Useful local information

Local produce

We buy locally all the time, partly because of the convenience but mainly because it is so good.

In the village the Cross Stores is open daily 7.30am – 7.30pm, Saturday 8am – 6pm and Sunday 8.30am – 4pm. You can buy almost everything you need. It houses the village post office, and sells a full range of fresh goods, groceries and household necessities. We could not live without it.

The wonderful Gold Hill Organic Farm Shop is open Thursday, Friday - 10am to 5pm and Saturday - 10am to 4pm. Over 80 different varieties of fruit and vegetable are grown at the farm, and supplemented with carefully chosen products - meat, cheese, milk, bread, cereals and much more. The quality is fantastic. There is lots going on at the Farm with amongst others - the Art Stable Gallery and Gold Hill Farm Kitchen.

Blandford, Shaftesbury and Gillingham have all the big supermarkets, but look out for the many farm shops and milk stations as you drive around. Good things abound.

In Sturminster Newton marketplace you will find Holebrooks, a top-class butcher with local meat from named farmers, plus great cheeses. Also, Oxfords Bakery, a good old-fashioned bakery and Root and Vine, a fruit and veg shop.

If you are a real foody then Compton McRae near Semley has fantastic cheeses and charcuterie and plenty else besides.

On Thursdays there is a good market in Shaftesbury, and on the same day a wonderful fish stall at Blackmore Vale Services garage on the A30, about 9 miles from here, just west of Shaftesbury. They sell crab, lobster, scallops and other fish. If you are interested ask me for details.