Christmas Farmers Market

This is the third year the indoor Christmas Farmers Market has taken place at Rheged on the last Sunday before Christmas, once more providing a great opportunity, with just a few shopping days left, to shop for an extensive range of good local food and crafts from award-winning producers and local crafts people.

The Christmas Farmers Market at Rheged is on Sunday 20th December. Entry is free and there is ample free parking. Starting at 10am the market will close at 4pm but try and come early for a good selection of fresh produce. You can find directions to Rheged on their website.

The stall-holders are all involved in producing what they sell so expect them to be passionate, proud and knowledgeable about their unique range of goods. They are all based within 15 miles of Rheged. Each small business providing employment and an income for from one to up to a handful of local people, each having developed over the last few years, sometimes as a farm diversification, sometimes as a second (or third) career, and in some cases when hobbies outgrew their friends and family market. Many of the faces will be familiar from local markets and shows. Whether your at the market to collect an order, looking for staples or simply browsing for something a little bit different we feel sure you won't be disappointed.

The market will be taking place in one of the two upstairs exhibition halls at Rheged, the Lakes Artist's Exhibition being in the adjacent hall. Together with Rheged's range of interesting of food, craft and outdoor shops, restaurants, exhibitions and festive activities, definitely a day out for all the family and friends.

Other Christmas markets are listed below

Producers who will be at the market, together with their contact details for orders and enquiries, include:

THE BAKERY

Cakes, puddings, bread & desserts from:

Country Fare – produce a range of quality hand-made tray-bakes, puddings and cakes, including a range of plain and decorated Christmas Cakes using only the best local ingredients. The purpose-built bakery is on the family farm at Kirkby Stephen.

tel: 017683 71173

More Pud? – Bringing high-end restaurant quality desserts to the home alongside artisan breads and cakes. Made by one of the regions top chefs based in Kendal, only the finest ingredients are used, local when possible.

tel: 01539 735557

The Pie Mill - offering a range of sweet & savoury pies and pate, all hand-made using local produce whenever practical at Blencathra near Keswick. tel: 017687 79994

Watermill Café – producing a range of preserves and chutneys alongside their cakes and tray-bakes from the finest ingredients, local whenever possible, in the Watermill Café kitchen at Caldbeck.

tel: 016974 78267

THE BUTCHERS COUNTER

meat, poultry and eggs from:

Deer ‘n Dexter – Dexter beef and venison from organically reared Red deer and extensively farmed Dexter cattle, prepared in on-farm facilities at Penruddock, Penrith. tel: 01768 480069

THE CHEESE BOARD

cheese & butter from:

Birdoswald Organic Farmhouse Cheese is made using the original Ayrshire sweet-milk cheese recipe. Milk straight from the Slack house herd of organic Ayrshire cows is hand worked to produce 20lb cloth bound mould ripened cheese and matured for 6 months.

tel: 016977 47351

Wardhall Dairy – a new venture in 2007 producing a range of goats cheese, cultured cows butter and goats butter as well as the old fashioned alternative to yoghurt – goats milk curds & whey.

tel: 016973 21917

THE FISHMONGERS

Fish and smoked foods from:

Bessy Beck Trout –produce in the fish kitchen fresh & smoked trout, smoked trout pate, fish cakes and fish pie from Rainbow Trout reared on the farm at Newbiggin-on-Lune, Kirkby Stephen, also smoked chicken.

tel: 015396 23303

THE GROCERS CUPBOARDS

jams, chutneys, relishes, spices & cereals from:

tel: 016974 78267

Mr Vikki's – handmade ethnic condiments, chutneys and traditional British relishes, made by award winning chef Adam Marks in a specially built kitchen at his home at Eamont Bridge using the principles of old fashioned healthy preserving, no maize, gums or artificial preservatives.

tel: 01768 899023

THE SWEET SHOP

confectionary from:

Annette's Lakeland Kitchen - chocolates, sugared almonds and marzipan sweets, all hand-made using high quality ingredients and traditional skills in Shap. tel. 07805 207303