RESTAURANTS

THE COMPANY SHED
West Mersea, Essex (01206 382700; www.richardhawardsoysters.co.uk)

Cap'n Bridseye lookalike Richard Haward serves up oysters in a weather-beaten shack right next to the stretch of water where his family has farmed shellfish for 200 years. Other dishes chalked up on the daily specials board include cooked lobster, dressed crab and a cold seafood platter. Oh, and BYO booze.

MEAT

ASH FARM ORGANICS
Dereham, Norfolk (01362 683 228; www.ashfarmorganics.co.uk)

Coen and Wilhelmina van Beuningen rear organic beef, pork, chicken and lamb on home-grown feed. They offer guided tours of the farm to show people where their meat comes from and sell the produce in their farm shop. They also display produce at the Aylsham and Dereham farmers’ markets.

BAYLAM HOUSE RARE BREEDS FARM
Baylham, Suffolk (01473 830264; www.baylham-house-farm.co.uk)

Dick and Ann Storer raise rare-breed animals with names most people have never heard of, such as White Park and Old Gloucester cattle, Castlemilk Moorit and Balwen sheep and Kune Kune Maori pigs from New Zealand. They are raised mainly for breeding stock, but there is lamb for sale from some of the breeds, including Llanwenog and Norfolk Horn. You can buy at the farm or it can be delivered locally.

BOTANY FARM
Saxmundham, Suffolk (01728 688166)

Eric Moss farms a herd of indigenous Suffolk Red Poll cattle, whose meat is hung for a minimum three weeks, and sold at local farmers’ markets. He is building a butchery and aims to be selling boxed meat by the end of the year. In the meantime you can call the farm to place an order.

THE ESSEX PIG COMPANY
Wherstead, Suffolk (0870 9500210; www.essexpigcompany.com)

Viewers of TV’s Jimmy’s Farm will have watched the battle to revive the fortunes of the rare-breed Essex Pig, which was at one point facing extinction. Jimmy Doherty, Jamie Oliver’s mate since childhood, also produces pork, bacon and sausages from other rare breeds such as Saddlebacks, Gloucester Old Spot, and Tamworth. They also supply their own lamb, supplemented by saltmarsh lamb, plus rare-breed beef from local farms, and chicken from nearby organic farmers Sutton Hoo.

FISH

THE COLCHESTER OYSTER FISHERY
Essex (01206 384141; www.colchesteroysterfishery.com)

The rights for the fishery, which takes in Pyefleet Creek and Colne Estuary, date back to 1189, but oysters have been harvested here since Roman times. You can also order Pyefleet rock oysters and dressed Scottish and Canadian lobsters and crabs.


FRUIT & VEG

CRAPES FRUIT FARM
Aldham, nr Colchester, Essex (01206 212375)

Andrew Tann is renowned for his apples. He grows 150 varieties at his 15-acre orchard and they are sent out to mail-order customers in mixed boxes, which vary as the season progresses. He also sells cherries, plums, quinces and medlars.

PARK FRUIT FARM
Great Holland, nr Frinton-on-Sea, Essex (01255 674621; www.parkfruitfarm.co.uk)

The Elsworth family grows 55 varieties of fruit, including 40 types of apple. Plums, damsons and pears can all be bought by mail order. Raspberries and blackberries are available from the farm shop, as is the farm-pressed apple juice and locally grown vegetables. Visitors can also pick their own fruit.


FARMERS’ MARKETS

BARSHAM FARMERS’ MARKET
Brick Kiln Farm, Halesworth, Suffolk
Last Sat of the month, 9am-1pm. (01502 575218; www.dmfs.co.uk)

One of the few farmers’ markets held on a working farm. A core of regular producers offer sea fish caught from a longshore boat off Lowestoft (hope for plaice, Dover sole, wild sea bass, if they haven’t got away), dressed crabs and shrimps, lobster, beef, lamb, award-winning ice-cream, yoghurts, chilli chutney, fruit and veg. “Nearly every month there is something different” hints at hit and miss, but a worthy endeavour.

NORWICH FARMERS’ MARKET
Norfolk Showground
Second Sat of the month, 9am-1pm; The Forum, city centre, first and third Sun 10am-3pm.
(01953 681715; www.norwichfarmersmarket.co.uk )

Mighty meaty products — fresh sausages, game, black pudding, cured pork fillets, salami, haslet, lard and Longhorn beef, rare-breed pork, stews and pies, alongside ice-cream, honey and bottle-conditioned beers, plums, beans, potatoes, asparagus in season, potted shrimps, dressed crab, cockles, mussels, whelks, bunched herbs, unpasteurised goats’ milk, yoghurt, cheese, fresh mushrooms and mushroom products and hand-made chocolates.

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