Farmer’s Markets in the Lake District

What is a farmer’s market?

Where you can directly purchase the goods, often from the producers themselves, which have been planted and grown in the local area by the producers. A farmer’s market aims to promote buying of local goods, therefore reducing the food miles that are often very high when buying from a supermarket and supporting local farmers in the agricultural industry.

What can you buy from a farmer’s market?

Locally sourced and produced fruit and vegetables, cheeses, breads, eggs, cakes, and puddings. Locally brewed beers, spirits, ales and fruit juices.

What is a supermarket?

A cooperate widespread store which stocks a variety of household and perishable goods from wholesalers to customers. Produce is bought in vast quantities and sold cheaply to make a significant profit for the business. The increasing number of supermarkets and retail parks being built is contributing to the rising pollution through transportation of goods and floor space that a supermarket takes up.

Why is buying from a farmer’s market different to buying from a supermarket?

• Food is both grown and sold locally in a farmer’s markets, therefore we’re reducing the distance food has to be travelled before it is bought and preventing the production of pollution of lorry’s and vans have on the environment
• At a farmer’s market you will often be buying from the producer themselves who have nurtured their crop and are able to inform you about where food has come from, how it has been grown and educate on their lifestyle
• Through the communication between the buyer and seller your increasing social interaction between members of the community
• By buying from local farmers and agricultural sellers you are helping them to remain self-reliant and maintain their agricultural lifestyle which is often threatened by the increasing number of widespread supermarkets which draw people away from buying locally because of convenience and accessibility

Where are the farmer’s markets in the Lake District taking place in 2023?

Not able to get to a farmer’s market? What local produce can you purchase at Park Cliffe?

If you have had breakfast in our restaurant you’ve already indirectly supported local farmers. Our fresh meat is purchased locally from McClures in Windemere and you can buy the sausages and bacon to cook yourselves from our shop. The eggs we sell in our shop are also local and free range.

Penningtons from Kendal produce our tea, coffee and hot chocolate for us and if you’re enjoying a barista coffee in our bar you might like a yummy cake locally made in Keswick from Cakes from the Lakes to accompany it.

To go with your tea or coffee , we sell local Romneys biscuits in our shop which are a favourite to dunk in your tea and we also stock a variety of their traditional sweets. Romneys, are also based in the local town of Kendal and produce the famous Kendal mint cake which is very popular amongst both walkers, and non-walkers alike! The mint cake is available in our shop and is even made now with option of being covered in chocolate – yum!

In warmer months you might fancy an ice cold beer and we’re pleased to tell you that you can buy delicious Bowness Brewing Company beer lager and beer on park.  It’s available in bottle from our shop and on cask in the bar.  Our luxury Lakes ice creams and sorbets will also cool you down in hot weather, we stock their individual tubs and 1 litre family tubs in a variety of flavours to suit all ice cream lovers!  Pure indulgence!

Breakfast is sorted with our range of local jams from Keswick’s Wild and Fruitful and if you’re planning a BBQ you can buy a range of Hawkshead relish all from our on convenient on park shop.