Have yourself a local little Christmas and shop local for your Christmas dinner this year. Food is never too far from our minds (and bellies) at this time of year and comfort food and festive treats are top of the list. Thankfully, the Isle of Wight is home to an array of local producers, makers, farmers and fishermen, all stocking our farm shops to the rafters with their seasonal goods. Here’s a quick festive guide to some of the best farm shops and what to buy for a truly local Christmas…
Harvey Browns
One of the newest additions to the Isle of Wight. Once located at Arreton Barns under the name Farmer Jacks, Harvey Browns is the Isle of Wight’s largest farm shop/food hall. Owned and run by a local farming family, the Browns. Many of the fresh, seasonal vegetables on offer are grown and harvested in the surrounding fields in Arreton. A one stop shop for all your Christmas Dinner needs, you will find everything from baked goods, a deli counter, an onsite butcher as well as sauces, chutneys and a great selection of local alcoholic beverages. Local festive feast shopping has never been so easy. Order your Christmas meats early and with bird flu sweeping the country, maybe it’s time to have a back up plan for your festive bird. Speak to the local butcher about alternatives and how best to cook and prepare your Christmas dinner.
Isle of Wight Meat Co.
Christmas Meat Hampers are a speciality of the Isle of Wight Meat Co. Visit their website to build your own hamper and create your own bespoke Christmas ready to pick up just before the big day. If you want to browse their produce head to their sister farm shop, The Isle of Wight Farm Shop, located on the road between Godshill and Rookley where you can not only stock up on meats but a whole array of other local goodies from cheese, crackers, drinks and more.
Norris Family Grocers
Supporting your local shops has never been more important. Norris’s store in Niton is a well stocked village shop stocking a plethora of local produce.
If you have children, getting up early on Christmas morning is going to be definite. Here you can grab a bag of Island Roasted coffee, for that much needed caffeine hit to wake you up. A Christmas morning special breakfast is on many people’s agenda. Stock up on local, bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms. It will be like Santa has visited again, what a treat.
Briddlesford Lodge Farm Shop
Cheese lovers rejoice! The Griffin family at Briddlesford Lodge Farm have been producing dairy products on the farm since the first 15 Guernsey cows arrived in 1923. Make your cheese board a local affair, and pick up their very own range of cheeses, including Cheddar, Gouda, Caerphilly, Halloumi-style and Feta-style.
Also, stocking the award-winning Isle of Wight Cheese Company’s range, including the legendary Isle of Wight Blue, your Christmas Day board is going to look, and taste, divine!
Delysia Farm Shop
Tucked away in Brading, just past Oasis, Delysia Farm Shop is a gift to the eyes as much as the belly!
The wooden hut looks like it’s straight out of Lapland, although rather than tinsel and toys, it is bursting with colours, flavours and smells. Look forward to freshly laid duck, goose and chicken eggs, hand-picked fruits and vegetables; seasonal meats and game with wild boar and venison from the Forest of Dean. There is the added bonus of an onsite smoker where John, the owner, smokes wild game such as pheasant and partridge.
