at farmers' markets throughout this month: New season plants.

Fruit and vegetables - new crops of tomatoes and asparagus.

Free-range and organic eggs.

Speciality Scotch eggs, local cheeses.

Meat, poultry, game, sausages, home-cured bacon - (all traditionally reared).

Honey, preserves, bread, pies, cakes, fudge, chocolates, olives.

Ciders, wines and juices.

Plants.

Worcestershire Farmers' Market Group was formed in autumn 2000 to support the growth and development of farmers' markets across Worcestershire.

For more information log on to www.worcestershirefarmers markets.net