The ultimate guide to farmer-made Christmas gifts - Farmers Weekly (2024)

If you usually struggle in the gift department, don’t fret. Farmers Weeklyhas compiled the ultimate Christmas gift guide, with something for everyone and presents that your nearest and dearest are sure to love.

And the best part? All of the products featured are made by British farming families.

For the bookworms…

Forty Farms

Based just outside Kendal on the edge of the Lake District, farmer and photographer Amy Bateman has gained national renown for her photography, which captures the essence of Cumbrian farming.

Forty Farms is the result of a 12-month project to tell the stories of 40 farmers, and the landscapes that they so tirelessly tend, through her lens.

This coffee table book is packed with Amy’s beautiful and thought-provoking photography, and tells the story of each farm, and farmer, featured.

Price£29.90

Buy from amybatemanphotography.com

Around the world in many ways

Norfolk farmer, writer and broadcaster David Richardson has released a great coffee table book to adorn any home this Christmas, in which he recounts hilarious tales of his many trips abroad to investigate farming in different parts of the world.

Called Around the World in Many Ways and published by Tricorn Books, the book describes the highs and lows of David’s many overseas adventures – from just across the Channel to more far-flung lands, such as Russia, Ukraine, New Zealand, China and the Americas.

From his first journey to Switzerland as a boisterous 13-year old (“I noticed the local girls who shared the pool with us had hairy armpits”) to his meeting with a Spanish count breeding fighting bulls (“swinging a cape and wielding a toy wooden sword”), the stories are told with good humour and an easygoing writing style.

Within it all are snippets of good advice, fascinating insights into how they do things differently in other parts of the world, and more than a smattering of history, not to mention David’s words of farming wisdom. And there are pictures… plenty of them.

Price£25 (in hardback)

Buy fromOnline at Waterstones or by contacting David direct at drichardson347@gmail.com

Farmer Christmas

The perfect addition to any little farmer’s library, the original Farmer Christmas book is the first in a trilogy written by Devonshire farmer’s daughter Catherine Baddeley.

The picture book series is illustrated by Sophie Baugh-Jones, and follows the adventures of Farmer Christmas with his tractor and trailer full of presents.

The stories are written in rhyming text and feature a “Rusty Robin” to find on each page.

Along with the three story books, Catherine and Sophie have created an activity book, advent calendar and Christmas cards, which can be purchased via their website.

Price£8.99

Buy fromfarmerchristmas.net

A Christmas tipple…

Black Lion Vodka

Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year Award winners Tim and Tanya Spittle took the top spot in 2022 for their Black Lion Vodka.

Made from sheep’s milk, and specifically the waste whey by-product from the cheesemaking process, their distinct tipple is the first of its kind in Europe.

Inspired by the Swiss Matterhorn and its native Valais Black Nose sheep, enjoy this sipping vodka chilled over ice, or check out the Black Lion website for some festive co*cktail recipes.

Price£55 (70cl bottle)

Buy from blacklionvodka.co.uk

Canterbury Cider

Made by the Maylam family on their arable farm in Kent, the award-winning Canterbury Cider is made from a special blend of Cox, Bramley, Dabinett and Jonogold fruits.

The small-batch drink is crafted traditionally using 100% pressed apple juice – with not a concentrate in sight.

The original blend, Basher, is named after one of the family’s Tamworth pigs, and the product range also includes the medium-dry Bonagold and lightly sparkling The Duke ciders.

The cider can be purchased in cases of 12 x 500ml bottles of individual varieties, or as a mixed case.

Celebration Cider 750ml bottles are also available.

Price£54 (case of 500ml bottles)

Buy from canterburycider.co.uk or from Bilting Grange Farm, Bilting, Kent TN25 4HA.

A farm-made hamper…

Castle Farm

Fifth-generation farming family the Alexanders have been growing lavender at Castle Farm, Shoreham, in west Kent, since 1998, and, with 53ha of the purple-flowered crop, they are the UK’s biggest grower.

Using the flowers for their fragrant essential oils, Castle Farm, which is headed by William and Caroline, make everything from lavender sleep pillow mists and bath salts to care hampers and lotions.

One of their essential hampers, the Lavender Care Pack, consists of a 100% natural bar of lavender soap, lavender and bergamot hand cream, a lavandin candle, hop and lavender sleepy scent, and mini lavandin bag.

Price £45.00 (essential hamper)

Buy from castlefarmkent.co.uk

Winter essentials…

Tregullas Farm

What could be better than cosy, sustainable, hand-knitted hats and gloves?

Based on Tregullas Farm, the most southerly farm on mainland Britain, Elsa Amiss and her family use the wool from their flock of Lleyn-cross and Hebridean-cross sheep to make a range of hand-knitted products.

The whole process takes place locally to the farm, and the wool never leaves Cornwall, as it is spun at the Natural Fibre Company in Launceston and knitted into beanies and fingerless gloves in the Lizard village.

The product range includes baby hats, children’s and adults’ beanies, fingerless gloves and headbands.

All of the products are available in a choice of white Lleyn or black Hebridean wool.

Price The Farmer’s Beanie is available for £25 and a Mini Farmer children’s version costs £18

Buy from Orders should be placed via Facebook @tregullasfarm, or by emailing sales@tregullasfarm.co.uk

Seren Handmade Bows

Lauren Garbutt runs Seren Handmade Bows from a farm in mid-Wales, where she produces a range of country and custom clothing as well as handmade accessories.

The Mini Farmer gilets are “business in the front, farmer in the back”, with a beautifully detailed embroidered tractor and matching Mini Farmer text.

Tractors and matching text are available in a choice of red, blue, green or pink colourways, and are perfect throughout the winter months worn with a jumper underneath.

The gilets are available in sizes from one to two years all the way up to13 years.

Price£30

Buy from serenhandmadebows.com

Stocking fillers…

Oz OverBoots

A perfect stocking filler for farmers, keen walkers and equestrians, the Oz OverBoots Sox Savers are designed to sit over the top of boots, and prevent hay, straw, grain and muck from getting into your footwear.

Founded by Bedfordshire arable farmers Hannah and Andrew Mahon, the idea came about when Andrew returned from working in Australia, and struggled to replace his overboots in the UK.

The pair have since developed a full range of cotton and weatherproof Sox Savers, which are suitable for short boots, and Overboots, which pair well with wellies.

Price Standard cotton Sox Savers retail for £11.50 and are available in oilskin (£16.50) or weatherproof (£12.50) variants

Buy from www.ozoverboots.co.uk

Jo Edwards Ceramics

Farmer’s wife Jo Edwards creates beautiful, yet practical, ceramics from her studio near Malmesbury, in Wiltshire.

Everything from throwing the pots, to the trimming and glazing is crafted by Jo’s expert hand, though her recently purchased kiln, named Helga, is a welcome addition to the studio.

The salt pig (pictured above) is the perfect addition to any country kitchen.

Price £25 (large)

Where to buy joedwardsceramics.co.uk

Hillbillie Bows

Hillbillie Bows began around Danielle Hill’s farmhouse kitchen table in 2019, where she would make bows for her eldest daughter that sparked demand from fellow mums.

While the business has grown, each item is still lovingly hand-made, though now in a studio on her mid-Wales beef and sheep farm.

Danielle sells a range of country- and farming-themed hair accessories, tweed items and boys’ bow ties and braces sets, though she admits the tractor design hair clips are a firm favourite and bestseller.

Price Tractor hair clips are available in a choice of colours, and can be purchased in sets of two (£5.95) or five (£12.50). The tractor design is also available as a pin-badge or brooch for £2.50.

Buy from More information and pictures can be seen on Instagram and Facebook @hillbilliebows or see hillbilliebows.com

The Little Goat Soap Company

Made in Oxfordshire by fourth-generation farmer Joanne King, founder of the Little Goat Soap Company, these hypo-allergenic soaps are made from gentle goats’ milk and natural ingredients.

The high fat and oil content of goats’ milk means the soaps are fantastic for soothing the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis, and are suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The soaps are available in individual bars, as gift sets, and even as a monthly subscription, and come in a range of scents, including the original unscented Simply Goat soap, lavender and bergamot, juniper, rose geranium and festive cinnamon spice.

Where to buy The soaps can be purchased from the onsite gift shop that operates from April to December at Park Farm in Littleworth, Oxfordshire, or fromthelittlegoatsoapcompany.co.uk

A bit of fun…

The Artful Farmer’s Wife

We all know a farmer who probably needs a swear jar, but what about a swear hoodie?

Seller of sweary farm-themed clothing, farmer’s wife Beth Heaton from north Wales is known as The Artful Farmer’s Wife, and produces custom-order T-shirts, aprons, hoodies and jackets, among other things.

Whether you’re on the naughty or nice list, there’s something for everyone, with more than 200 country- and farming-themed designs perfect for farming stag and hen dos, Young Farmer meets, or to celebrate a good-humoured love of farming.

Where to buytheartfulfarmerswife.co.uk

Gift that keeps on giving…

Farmers Weekly subscription

Your week wouldn’t be quite the same without your favourite farming read landing on your doorstep. Gift a Farmers Weekly subscription and get unlimited access to the FWi website, along with the weekly digital edition

Sign up for a subscription today and take advantage of our exclusive festive 20% discount on all gift subscription packages,
using code XMASFW.

Where to buy fwi.co.uk/xmasfw