A PLUM job. To speak with a plum in your mouth. Plum crazy. Plums have been a part of British society for so long, that they have entered our language in a way like no other fruit. Plums are even in our nursery rhymes – what did Little Jack Horner pull out of his Christmas pie?

Now is the time to taste the very best of British plums, fresh from the tree, at your local farmers’ market.

This has not been a good year for the fruit – with a late frost, a lot of plum trees have not produced anything like their usual abundance. So, enjoy what is on offer, and have a taste of one of the most versatile – and underrated – of British fruits.

If you love plums, the place to go this weekend is, of course, Pershore Plum Fayre. Plum-related events have been going on in the town throughout August, and will culminate in Monday’s Plum Fayre Day. There has been a plum heritage exhibition touring the town for the past month, which kicked off with the crowning of young Katie Mason Roberts as the first-ever Plum Princess.

Monday will see seasonal stalls at the bustling farmers’ market line Broad Street, offering a variety of produce including plum ice-cream, plum beer, Pershore Plum sausages, plum cakes, crumbles, jams and even a savoury plum tart topped with Stilton. Plus all your usual nonplum- related farmers’ market regulars from 10am to 3pm.

As well as the food stalls, nearby St Andrew’s Gardens will be bursting with local craft and charity stalls, as well as engine and tool displays, and delicious teas and cakes will be served up in St Andrew’s Hall.

Pershore Abbey Park will be hosting some classic and vintage cars and don’t miss the teddy bear zip wire races from the top of the abbey tower.

The fun starts at 9.30am and goes on until 6pm.

Pershore has been associated with plums since 1833, when the landlord of the Butcher’s Arms in Church Street discovered wild plums growing in Tiddesley Wood. From this discovery, the Pershore Egg variety was developed. Sixty years later, the first Pershore Purple was grown and, within the next few decades, the town became the centre of Britain’s plum industry. Egg plumssoon became the basis of almost every commercially sold jam, owing to the amount of pectin they contain.

Other Worcestershire Farmers’ Markets this bank holiday weekend include the regular market at St Peter’s Garden Centre, Worcester, today, from 9.30 to 2pm and tomorrow’s market at The Fold, Bransford, from 10am to 2pm.

For more information about Worcestershire Farmers’ Markets log on to www.wfmg.co.uk.