Shopping at farm shops, village stores and local markets for your festive food and gifts helps support High Weald rural businesses and farmers. It's also a great way to discover hand-made artisan products.
If you're after a non-food gift, check out our round up of the High Weald-themed gifts, including a book of guided walks and the eponymous Sussex Trug.
Local producers
There are over 400 local producers in the High Weald. Christmas supplies and delicacies from the region include local cheeses, fresh cream, ice cream, organically-reared meat, beef and lamb, cured and smoked hams, sausages and bacon, prepared game, even free-range turkeys and Christmas trees.
You'll find award-winning fruit juices, ciders, beers and wines from the various fruit growers, breweries and vineyards in the area. Look out too for hand-crafted items made from wood harvested in the High Weald.
See our Local Products and Local Producers sections to get an idea of the local producers in the area. For more up-to-date producer information, try these websites:
- Produced in Kent
- Visit Surrey - local produce
- Real Cider - Directory of UK cider makers
- British Beers - microbreweries and breweries by area
- Wine GB - vineyard search
Websites you can use to search for local food by putting in your postcode, or searching via your region include:
Farmers markets and farm shops
Farmers markets in the High Weald area include: Brede, Cranbrook, Crowborough, Heathfield, Penshurst, Rolvenden, Tenterden (street market), Tunbridge Wells and Wadhurst. Look out for special Christmas farmers markets in November and December.
See the following websites for lists of local farmers markets and farm shops:
The Farm Retail Association
Information Britain