At Craigies Farm, we grow a variety of seasonal produce, like broccoli, rhubarb, cauliflower, courgettes, leeks and carrots, not to mention an array of soft fruits which we are well-known for!  

Craigies customers love the quality that only seasonal Scottish produce can provide. Here are just some of the many reasons why shopping seasonal is best value…

The cream of the crop  

By shopping seasonal, you are ensuring that you are getting nature’s best quality fruit and veg throughout the year. It is fresher, tastier and more vibrant than non-seasonal produce and often it’s BIGGER too! Plus, homegrown fruit and veg are more nutritious as they are grown on the farm before being picked only when at their ripest, which reduces the time between farm and fork.  

Better for the environment 

Purchasing seasonal produce means you are easing the demand for out of season foods imported from other countries. You are also supporting local farmers (like us!) growing food in natural conditions as well as reducing food miles. Other countries also don’t have the same stringent rules on things like the use of pesticides and soil quality, so it can be harder to tell the quality you are getting! 

Value for money  

Foods bought out of season are often more expensive due to the transportation and storage costs. If there is a large crop of locally grown in-season produce, this means the price of this produce can go down, making it more affordable and so much fresher than the big stores. You’ll also find that food from the local farm shop lasts that bit longer than supermarkets. 

Supporting your local community 

When you buy seasonal produce, your money goes directly to the local farmers who grow it. Compare this to out of season produce, whose cost is divided up between grower, transportation and storage, all of which are unlikely to be in your area. By buying seasonal, local produce, you’ll be investing back into your community year-round. 

While there is now much more appetite for local and home-grown and organic produce, there is still a lot of work to do in ensuring that more people know what’s in season on their doorsteps. What’s available in the supermarket isn’t always an accurate picture of what’s in season! 

To help keep you right when it comes to seasonal produce in Scotland, see our seasonal produce calendar below.

Spring – Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Rhubarb, Radish, Sprouting Broccoli, Swedes 

Summer – Beetroot, Broccoli, Blackcurrant, Blackberries, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cherries, Courgette, French Beans, Gooseberries, Herbs, Lettuce, Pea Pots, Rhubarb, Radish, Strawberries, Spinach & Chard, Swedes, Raspberries, Tayberries 

Autumn – Apples, Beetroot, Broccoli, Blackberries, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Courgette, French Beans, Herbs, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Pea Pots, Parsnips, Pumpkin, Rhubarb, Spinach & Chard, Swedes, Strawberries, Raspberries, Tayberries 

Winter – Apples, Beetroot, Broccoli, Sprouting Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Courgette, Kale, Leeks, Parsnips, Swedes, Sweetcorn 

You can shop our farm-fresh seasonal produce in store or online as well as Pick Your Own –find our online farm shop here and book in for Pick Your Own here.