We are blessed with having fabulous soil and high light levels in Sussex – which means that our locally grown and produced foods, products and goods are of very high quality.
What can be better than buying yours locally too? Saves on food miles, pollution and keeps it ultra-fresh.
Good for you – Good for Sussex.
Close to Chichester Self Catering we have three excellent farm shops, and travel a little farther and there are more!
Runcton Farm Shop, near Chichester is just to the North
Runcton Farm Shop offers a year-round selection of home-grown fruit and vegetables from asparagus to purple sprouting broccoli. But Becky Kendall, who has run the shop with husband Simon since 1998, says they have everything for a weekly shop – including fresh meat, ready meals and a delicatessen. “We have about 70 local suppliers,” she says. “All the fruit and vegetables are as fresh as they can be.” Open Mon to Sat 8.30am to 6pm, Sun 10am to 4pm.
Compton Farm Shop (PO20 9DZ), on the road to Selsey (nearest to Chi S/C) is to the South.
A delightful small shop with a butchers (- they make the most divine pies!!) but also purveyors of superb meat, esp for the BBQ in the Summer. Fresh fruit and veg, often locally sourced. Stocks “Cook” frozen meals and Caroline’s Organic icecream from the dairy up the road in Sidlesham. Plus there is now an oak furniture store in one area. Also everyday groceries and bread.
Adsdean Farm Shop, Funtington
Adsdean Farm has been selling its own beef and pork direct to its customers since Dennis Hoare opened the shop in 1970 at the height of the freezer boom. Now Dennis is 92 his son Tim has taken over. The shop has three butchers: Paul Leaming and Trevor Jones, who share a 40 year history with the shop, with newcomer Rob Hyde. As well as lamb from a neighbouring farm the shop sells its own cooked ham, pastrami, salt beef and ox tongue, and offers unusual cuts. Home-made sausages, bacon and gammon are popular, with cheese, ice cream, and Springs’ Smoked Salmon also available. Open 9am to 5pm Wed to Fri, 9am to 4pm Sat.
01243 575212; www.adsdeanfarm.co.uk
Crossbush Farm Shop, near Arundel
This well-stocked farm shop also has a lovely café attached where you can catch up with friends and family. They stock organic fruit and veg from Wayside Organics in Oving, beef from Crossbush Farm and Knepp Castle and milk from Goodwood Estate. Wines, beers and liqueurs are from Sussex too. The cakes and pastries served in the café are from Loaf and Leaf in Bognor Regis. Children will love the rescued animals on the mini farm – they can feed them too with special feed bought in the shop.
01903 883991; crossbushfarm.co.uk
Goodwood Organic Farm Shop, Goodwood
Set at the heart of the 12,000 acre estate, Goodwood Home Farm is the largest lowland organic farm in the UK. It achieved full organic status in 2004 and boasts the first dairy herd to be totally organically fed in this country.
The farm shop’s door is open to customers who are after the dairy, ales and meat products that are produced by the team at Goodwood. However, due to growing demand for their goods to be delivered elsewhere or collected in larger quantities, they are now only available for you to buy when pre-ordered. So check out their extensive range on the website, and then drop in to collect your spoils.
01243 755153; www.goodwood.com/goodwood-home-farm
Garlic Wood Farm Butchery, Steyning
Wherever possible their produce is sourced from carefully selected partner producers farming slow maturing native and rare-breed livestock. Whether it’s free-roaming grass-fed Longhorn beef from the Knepp Castle estate, lamb from the flower-rich meadows of the Sussex Weald or local rare-breed free-range pork.
Having sourced the finest meat from the best producers, their team of butchers age and prepare everything on site – from traditional roasting joints right through to the curing of their own bacon, gammons and salt-beef. You can buy online too, and even have a go at butchery yourself on one of their courses.
01903 812685; www.garlicwoodfarm.co.uk
West Dean Stores
Sally and Brodie Pearmaine sell high quality local produce and offer a lifeline to many local people. The shop also has a tearoom that sells reputedly delicious cakes. Local resident Marcella Craven says: “Sally and Brodie are so welcoming and friendly. They have created an amazing atmosphere and sense of community. It is a joy to be able to visit them and buy their produce.”
01243 811233; www.westdeanstores.co.uk
Grange Farm, Funtington
They sell their own fruit and vegetables, straight from their gardens, fields and orchards, as well as a wide variety of produce from other Sussex growers. You can pick your own fruit through the summer too. To their credit, The Timesvoted Grange Farm one of the top 30 farm shops in Britain – quite the accolade, which we feel is well deserved.
01243 575372; www.grangefarmshop.com
Lastly, don’t forget to visit the Highleigh Old Gardens – for your local eggs! The Old Gardens at Highleigh
Now if that isn’t enough choice!! Don’t forget that on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month there is also a Farmer’s Market on North and East Street of the City – for extra farmers and artisan delicacies!
© Chichester Self Catering, Gayle Palmer. All Rights Reserved. 2016
