When shopping for fruit and vegetables in supermarkets , always read the label to make sure you are aware of growing origins . If you are carbon footprint and plastic consumption conscious , this is all the more important , as British grown produce uses up so much less . Kent , London and the rest of the country are awash with brilliant farmers ’ markets , farm shops and smaller grocery stores that buy directly from local farmers - they are not only a great place to shop to ensure maximum freshness and British origins , but are also a wonderful retail experience . Macknade Faversham , The Goods Shed Canterbury , Perry Court Farm and Broadditch Farm Shop near Gravesend are just some of insideKENT ’ s favourites . With fresh produce that has travelled fewer miles , flavour , freshness and nutrient levels are also at their optimum . Bristol-based nutritional therapist Eva Kileen explains : “ Ripe fruits and vegetables contain the most nutrients , as the minute they ’ re picked , their plant cells begin to shrink and their nutrients diminish - as does the impact of their flavour .” Buying locally grown food will also benefit you economically too . “ Every time you buy produce from someone other than a local producer your money leaves the local economy ,” says Eva . “ By shopping locally you keep money in your area , which helps to sustain local producers and create local jobs . By supporting your local farmer today , you ’ ll help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow . This is vital for our long-term food security , especially with an uncertain energy future and our current reliance on fossil fuels to produce , package , transport and store food .” ( From www . betterfood . co . uk .)
The majority of Kent ’ s countryside is made up of agricultural land , and it is important to remember that our enchanting orchards , lucious pastures and fields of veggies and cereals would not exist without the farmers that utilise them . Agriculture and horticulture lies at the centre of Kent ’ s heritage , and to make sure our countryside is kept as countryside , it is imperative that we buy British produce . Our growing heritage can be enjoyed today beyond the eating of fruit , from the stunning countryside it has created to the beautiful architecture that has been built across the land . Famous for our oast houses , used for drying hops in the beer brewing process , visitors to Kent can witness these up close while learning about our farming heritage at attractions such as Kent Life ( www . kentlife . org . uk ) near Maidstone and The Hop Farm ( www . thehopfarm . co . uk ) in Paddock Wood . Kent Life is a 28-acre working heritage farm on which to tell the story of everything once Kentish and one of the few remaining places in Britain where hops are grown , harvested , dried and packed in its magnificent Oast house , by hand , using only time-honoured traditional techniques .
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