When we go to a supermarket we can find all that we need. And lots of things that we don't need, in fact, but still feel we have to have. The questions of 'what exactly?', 'where from?', and 'who from?' fade rapidly into the background. It would not be so difficult to find the answers – and the right farm products as well.

Where quality is at home

When the scent of fresh herbs tickles your nose, the selected range is nicely displayed and the careful packaging appeals to your sense of taste, then chances are you are in a farm shop. Products sold there are not just carefully prepared by hand, but are mostly made up of farm produce as well. We are talking about fruit juices, cordials and jams, dried fruit and herbs, bread and cereals, cheese, milk, meat and fresh free range eggs. Not forgetting home-made schnaps, which is distilled according to a secret recipe and age-old tradition. With such concern for taste, trying these home-made products can only be recommended.

The good old days...

… or maybe not so good, after all. It is difficult to combine convenience with quality, but those willing to make the effort to find a farm shop will be rewarded with its authenticity. The farmer will offer a piece of home-cured 'speck' to taste and explain how his apples get their particularly strong colour. The farmer's wife will recommend her own personal favourite cheese and a jar of apricot jam, which is still cooked up according to her great-grandmother's recipe. Who can resist in the face of so many goodies?

Is this the new way to shop?

Give it a try! Those going to stay in private rooms take the self-catering spirit with them in their luggage. And on holiday there's lots of time to spare: for conscious purchases in farm shops, healthy cooking and eating for enjoyment. In lots of cases a shopping trip may also be combined with an pleasant excursion. And a visit to a farm shop belongs to the holiday experience. Ask your private landlord or landlady for the best farm shops in the area!