There’s lots of fluffy, endearing baby animals and wildlife to be seen, and also some first-class food to be had, at Shabden Park Farm’s regular farmer’s market just outside Chipstead tomorrow, Saturday, May 26.

A Holly Blue, one of a host of butterflies that can be seen on the farm walk at Shabden Park

The market, just off the main road through Chipstead, opens from 9.30am until 2pm, there will be a barbecue, plus stalls from other local producers.

After the market (around 2.30pm), there will be a guided farm walk to look at wild flowers and butterflies, and to show how the farmers try to benefit these species as well as to produce high-quality food.

According to the owners, the farm is lovely at the moment, with plenty of butterflies including Peacocks, Brimstones, Holly Blues and Speckled Woods on the hedges and track. The fields are full of purple Common Vetch and Speedwell and chalk downland wildflowers, and there is Bugle and White Helleborine coming up on the track verges.

The ground is pretty dry, but uneven, and it’s not suitable for pushchairs.

The farm’s resident butcher has a wide range of cuts suitable for summer barbeques, and the following weekend – the Jubilee Bank Holiday – from Friday, June 1, will have a mix-and-match barbecue range; all items are £1 (two sausages counts as one item) and there are special offers when you create your own barbecue pack: 20 items for £18, 30 items for £27 or 40 items for £36.

Items will include beef, lamb and chicken burgers, grillsticks, mini kebabs and a range of seasonal sausages. Orders are also being taken for those looking for roasting joints for the weekend.

June’s Farmers’ market at Shabden Park Farm will be on Sunday 17, as part of national Open Farm Sunday.

• Click here for the farm’s website, with address and further details.
• Click here to see our resident rambler, Walker Dunelm’s guided walk of the area.

• Inside Croydon: A news source about Croydon that is not based in Redhill. Do you have an event or business in or around Croydon? Tell us about it by emailing us at inside.croydon@btinternet.com

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