One of the positive things to have come out of this past year during the pandemic and its various lockdowns has been the growth of some great local initiatives and businesses. Like many, we’ve been trying to keep our footprints small and have been very happy to shop and support local. We wanted to share some of our finds with you and hope you may explore them too!
Gardd Sadwrn source and sell organic fruit, veg and fungi, alongside their own homegrowns from their smallholding just around the corner in the village. Their small & passionate business have teamed up with some wonderful local suppliers to offer a wide selection of all things delicious, including Caws Cenarth Cheese, Teifi halloumi, Welsh Farmhouse apple juices, Coed Talylan fungi, patisseries from Cegin Yves/ Yve’s Kitchen and a range of fairtrade foods from Gardd y Ddraig/ the Dragon’s Garden. Treat yourselves to a One-off-box for your holiday!
Head to Cothi Valley pop-up in Talley on a sunday morning for a range of breads, pies, pasties, pastries, doughnuts and brownies. They truly are delicious, or in Welsh, blasus iawn! Check on their facebook page for timings and ask us where to find their stall. You’ll have to be quick though, as they’re known to sell out fast.
We’ve been loving buying thick & creamy full milk straight from the dairy. It makes the best coffee and is perfect on your morning cereals. Towy Valley Milk have two purpose built milk shelters, open 24 hours a day. Borrow a branded one litre reusable bottle from us and pop over to the milk machine to buy fresh, delicious milk. The vending machines are located at popular local cafes The Hangout Llandeilo, and Wrights Food Emporium Llanarthne and were set up by Penybac Uchaf family Dairy in the village of Llanarthney. Farmer Aled says ‘We wanted to give local people and our community the opportunity to buy our fresh milk produced only hours before from our cows grazing on their doorstep!’
Talley wood fired pizza co / Out of the Box serve fresh barista style coffee and hand stretched pizzas, cooked in a wood fired oven from a converted horse box. They’re currently offering a click and collect service from Llangadog on thursday evenings. We haven’t yet had a chance to sample their pizzas, but if people’s feedback is anything to go by, they sound great! Do check their facebook page for timings & location of their pop-up and be sure to book in advance.
If you’ve stayed at Under Starry Skies in the past and have explored Llandeilo, you may well have come across the little gem that is Gardd y Ddraig / The Dragon’s Garden This wonderful little shop has now moved into Llansadwrn village, a few minutes drive from here. Book your visit online to enjoy an hour’s browsing through an interesting and thoughtful selection of books, carefully chosen Fairtrade clothing, gifts and treasures, giftcards, gardening seeds and homegrown veg/ produce. Gardd y Ddraig is now homed in a beautiful barn on a charming smallholding – it’s well worth a visit.
Many of our guests look forward to exploring the nearby lanes by foot for a gentle walk or perhaps a run. We love suggesting routes which you can start from the farm. During the lockdowns this year, a local friend has been enjoying exploring new routes and has been kind enough to share her finds on facebook. Quiet Walks records her walks, usually accompanied by a map. Please remember that where these walks take you through footpaths, you’ll be crossing private land, sometimes grazed by livestock. Please close all gates, be respectful and leave things as you find them.
That’s all from us at the moment, we’re so looking forward to opening up again and being able to welcome you back. Until then, stay safe & take care!