Whether you’re camping, staying in a B&B or have booked into a five star hotel, you don’t want to miss out on the New Forest farm shops. I live on the edge of the New Forest, and have visited some first class farm shops since moving here over two decades ago.
In fact one New Forest farm shop on this list is so local to me that I can walk to it in under ten minutes. Another that’s only five to ten minutes away by car has become a firm family favourite over the last 20 years, due to the quality of their produce. Particularly their succulent sausages and bangin’ burgers.
This guide lists ten of the top options, so you can find a farm shop in the New Forest near where you’re staying – or have just moved to. So without further ado, these are my most recommended New Forest farm shops. Complete with opening times, addresses and why each is worth a visit. What will you be buying from them?
10 of the best New Forest farm shops
1. Cat and Fiddle farm shop
Best for picking your own
- Where: Lyndhurst Road, Hinton, Christchurch BH23 7DS
- When: May – Daily 10am to 4pm; June to October 9am to 6pm
- Why: Friendly welcome plus farm shop, pick-your-own and cafe all in one place
Dan Tanner’s Cat and Fiddle pick-your-own place is so popular in the summer that the strawberries had sold out when we went. Never mind, we went for raspberries again that day, and returned a few weeks later when we knew the next batch of strawberries would be ready.
Despite how busy it is, Dan finds time to chat to all his customers. During our three visits this year we’ve learned how he gets strawberries to grow outside of their June season, what a loganberry really tastes and looks like and the name of a really unusual-looking pumpkin (a Turk’s Turban).
As the cream we were buying was use by that day, Dan even gave us it for free! What a guy. At his farm you can pick strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, loganberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, runner beans, broad beans, sunflowers and pumpkins. Phew! A
Definitely one to add to your to-do list if you’re visiting Christchurch in summer.
2. Ferndene farm shop
Best for picking up plants
- Where: 2 Bashley Cross Rd, New Milton BH25 5SY
- When: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 10am to 1pm
- Why: Top quality meat, veg and other produce, plus a small garden centre on site
Ferndene Farm Shop near New Milton is out other local go-to. This is where we head when we need to fill the freezer with top-quality sausages, burgers, mince and other meat products. Ferndene also sells fresh free range eggs, and you can see the chickens roaming around when you pull into the car park.
There’s also a mini garden centre here, so you can buy a freshly cut Christmas tree in winter or a new plant for your garden during summer. Both the farm shop and the garden area offer great value for money. The shop also stocks cheese and other dairy products plus bread and other baked goods, so it really is a one-stop-shop.
3. Hockey’s farm shop
Best for meeting farm animals
- Where: South Gorley, Fordingbridge SP6 2PW
- When: Monday to Sunday 9am to 5pm
- Why: Working farm complete with animals, plus a cafe and a top-notch farm shop
If you’ve brought the kids on holiday to the New Forest and you’re in the Fordingbridge area, then you must pay Hockey’s a visit. This one is another working farm, but unlike the Cat and Fiddle it has animals for the children to go gooey over.
You can even pick up alcohol at Hockey’s, and all the meat comes from Hampshire or eastern Dorset. Sausages and burgers are also made right here on site. Don’t forget to call into the cafe during your visit too.
4. Longdown farm shop
Best for a full day out
- Where: Deerleap Lane, Ashurst, SO40 7EH
- When: Monday to Sunday 10am to 4.30pm
- Why: Activity farm with tearoom, animals, soft play, trampolines and farm shop
Why go shopping to a farm shop when you could have a family day out? Longdown near Ashurst has not only the store and a tearoom. Kids can also meet farm animals, enjoy time in the soft play area or tire themselves out on the trampolines.
Many products sold at the shop bear the New Forest Marque, so you know you’re getting the finest local meat, fish, fruit and veg. Sweet treats like New Forest ice cream, homemade cakes and local honey are also available, and you can even order a bespoke hamper at a reasonable price.
5. Tatchbury Manor farm shop
Best for baked goods
- Where: Tatchbury Lane, Winsor, Southampton SO40 2HA
- When: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to midday
- Why: Award-winning pies plus bread and cakes from the wood fired bakery
If you love baked goods, then you’ll adore Tatchbury Manor farm shop. The store has its own wood fired ovens on site for slowly baking incredibly flavoursome cakes and bread. You can also pick up delicious Danish pastries and award-winning pies.
The shop also offers a click and collect service, and is the ideal place to pick up supplies for a barbecue at home or your holiday accommodation.
6. Setley Ridge farm shop
Best for local wines
- Where: Lymington Road, Brockenhurst SO42 7UF
- When: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 10am to 1pm
- Why: Garden centre, farm shop and vineyard selling New Forest wines
Whether you’re stuck for a gift to take home or want to see an English vineyard in action, come to Setley Ridge near Brockenhurst. The garden centre is heaven sent for green-fingered types and has its own nursery, while the farm shop specialises in local produce.
You can book tours and tastings at Setley Ridge vineyard, and who would resist picking up a bottle or two (or twenty) to enjoy during your holiday or at home? Red, rose and white are available and sometimes you can also buy a bottle of English fizz.
7. Sunnyfields farm shop
Best for city slickers
- Where: Jacob’s Gutter Lane, Totton SO40 9FX
- When: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm; Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 10am to 4pm
- Why: A brand-new bakery and over 2,000 local products near central Southampton
If you’re staying or living in or near to Southampton, Sunnyfields is the farm shop for you! Head west from the city and you can’t miss Totton – you’ll see signs just after leaving the city and before entering the New Forest.
Ian and Louise have been running Sunnyfields since 1990, and have now been rejoined by their son. Much of the produce sold here comes from the on-site bakery, kitchen or butchery, and regular events are hosted at the farm too.
8. Acresdown farm shop
Best for farm to fork food
- Where: Minstead, Lyndhurst SO43 7GE
- When: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm
- Why: A farm-to fork ethos, hand reared meat and a handpicked range of local goods
Acresdown farm shop is located on Richard and Wendy’s family farm, and they take great pride in hunting down the finest local produce. As well as supplying much of it themselves, of course. The beef, lamb and pork sold here is hand reared.
This Lyndhurst shop is very neatly laid out, making shopping here a real pleasure. As well as fruit, veg and meat, Acresdown also stocks cheese, preserves, honey, flour, stock, biscuits, cakes and ice cream.
9. Danestream farm shop
Best for homemade pies
- Where: Sway Road, New Milton BH25 5QU
- When: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm; Saturday 8.30am to 4.30pm
- Why: Top quality local meat and a great range of homebaked individual and family pies
Like Ferndene, Danestream is a farm shop I know and trust. It’s located in Sway, a village between New Milton, Brockenhurst and Lymington. It’s run by a Master Butcher, so local meat is a speciality. Danestream also offers a large range of dairy products, and a selection of home made pies including pigeon, game, steak and stilton or lamb and veg.
Danestream also stocks Dorset charcoal (though the New Forest is in Hampshire it’s near the Dorset border), so you can get everything you need for a barbecue in one hit.
10. Crow farm shop
Best for pork pies
- Where: 169 Crow Lane, Ringwood BH24 3EA
- When: Monday to Thursday 9am to 4.30pm; Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm
- Why: Championship level pork pies, local gins and outstanding sausages
Crow farm shop in Ringwood is famous for its pork pies. This is the New Forest pork pie farm shop to visit if you’re a fan, and there’s a cafe here too. It’s family run, and they are three times Great Hampshire Pork Pie Champions.
The sausages sold here are also very highly rated. This farm shop is all about promoting local produce, including the likes of Conker and Mermaid gins for neighbouring Dorset and the Isle of Wight respectively.
Which New Forest farm shops will you visit?
The farm shops of the New Forest offer so much more than just the freshest, most local produce possible. Choose carefully and you could be touring a vineyard, tucking into a game pie, picking your own soft fruit in summer and pumpkins in autumn, visiting the best pork pie farm shop in the New Forest or firing up the barbecue to cook the best bangers and burgers around.
You might also be interested in my guides to shopping in Lymington, finding the best camping bowls and plates, the Monday Minstead auction, the top New Forest garden centres or the best camping tables to dine from.
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