4 of our favourite London farm shops
Head to these farm shops around the city for the freshest, tastiest produce that you know has been grown with sustainability in mind
by Lydia Winter
This family-run and owned farm, located in the heart of Kent, first set up shop in London at Borough Market, where its stall rapidly became so popular it was able to open a farm shop in Notting Hill. Visit the market stall and you'll be lured in by the brightly coloured bunches of every veg imaginable (within season, obviously). The farm is certified organic by the Social Association, so you know exactly what you're getting. Oh, and while you're there, pick up one of its vaunted juices: It's particularly well-known for its apple juice that uses traditional English apple varieties.
Forget hippy, earth-mother vibes; Daylesford's farm shops are probably the sleekest, most stylish ones you'll come across. The brand has the same ethos at its heart, though: the Daylesford farms in Staffordshire and the Cotswolds are some of the most sustainable organic farms in the UK. It's been farming organically for over 35 years, longer than most people have really understood 'organic' and 'farm-to-fork'. The farm shops are just a part of this refined bastion of environmentally business: there's also cafés, a cookery school, a farm-cum-spa in Gloucestershire, as well as a range of incredible bath and beauty products under sister brand Bamford.
This isn't a farm shop, per se, but more of a farm butcher's shop, showcasing organic, free-range meat raised on the family farm in Berkshire. The farm itself is a model for sustainability, feeding its animals on grass all year round and encouraging the biodiversity of plants, insects and wildlife – no pesticides or synthetic chemical fertilisers have been used on the land for more than forty years. There's also an array of Sheepdrove honey and preserves, as well as olive oil, flour and eggs.
This Ealing-based farm shop was the first retailer to be endorsed by Slow Food, the movement that aims to promote and protect locally produced food products and regional cooking. As such, you know what to expect: organic, good, local food that's been handpicked by people who love what they're doing. It works with bakers from East Dulwich; meat producers across the UK; mushroom growers in Winchester; New Forest confectioners, as well as a glut of other small businesses. It's also the place to go if you're looking to stock up on eco-friendly cleaning stuff.
