Shopping local is a great way to support our vibrant food and drink scene, with a wide range of unique and sustainable products and produce to choose from across Forth Valley.
Here’s how to add a dash of community support and a generous helping of local pride to your gifting and feasting this year:
Fodder + Farm ushers in the festive season this Saturday, 25 November, with their first ever festive market 10am-6pm.
They’ll be joined by some of their favourite makers and the barn will be full of Christmas fun (and food).
They’ll also be launching their all-new Fodder + Farm Larder where you’ll be able to shop their range of preserves, pickles, dry goods and more.
The event offers the chance to savour their selection of festive food and drink and enjoy an up-close encounter with the farm animals.
Looking for unique gifting ideas? From wild pizza nights to craft workshops, the farm offers a diverse array of experiences.
Free entry, but please book parking in advance.
What we love: Their long table feasts are an experience not to be missed!
This weekend’s Christmas Market at The But & Ben (25-26 November) presents an array of exhibitors such as Shandon Farm Orchard.
Visitors can enjoy warming mince pies, mulled wine and a toasty winter BBQ offering burgers and bratwursts, while browsing the stalls.
The event is the perfect opportunity to discover tasty treasures from Forth Valley Food and Drink members, including Duncan Family Farms and Craigievern, and share in the holiday spirit.
What we love: We’re looking forward to our first mulled wine and mince pie of the season!
Weigh Ahead champions zero-waste shopping all year round, boasting a comprehensive selection of over 200 refillable food and household products.
Established in 2019 in Dunblane, this social enterprise also promotes environmental awareness, operates a gallery space to showcase local artists and offers an array of local employment opportunities.
Their community garden project further highlights their commitment to sustainability.
In previous years Weigh Ahead have collected hundreds of sweetie and cracker tubs to be sent off to recycled after Christmas, so keep an eye on their social channels for more details.
What we love: Their Wild Hearth almond croissants are the perfect festive breakfast treat.
Upper Ballaird sells wholesome veg direct from field to fork, with all of their produce being grown at their farm in Balfron.
Their seasonal weekly and bi-weekly veg boxes offer a diverse assortment of locally cultivated produce.
Each box reflects the changing seasons, providing a unique and fresh experience for customers seeking high-quality, seasonal vegetables. Perfect for adding a bit of colour to this year’s festive feast!
What we love: The anticipation of discovering the unique contents of each veg box based on the season.
More than just an amazing café, the Woodhouse boasts a farm shop bursting with ingredients and products from local suppliers as well as deli with a wide range of cheese and meats – perfect for creating your own festive grazing board.
From Betty’s free-range eggs to Skinner of Kippen’s sausages, their commitment to supporting local producers shines through. You’ll also find a fine selection of Scottish gins on offer.
What we love: We can’t visit without taking away one of Chris’s rich, aromatic lattes; in our reusable cup of course!
Foragers, a family-run farm in Stirlingshire, helmed by Gary & Jo McAlpine, is dedicated to boosting biodiversity.
Their traditional cultivation methods yield an array of flavourful chillies, harvested from July to November and sold locally.
These chillies star in their handcrafted products: from jams and chutneys to relishes and pickles.
New for 2023 is the farm’s small-batch craft cider, Old Meadow Cider.
What we love: Their oak-smoked chillies add depth and character to every culinary creation.
Hub G63 champions food sovereignty by supporting local agriculture through the NeighbourFood online market, with weekly pick-up points in Killearn, Aberfoyle, Balfron and Drymen.
The platform offers an extensive range of fresh produce and groceries from local farms and producers, from vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs and dairy products to recipe kits.
It’s the perfect way to reduce your food miles this festive season and support local all year round.
What we love: The fresh ciabatta baguettes from Doyles Café are the perfect accompaniment for some warming winter veg soup.
Step into the Christmas spirit with Duncan Family Farms and treat your guests to a sustainable, homegrown and grass-fed lamb roast – a delicious centrepiece direct from their farm to your table.
The family prides itself on offering fully traceable, Quality Meat Scotland assured meats with a low carbon footprint; from animals reared to the highest welfare standards.
What we love: Their great value lamb boxes will see you through the festive season and beyond.
Dollar’s Deli proudly showcases a diverse array of food from across Scotland, including some particularly delicious local fudge and chilli products!
Their impressive cheese counter hosts a selection of both Scottish and international cheeses, complemented by an assortment of antipasti from olives to cured meats.
To complement these gastronomic treasures, the deli stocks an exceptional variety of wines and spirits suitable for all tastes and budgets.
They offer bespoke hampers all year round, making it a go-to destination for unique local food and thoughtful presents.
What we love: Trodden Black’s Dead Hot sauce, produced just down the road, elevates dishes with its fiery taste.
Founded in 1996 by Douglas Ross, Allanwater Brewhouse is a testament to his lifelong passion for brewing and dedication to craft beer excellence.
With a lineup ranging from traditional brews to innovative creations such as Choc Pot and Porridge Oat Stout, the brewery captures the hearts of ale aficionados and newcomers alike.
Douglas and his team continuously experiment with recipes while upholding the brewery’s commitment to using solely natural and ethical ingredients and processes.
Gift packs featuring the brewery’s latest creations make for ideal presents!
What we love: Their honey beer offers a delightful blend of sweetness and craftsmanship.
Make it a green Christmas by shopping at Bridge of Allan’s zero waste store, The Good Choice.
Offering locals a wide range of organic, vegan and plastic-free groceries on their doorstep.
Their aim is to be a one-stop shop for customers, offering a range of certified organic, vegan, fair-trade and local products. You’ll find all your cupboard staples in store, from grains, cereals and nuts to snacks, toiletries and cleaning products. You can even pre-order organic veggie boxes!
The Good Choice also stocks produce from several Stirling based businesses such as Monument Apiaries and Grace Chocolates. Perfect little stocking fillers!
What we love: Being able to buy the exact amount of baking ingredients we need, so there is no waste!
Old Leckie Farm are proud to care sustainably for their animals and the environment, and offer the very best in fresh, local produce: from award winning eggs, salad leaves and potatoes to outdoor reared pork, Highland and Limousin beef and lamb.
They sell their farm products directly to hundreds of homes across Forth Valley, as well as through a network of local shops: BlairDrummond Smiddy, The Woodhouse, Hewitt and Aker (Killearn), Buchlyvie Stores, Doune Spar, Maggie’s (Aberfoyle), Trossachs Petrol Station (Aberfoyle), Gargunnock Village Store and Falleninch Farm Butchery.
Have your Old Leckie produce delivered direct to your door – you can place an order each week; or why not make life easy and escape the Christmas hustle and bustle by subscribing to a weekly order with add-ons as required.
What we love: Their outdoor reared pork chipolatas are ideal for making your own pigs in blankets!
Discover the perfect gift for G&T lovers with family run distillery, Collymoon Craft Gin of Port of Menteith.
This small batch distillery, established in 2022, produces gin inspired by the Scottish Landscape; expertly made with vibrant botanicals from Hawthorn berries and Honeysuckle flowers to Juniper and Angelica root.
Each bottle is a labour of love for owner Nicky, who uses traditional handmade copper stills.
Cheers to giving the gift of exceptional craftsmanship this Christmas!
This blog is part of our Scotland Loves Local Funded ‘Like a Local’ campaign; did you know we’ve been shortlisted for Digital Community at this year’s awards for this initiative? Read more: https://lovelocal.scot/scotland-loves-local-awards-shortlist-revealed/
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