Sunshine, lollipops and picnics! If you’re planning on enjoying the summer weather with a spot of alfresco dining or a lounging lunch in the park, we’ve got the ultimate checklist for a totally British bite to eat!
The plains of England produce an abundance of fresh and local tasty treats that are guaranteed to please a crowd, from handpicked berries to homemade patisseries, let’s support our near and dear food creators and suppliers as we pack our hampers.
These are our suggestions of where you can source all of the ingredients for a picture-perfect picnic:
Felderland Pick Your Own Farm Shop- Sandwich, Kent:
Fill your boots with the freshest fruit, picked on Kent’s largest PYO farm between Sandwich and Deal. With a wide range of seasonal produce, you can select the very best Strawberries, Cherries, Raspberries, Plums, Blackberries and Currants, to bring a zing to your taste buds.
Hartley Coffee House & Farm Shop- Cranbrook, Kent:
Home to a fabulous artisan bakery, you can pick up cakes and bakes fit for the Queen! This gorgeous countryside farm shop also has a scrumptious selection of locally grown fresh produce and a home goods department, supplying perfect picnic blankets and more!
E.T. Wilmhurst & Sons- Canterbury, Kent:
Known for its superb reputation of beautifully baked bread, this local bakery has been providing locals with loaves for over 70 years. Serving more than just the staple brown, white and wholemeal bread- E.T. Wilmhurst & Sons create artisan flavoured bread too, with olives, onions or sun-dried tomatoes.
Blackwells Farm Shop- Essex:
The award-winning working farm, Blackwells, is THE place to shop for local meat and over 90% of the products they sell are sourced within a 20-mile radius of the farm working with other small suppliers to encourage people to #eatlocal!
Not only is this a great way to end July, which is #NationalPicnicMonth, it is also #LoveBritishFood fortnight, so we can’t think of anything better to enjoy a sunny afternoon – shop local, buy local and picnic local!!
If these shops are a little bit out of your area, why not try your local farmer’s market! For more information on the days and timings, check out your town council’s website or social media.
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