I popped into Lymington yesterday, and dropped by the Greengrocer in Angel Court. Natasha has only had the business since August this year, and has a good range of fruit and veg - all clearly marked where it has been grown.

I spoke to Natasha for a while and she is keen to promote local food:

• She is already stocking locally grown chillies, and Setley Ridge jams and chutneys - ideal christmas gifts!
• She would like to hear from anyone who grows their own food, and…

Dear All members of the New Forest Food Challenge

Love Local – Hampshire,  an eco-community venture              



I have a stall at the Winchester Friday Market and I am looking for local products to sell on behalf of producers/growers. It is experimental and will continue until Christmas to gain experience and learn lessons. This initiative is born out of my experience of engaging the public selling jam for WinACC , and building awareness of WinACC at…

Have you visited Rosie Lea Tea Shop in Brockenhurst this summer? I went once with my children for a cake and hot chocolate, and once with my husband for lunch. Their cakes are absolutely delicious! Difficult to choose just one!

Also, if you have been down to Keyhaven and Milford recently, you may have spotted some black sheep in the fields. Either up Lymore Lane, or down by the 'crabbing bridge.' These are the sheep of Simeon Morgan Farming.

So, what do Rosie Lea Tea Shop and…

Spice n Easy chutneys

Naked Jam

Goodalls Strawberries and

Hill Farm Apple Juice

are all attending the Lymington Spring Fair at Priestlands School on Saturday. Come along and join in the fun... Loads of other local stalls too including recycled jewellery, children's clothing, cosmetics, kids storytelling and face painting.

Also, come and see the famous Priestlands pigs in the beautiful walled garden. Come and meet the bees and chickens too!

There's…

Tatchbury Farm is situated on Tatchbury Lane between Netley Marsh and Winsor, SO40 2HA.

They farm their own pigs, have some geese and hens and Sarah, 'the farmer's wife' makes some of her own marmalades and chutneys too.

They have a weekend farm shop open Saturday 10am - 4pm and Sunday 10am - 1pm where you…

We popped into the Fisherman's last night, after a stroll around the sea wall. It still had a good selection of local food including Jennings (top of the High Street) bread, Loosehanger cheese and Hampshire watercress.

The Fishermans is one of the local Fullers pubs and they all have a selection of local foods. A couple of people I have spoken to, like the Alice Lisle up near Ringwood, but I haven't been there. Have you? Any recommendations?

Sarah

Hordle feeding Hordle -

I have just come back from a quick visit to Hordle Lane Nurseries (Hordle Lane, oppo the church) with a variety of local and british food. Gina and Paul are continuing to grow their own salad leaves, vegetables, eggs and fruit bushes and trees, but have also branched out and have various other food and local items in their shop.

You'll find locally produced jams and chutneys, Hampshire milk, wood items and other local crafts. 

I…

Duncan and I went out, as it was our anniversary, and popped down to the Mayflower in Lymington. I don't recall seeing local food on the menu before, however was pleasantly surprised. There were IOW burgers and sausages on the main menu, and also New Forest Biscotti with the chocolate pot! Biscotti, by their very nature are very hard, and it wouldn't have suited everyone, however, never one to say no to chocolate, and still with my own set of enamels I really enjoyed it. May be a…

The weekly newsletter asked what we are up to...?

Well, in the garden I am on a big slug removal drive! I am also deciding on which seeds to plant this year. I have some raspberries, loganberries and blackcurrants I want to plant out this weekend, and really, looking for some more time to do everything in!

On the local food front, have a nice bottle of NF cider to open later this evening...

What about you?

After finding local produce on the menu of the Fisherman's Rest in Lymington, (a great burger by the way) I have started to add another symbol to the map, to pin point pubs and restaurants that serve New Forest produce - its a knife and fork!

Take a look at the map, and tell us about other pubs, hotels and restaurants that serve luscious local food!…

We are a new Wellness & Beauty Centre and Training Academy located at Silver Street in Hordle/Sway. We provide a complete range of wellness, beauty and holistic therapies from our centre using only natural products produced – where possible – within the New Forest and local area.

In addition to our treatments we retail local arts, crafts and products through our centre and eventually online.

We would…

The County Council now sources a range of meats and apple juice from Hampshire, as well as over 10,000 cabbages and 600,000 free-range eggs annually. School caterers HC3S have increased the value of produce they source locally by around £1million.

The County Council is helping to put more local produce on the public sector plate by encouraging other councils to follow its lead in buying local.…

Have you being trying to buy local food? Reasonably priced and of good quality?

Having problems accessing land to grow your own food?

We are hoping to raise some of the issues of buying and growing local food and also start to find solutions to those issues.

On Thursday 30th September, with the backing of the NPA, District Council and a few other local names,…

Here at Food Challenge HQ we are really interested in hearing from local food producers.

We would love to hear some of the issues that are preventing you from producing/selling more local food to local people?

Do you have problems with land availability? Transportation and delivery of your product? Publicity and Marketing? Supply of products? Local Demand, markets and shops? Regulations and planning?

Please let us know, we want to start to collate…