The Forty Farms Christmas Fair will return to Rheged later this month.
On Saturday November 18, between 10am and 3pm, farmers, producers, fellow foodies and artisan crafters will come together to showcase their wares at the free event.
There is also a chance to win a special hamper, with the proceeds from the raffle going to Growing Well, which enables mental health and wellbeing through growing organic fruit and vegetables.
Visitors can spend time browsing over 35 stands selling food, drink and handmade gifts and crafts, as well as meeting some of the Cumbrian Farmers and local producers who have created them.
Producers include Ginger Bakers, Heartwood Poultry, Torpenhow Cheese Co, Home Grown Here, Lovingly Artisan, Pennington’s Spirits, Eden Yard, the Legendary Sauce Co, Oubas Knitwear, Dodgson Wood and Laura’s Loom.
In Rheged’s lecture theatre a free programme of talks throughout the day includes Michelin starred chef Ryan Blackburn, Tebay’s Great British Bake Off star Abbi Lawson, award-winning cheese producer Torpenhow Dairy and founder of Ginger Bakers, Lisa Smith.
There will also be a chance to hear Helen Rebanks talk about her new book The Farmer’s Wife – a memoir with recipes. Tickets are £5 per person.
Visitors also have the opportunity to visit Rheged’s latest exhibition in the Community Gallery Our Common Heritage. The exhibition curated by The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme runs until Christmas. It charts the history of the Westmorland Commons and how their role has changed in recent times, incorporating first hand interviews with commoners and farming representatives.
Visitors have a last chance to visit A Life Full of Colour before it closes on November 26. This retrospective exhibition celebrates the life and work of the enormously talented and much-loved Lake District artist, Libby Edmondson, who was renowned for interpreting traditional Lakeland landscape with a contemporary twist through her use of vibrant colours.
There are free talks throughout the day in the lecture theatre
- 11am: Surviving adversity. Join cake maker extraordinaire Lisa Smith owner and founder of Ginger Bakers as she shares her personal journey of turning an idea into a business.
- Noon: Hedgerow baking with Abbi Lawson. Abbi, of Tebay, will talk about her baking experience, her favourite foraged and locally grown ingredients and share some of her favourite moments from appearing on Great British Bake Off.
- 1pm: Cheese, gelato and weddings – Making a Family Dairy Farm Sustainable. Jen Lee shares her 10-year journey including creating Cumbria’s first organic and 100 per cent pasture fed dairy herd to producing Torpenhow Cheese and Three Hills Gelato.
- 2pm: In Conversation with Michelin starred chef Ryan Blackburn. Ryan takes a look at some of the ingredients available in Cumbria, the people who produce them, and how to use them in your home kitchen – with hints and tips to help you make the most of what’s available from the county’s larder.
- 3pm: Helen Rebanks – The Farmer’s Wife, a memoir with recipes. Join Helen who will share stories from her new book The Farmer’s Wife from motherhood, food and love to finding her place in our modern world. £5 per ticket.
- 4pm: Book signing of The Farmer’s Wife with Helen Rebanks in Outdoors (just next to the foyer)
Claire Logan-Stephens, head of programming at Rheged, said: “We are thrilled that we’ve teamed up with Kendal Farmers Market once again to bring the Forty Farms Fair back to Rheged, in time for a little festive shopping.
“The event goes from strength to strength, and we are delighted to have so many top-quality producers, a number of which are first time exhibitors. We are also delighted to have such a strong panel of speakers who each either innovate in their use of local produce or in farm diversification.”
