This card is all about fresh air, proper food and seeing where things come from. Lancashire is full of farm shops and food halls, from little sheds at the side of a lane to big destination sites with cafés and butchers. You can make this as simple as picking up a few bits for tea, or turn it into a full day out.
Find a farm shop or country food hall within a comfortable drive and go together. Wander round, read the labels, talk to the staff if you feel like it and choose a few things that have been grown, reared or made locally. You might bring home meat and veg for dinner, a stash of baked treats, or just a couple of special items for a tasting board.
Farm shops in the countryside
If you fancy making a bit of a trip of it, head to one of the larger rural farm shops that act as little food destinations.
On the edge of the Forest of Bowland, Little Town Farm Shop near Longridge is a family-run farm shop and tea room, known for its own Aberdeen Angus beef, pork and Bowland lamb, plus a cosy café for lunch or cake.
In the Ribble Valley, Chipping Farm Shop in the village of Chipping stocks natural foods, homemade cakes and local produce, and is surrounded by lovely countryside for a short walk before or after your visit.
Use these as inspiration and look for something similar in your nearest rural area.
Food halls and garden centre farm shops
Some of the best local produce in Lancashire is tucked inside bigger destinations like garden centres or food halls.
Near Preston, Honeywell’s Farm Shop and Barton Grange Farm Shop are good examples of places that bring together local butchers, cheeses, pies and store-cupboard treats under one roof, often with a café or restaurant on-site.
In Clitheroe, Bowland Food Hall showcases food and drink from across Lancashire in a smart, indoor market-style space – a great option if you want lots of choice and a bit of a treat.
You can treat these like a mini indoor market: take your time, pick up tasters and build a bag of goodies to share later.
Smaller, traditional farm shops
There are also many small, family-run farm shops dotted around villages and on back roads. These can be perfect for a quieter, more “everyday” date.
Around Preston, places like Bell Fold Farm combine fresh eggs, seasonal fruit and veg, and locally produced jams and cheeses, often on farms that have been in the same family for generations.
Across Lancashire you will find similar spots selling their own potatoes, meat, milk or veg, sometimes with an honesty box or a tiny counter rather than a big shop.
For this card you do not need the “biggest” or most famous farm shop – half the fun is finding somewhere small and genuine close to where you live.
This card can work in lots of ways:
A quick trip to pick up sausages, veg and pudding for a simple farm-shop dinner.
A longer drive into the countryside, farm shop visit plus tea and cake in the café, have a walk around the countryside and see, first hand where the produce comes from.
A “local produce challenge” where you only buy things made or grown in Lancashire and turn them into a picnic or grazing board at home.
The aim is to support local producers, try something a bit different from your usual supermarket shop and enjoy choosing it all together.
Lucy loves…
“There is only one recommendation for this that I would encourage people to travel to and that is Taylors Farm Shop, Ormskirk. They have lots of local treats and fresh vegetables and delicious meat.”
From a Lancashire Lass tips: Lucy Baxter is the host of the From a Lancashire Lass podcast that shares stories from Lancashire businesses and inspirational people. The aim of the podcast is to support businesses, whilst supporting Lancashire and celebrating the county’s heritage. Lucy is also a broadcast journalist who works on a range of national and international TV and radio programmes.
