Travel anywhere in ‘God’s Own Country’ and you’ll find a veritable larder of things to eat and drink, lovingly created by passionate makers and producers and best found in the plethora of farm shops that skirt the countryside.
You can of course sample the best food in the county’s amazing restaurants and pubs, where roast dinners await, but there’s something truly wonderful about cooking together in your holiday cottage, whether that’s in the kitchen or on a barbeque in the garden. Step through the doors of farm shops in Yorkshire and you’ll find rainbow-coloured displays of fresh fruit and vegetables, artisanal baked goods, expertly butchered locally-reared meat and a smorgasbord of cheeses, cured meats, pies and pastries. Around Christmas, you can even pick up a collection of seasonal goodies to turn your holiday into a fabulously foodie affair.
Often picked that morning and carefully crafted in small batches, if you buy local you can be sure oodles of love and care have been poured into what you’re going to eat, and that has to be good for you, the community and the planet.
Here are just a few hand-picked farm shops to explore – beware, reading may result in rumbling tums!
The Courtyard Dairy
Crows Nest Barn, Austwick, Nr Settle LA2 8AS
If you’re passionate about parmesan or barmy over brie, a visit to The Courtyard Dairy near Settle is a must to stock up on all things cheese for your holiday. Whether you’re an expert or a dairy dunce, owners Andy and Kathy will guide you through their huge selection of British and European cheeses, and using their comprehensive knowledge will help you choose the perfect selection for your holiday.
Winning multiple awards and accolades and recommended by The Times and The Telegraph, you’ll also find a good stock of crackers and chutney accompaniments that match perfectly - whether that’s cheese and biscuits at the end of a meal or part of a hearty picnic after a walk around nearby Gordale Scar.
Mainsgill Farm Shop
Mainsgill Farm, Richmond DL11 7PN
Set over 10,000 square feet, Mainsgill Farm Shop in Richmond is a huge space dedicated to all things local. From their award-winning home reared meats, deli and bakery to their fine selection of British cheeses, fresh fruit and veg, and great selection of wines, Champagnes, gins, craft beers and ciders, it’s jam-packed with mouth-watering goodies.
On the first floor, the gift shop, clothing and country wear is worth a look – perfect for presents for loved ones, or even to treat yourself! Children will love the more unusual animals on the farm which are free to visit, including camels, llamas, ostriches, chinchillas and fallow deer, as well as firm favourites donkeys, pigs, and of course the piglets. There’s a tea room on site, but we recommend filling a basket with picnic delights and heading to nearby Easby Abbey for lunch within the picturesque ruins.
Marton Manor Farm Shop & Tea Rooms
Bridlington YO15 1DU
After a morning on the beach and exploring the beautiful Georgian Old Town at Bridlington, head to nearby Marton Manor Farm Shop & Tea Rooms for a bite to eat and to pick up supplies. A lovely one for families, the farm has a fantastic play area for little ones and a pig pen, while grownups will love grabbing a basket and heading to the ‘pick your own’ fields for strawberries and seasonal fruits – paired with thick double cream and crunchy meringue, they make the perfect pudding!
After all that picking, the tea room offers light bites to fill hungry tums including fantastic homemade cakes, while the farm shop supplies all you need from meats to pies and fresh bread to ice cream. With everything sourced locally, you can go home knowing you’re tasting only the best local produce.
Town End Farm Shop
Airton, Skipton BD23 4BE
With TV chef fans such as Tom Kerridge and Nadiya Hussain, a visit to award-winning Town End Farm Shop is a must for any self-confessed foodie. Grab your basket and delve into the shop to discover a cornucopia of delicious, fresh produce to take back to your holiday cottage. With a butchery, cheese counter, charcuterie and homemade pies on offer as well as a deli counter, milk, bread and veggies from nearby farms, you’ll find everything you’ll need to rustle up a delicious supper.
In addition, there’s a gift shop that sells wool fleeces, artisan soaps and the like which make perfect gifts to take home with you. If you fancy something a little more hands on, why not have a go at their Pork Butchery, Sausage Making and Curing course or their Charcuterie, Salumi and Curing course – an amazing skill to take home and brag to your friends about! In addition, there’s a great tea room on site with views of Malhamdale and Malham Cove (one of Yorkshire's famous Harry Potter filming locations), great for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea – all served with cups of steaming Yorkshire tea, of course!
Fodder Farm Shop
Great Yorkshire Showground, Railway Road, Harrogate HG2 8NZ
Whether you’ve been relishing the beautiful botanicals of RHS Harlow Carr or exploring the gorgeous town of Harrogate, make sure to stop off at nearby Fodder Farm Shop – you won’t regret it! Established back in 2001, Fodder Farm supports over 430 Yorkshire farmers and producers by selling locally-sourced food and drink in its shop and café (85% of what they sell comes from Yorkshire).
Amazingly, all the profits made by Fodder are given to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which helps children, teachers and people in the rural community through education, development and support. Selling 100% Yorkshire meat from their butchery, plus super-fresh fruit and vegetables, cakes and bakes and sumptuous dairy produce, you’ll be spoilt for choice, while the café is on hand serving breakfast through to afternoon tea.
Beadlam Grange Farm Shop
Nr Helmsley YO62 7TB
If you know your Fine Fettle from your Yorkshire Blue, Beadlam Grange Farm Shop lies not far from Malton and is a great place to visit for its fantastic range of award-winning cheeses. Surrounded by gorgeous countryside and with easy access, this fantastic shop is passionate about making shopping a truly pleasurable experience, and with their resident butchers, expansive deli and amazing fresh produce, there’s plenty on offer.
If cooking isn’t something you want to be doing on holiday, they also have a great choice of high-quality ready meals to pop in the oven – perfect! Set between the beautiful Howardian Hills and the North Yorkshire Moors, why not stop off on your way home from visiting nearby Castle Howard to pick something up for dinner, or pop in first thing to fill your rucksack with tasty supplies before a hike on the moors.
Cedarbarn Farm Shop
Thornton Road, Pickering YO18 7JX
Situated on the edge of the North York Moors, the pretty town of Pickering has a fantastic farm shop that’s not to be missed: the award-winning Cedarbarn Farm Shop. Selling the highest quality produce including fish fresh from Whitby, their pork pies, Scotch eggs and sausage rolls are particular favourites and are great for picnics.
In addition, the farm has eight acres of land dedicated to soft fruits, which you can either buy from the shop or pick yourself – something kids love to get involved in. The café on site is great if you’re hungry, while there’s a brilliant mini railway called the ‘Flying Yorkshireman’ that takes folks of all ages along the 600-metre train track around the farm fields. To keep the magic flowing, head to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway that’s based in Pickering, where you can catch the real-life Hogwarts Express from the 1930s train station across the wild and windswept moors.
The Whole Hogg
Howe Bridge Farm, Malton YO17 6RQ
Set on a busy working farm, The Whole Hogg just outside Malton (Yorkshire's heavenly food capital) is a family-run affair which specialises in seasonal fruit and veg, and if you happen to be around in autumn you can go pumpkin picking – growing over 10 varieties, the farm is one of the biggest producers of pumpkins in Yorkshire!
With a well-stocked shop selling everything you could possibly need, including a fantastic butchery department, you can also get a bite to eat in their café for lunch or afternoon tea. Little ones will love the fact that they can visit the animals kept on the farm such as Betsy the Clydesdale horse, six Shetland ponies, goats and even reindeers called Jingle, Jangle, Holly and Ivy. Head to nearby Woldie’s, a lavender and nature farm, for more animal fun plus nature trails, gardens and play areas to keep the whole family entertained.
Is your appetite well and truly whetted? Start planning your own farm shop feasts at one of our wonderful self-catering cottages in Yorkshire.
