• The South Devon National Landscape boasts a vibrant food and drink economy. The countryside is rich, varied, and immensely productive.
• Many of these products have direct links to the shape of the landscape and a number of the landowners have special environmental agreements ensuring that hedgerows and wildlife will thrive.
• South Devon is home to a diversity of small local suppliers. The temperate climate and extended grass growing season has meant that the area is a rich dairying region traditionally home to many small dairyfarms, with a number of producers diversifying into cheese, yogurt, cream and ice cream production over the years.
• Primary producers have added value to their raw materials, providing consumers with a fantastic choice of artisan cheeses, where taste is of paramount importance.
• There are also a number of lifestyle producers who see the South Devon National Landscape as the ideal location to produce biscuits, chocolates and other more unusual specialities.
• The area is renowned for production of tasty traditional beef and grass fed lamb. There are a number of producers offering farm fresh meat at local Farmers’ Markets and also to local pubs, hotels and restaurants.
• Fresh fish and shellfish are offered in many pubs and restaurants and the area boasts two smokehouses.

When shopping try and make a point of sourcing local produce to really experience what wonderful food this area has to offer.

If you eat out locally, do make a point of enquiring where the ingredients are sourced from. It helps to highlight to businesses that consumers care about traceability and quality local food and encourage them to seek out more local suppliers.

Whenever you purchase food and drink from the National Landscape you are helping to sustain the local economy and the local landscape.

Farmers’ markets are an ideal way to talk specifically to the producer and also to taste before you buy. It’s a fun way to buy what’s in season, vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, cider, cheeses, cakes, bread, plants and much more.

• Kingsbridge Farmers’ Market takes place at the Quay 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month

In addition to these markets, there is a very good market in Totnes on Fridays with a good selection of local produce from the National Landscape on sale. In Modbury every Saturday morning during June, July and August there’s a Barrow Market with local produce, arts and crafts, flowers and plants on sale from wheelbarrows.

For more information about local foods generally, visit www.foodanddrinkdevon.co.uk.

The National Landscape Management Plan identifies the need to keep a profitable mixed farming economy producing high quality food, contributing to the distinctive character of the landscape and practising the sustainable management of land, soil and water.

The South Devon National Landscape Management Plan endorses campaigns promoting high quality, locally produced food and drink which have successfully increased consumer loyalty and awareness of the importance of supporting the local farming community.