Lydiate Hall Farm Shoppe is the companion farm shop to The Hay Loft Tea Shoppe which I have…read morereviewed separately (highly recommended!) Not a lot of airs and graces here, just a very solid farm shop. These days, it would seem some of the more successful farm shops have gone way upmarket with eye-watering prices to match. Although I didn't purchase anything or look closely at the prices, Lydiate Hall Farm Shoppe has a strong feeling of being an old-fashioned 'basic, good value' type of farm shop - you will do well to stay fully wrapped up when paying a visit during winter. Just of how fresh the produce and eggs will be as a result of the frigid temperatures - and keep moving! This is mainly a greengrocers, but with the addition of what may well be the full range of Mrs. Darlington's preserves, relishes and chutneys and also lots of eggs. Things that are obviously Lydiate produce are Maris Piper potatoes, eggs and probably the sprouts stalks and cabbages also. But ask them, as I am sure you will meet with a friendly response. With a triple-whammy comprising farm shop, tea room and duck pond/peacocks on a working farm with traditional buildings, the Lydiate Hall Farm is definitely worth a visit.

A fabulous little greengrocers shop in a beautiful setting of wood and farmland with lots of…read morepeacocks & hens, roosters and ducks. As soon as you drive up the path to the car park you are greeted by chattering ducks and it is very welcoming. The actual shop is great - everything is super fresh and best of all super cheap. We bought a big bag full of fruit and veg for £6! So all these people who say you can't eat nice food cheaply can eff off. You can even buy 6 eggs from a local hen rescuer - free range of course- for a pound! A POUND! The ladies serving in the shop today were very nice, helpful and cheery.

On the 4th Sunday of every month the Lark Lane Farmers Market takes place. It is set up at the…read moreAigburth Road end of Lark Lane and curves round onto the paved area of Aigburth Road. There is always an excellent mix of stall here selling produce such as sweets, plants, coffee, cheeses, specialist sausages, specialist meats, beers, smoothies, cakes, black & white pudding and much much more. Many of the stalls have free samples to try and the smell that emits from the market is delicious. The produce on sale is often more expensive than you would find in supermarkets but this is to be expected. The produce is of an excellent quality and you wont find many of the specialist items in supermarkets at all. This is a great addition to the Lark Lane community.

The bohemian chic of Lark Lane, which is littered with bars, eateries and quirky stores selling…read moreretro interior accessories. Drinkers mill about with students - presuming there's a difference between the two - and "dedicated followers of fashion". What a perfect place for a farmers market. This market, held on the last Saturday of every month, is bigger than its counterpart in Woolton Village, although it does suffer slightly in comparison as half of it is on the edge of busy Aigburth road. A great plant stall selling lovely and unusual bushes at very decent prices greets those who enter the market from Lark Lane. The kind of stall Woolton is missing out on. There's myriad cake and bakery stalls selling pasties, pies, pastries and bread and the ever present Savin Hill Farm meat stall, which sells sausages presumably butchered in Heaven. Last time I went, today (28 August), there was a fantastic flower stall with some of the sunniest sunflower bouquets I've ever seen for a mere £3. A very good place to visit every now and again, but it rarely changes, which is a shame.

My parents always speak of the great outdoors and the satisfaction of all things simple. Life in…read morethe country for example... growing your own food, having your own cattle and poultry. The idea is definitely intriguing, there is great appeal in growing your own food for sure. I am too much of an urbanite however. I love the buzz of the city and the idea of being surrounded by a dense population. That's not to say I don't enjoy the serenity of the outdoors. Perhaps one day I will get the bug, for now I will stick to occasional visits to farm shops such as Claremont. It is refreshing and reassuring to know that this family owned farm has been in the family for a few generations. The expertise of yielding what our wee mother earth has to offer have no doubt been passed down from generation to generation. There is nothing better tasting than fresh organic vegetables out the soil. Luckily for us they stock a good supply of vegetables such as asparagus, beetroot, carrots, rhubarb and potatoes all year round. Obviously being a farm shop it has your locally sourced meat, fish and seafood treats including roll-mop herring, smoked salmon and smoked trout. Claremont also stock some decent king-size Yorkshire puddings. (Not my cup of tea but oh well) As well as all these traditional farm shop offerings there is also good range of specialty foods which include Greek-style nibbles that feature peppers stuffed with feta, stuffed vine leaves (dolmades) and olives. Those with a mice like love for cheese will like the gourmet biscuits and Snowdonia Cheese Company cheeses will be perfect with Mrs Darlington's chutneys. I love farm shops with a passion and if you haven't been here I invite you to start your journey of love with farm shops. It will have you coming back for more.

There is absolutely everything going on at Claremont Farm. First the shop, then Claremont Kitchen,…read moresupply of fruit and vegetables to restaurants in Liverpool, Wirral and Chester and fresh food outlets in the North West, Welly Walk events, cookery master classes, pick your own, school events and fishing. I am sure I have probably missed something! I haven't tried them yet but I particularly like the sound of Claremont Kitchen and their workshops. There are a few events coming up, including Just Bread - a full day course (9.30am - 4.00 pm) devoted entirely to bread making, ranging from basic loaves and individual seeded rolls to enriched doughs, flat breads and fougasse. Also includes the perfect bread and pudding! They also have loads more coming up - wow wee! I love it!

Undoubtedly the best farm shop in Widnes, nay, Cheshire and not just cause I used to work there for…read moreabout 5 years! Dennis and Rena, and their son Johnny have been running this place for about 20 years or something, and I think everybody in the surrounding area knows about it. I spent many a happy afternoon bagging potatoes, riding motorcross bikes, feeding the pig bananas, learning to ride horses, and generally having a good time. In fact, thus far, it's probably been my best ever job. Anyway, come here for all your fruit and veg at rock bottom prices, way cheaper than the supermarkets, and better quality. With a smile. Unless you park in the wrong place !

This must be under new ownership. Went there today to find they were closing at 4:30 and was told…read moreto F*** off I am sure they used to be open until 5 Their loss Grumpy Bloke just moaned about being up at 3am . If they want customers they need to open at times convenient to other than the pensioners who gather there for a gossip and hold up customers on limited lunch hours certainly won't be bothering again after my treatment today. I see their good reviews are written by their own staff what does that tell you

Great farm shop selling seasonal fruit and vegetables and there as fresh as you can get! There…read morecurrently doing strawberry picking so get yourself down there and grab a punnet, it's around £5 pound a punnet which seems expensive but once weighed you do get a lot for your money and the luxury of picking them yourself. They also sell those little luxuries you don't see in a supermarket (cartmel sticky toffee pudding) and lots more. Kenyon Hall farm also has a beautiful garden centre, cafe indoor & outdoor as well as an outdoor park for children. Nice place to visit for an afternoon.

We went strawberry picking one fine saturday to Kenyon Hall Farm. The farm is not too far from J22…read moreof the M6 and has a decent sized car park. The only way into the picking area is through the farm shop and cafe. You queue up, choose a picking basket and follow the teddy bear to get to the strawberry fields. Spend as much time as you like, pick as many strawberries as your basket can hold and then return to the farm shop and pay for the day's haul. The farm shop also sells locally sourced meats, sausages, vegetables, preserves, jams etc. They also have a cafe selling hot and cold food and drinks, which are reasonably priced. In addition to picking your own, you also have the option to buy potted plants and bring them home. I think we got some basil, mint and chilli. I thoroughly enjoyed the strawberry picking experience, which was enhanced by a sunny day. I would definitely recommend this place, especially if you have little kids that need to be entertained on a fine summer's day.

Every third Sunday of the month from 9am until 1pm The Welsh College of Horticulture is home to the…read moreCelyn Famers Market. The vendors change month by month but the regulars include North Wales Buffalo, Bryncocyn Organic producers of organinc lamb and beef . Also present are Derimon Smoked Products who have the most mouthwatering smoked fish imaginable. In additon there are all the usual suspects which make farmers markets great. Home made jam, bread, cheese, cider, olive oil, locally produced seasonal fruit and vegetables and lots more. Theres always lots on offer to try so go on give your taste buds a treat.

This is my regular greengrocers. It's in a good location opposite the library and although fairly…read moresmall, of offers a good range of produce. They usually have a higher percentage of British produce than Tesco. They are cheaper than the supermarkets for a lot of things although they can't really compete with the large chains for 3 for 2 deals and the like. For some reason their peppers are always more expensive than Tesco and they are of a very poor standard. All of the other fruit and veg is very good though. Another problem is that they don't have paper bags for their mushrooms and you have to use a plastic one which then makes the mushrooms go funny. Sometimes the number of staff is greater than the number of customers which means that you can get served quickly, but peak times such as around lunchtime it can get quite busy.

Supporting local retailers is important and the likes of Chester's Francis Thomas make it so easy…read more The fruit and veg in any of Francis' shops are always in good condition and the price is so much lower than you'll find in your local supermarket. Instead of the plastic, overly perfect fruit and veg you see in your supermarkets the fruit and veg here are natural and as they should be covered in a bit of dirt and different shapes and size. Natural looking fruit and veg at very good prices.

You want local and fresh? You want independent and cheap? You want it delivered to you're home or…read moreoffice? Well by golly, it's a good job Adam's Apple is around. There are crates and crates of every kind of fruit and veg you can think of; the cherries looked particularily yummy today! And they had flat mushrooms on offer so I had to indulge...(mushrooms may be fungus but they taste darn good!) I always feel good about myself when I buy from places like this, it's very friendly and chatty in here, busy when I went in, rustic in character and a damn sight better than the big Tesco up the road!

Adam's Apple is a great local fruit and veg shop. There is nothing that I like better than a shop…read morebrimming full with fresh fruit and veg and english flags flying! Bananas, pineapples, cherries, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, oranges, broad beans, onions, tomatoes, lettuce. I could go on and on. They also have some beautiful plants on sale including pansies. Adam's Apples offer a really good service and if you can't get to the shop because you are too busy or don't live nearby - it's ok! They offer office and home delivery! Cool!