Farmers’ markets are all very well but honestly, get out by 8am on a Saturday morning to beat the crowds and find something half-decent still available. In another life perhaps. Friday nights are for unwinding and Saturday mornings are for sleeping.

When Reading finally makes the sensible decision to get these strangely dressed country types into Broad Street at a civilised starting time then I’ll grace them with my presence. Meanwhile farm shops provide reasons both to get out of bed before 3pm and for a drive into that green bit.

Accuse me of preferring my countryside sanitised and I plead guilty as charged. In my book it is usually a distinct advantage if the farm shop doesn’t actually smell of farm. But perhaps I jest too much. Good farm shops provide a direct outlet where the undoubtedly higher prices at least provide fresh local produce that tastes as it should, usually with lots of badges for sustainability and the like. Largely for the better off, I’d say yes, in some ways, but these days you pay more for a tub of margarine at a scruffy Reading corner shop than in Fortnum and Mason – so everything is relative, and it’s something different to the weekly shop. Five to try:

Wellington Farm Shop

Welsh Lane, Heckfield

Quite why such an established arm of the landed aristocracy as the Duke of Wellington needed a government grant to get this enterprise moving we can but guess. They have, however, made the most of it and built an excellent store, which is more of a bijou supermarket than a farm shop. Both the cheese counter and the butchery deserve special mention. There is a café that I’m never been inclined to try, but of which I’ve heard good reports. Try their Christmas evening on 17 November for foodie gifts.

The Crazy Bear

Bear Lane, Stadhampton.

If you DO like to meet the food you are eating, if not on first name terms, at least walking round the place, then this is one to enjoy. The Bear does one of the best ranges of self-produced sausages you could wish for originating from their small heards of Gloucester Old Spots, Welsh Badger Faces, Herefords, Highlands and so-on. Ideal stuff if you like your food good-looking in life. All round excellent store with an impressive range of preserves. Worth trying also is the range of Thai curry sauces made it the restaurant kitchen. Way better than anything you will find on a supermarket shelf.

Fielders Farm Shop

Wickcroft Farm, Theale

Now this one definitely smells of farm, but even I am prepared to tolerate that for the wide range of local produce. There is no one standout line, but you will almost certainly find what you are looking for or something very close to it here. The website indentifies the main suppliers which include local herbs, wines, ciders and beers and rather good eggs.

Vicars Game

Casey Fields Farm, Ashampstead

Fewer frills and less gift-oriented produce here than at the other shops and somewhat tricky to find as the entrance from the road through Bradfield South End isn’t the easiest to spot. The country cousin of Vicars venerable West Street establishment the farm shop is not only a reliable source of local game it is also the destination for deep frozen exotic game – if you really need antelope or zebra (actually, I highly recommend kangaroo) then this is your one-stop shop. It would also be wrong not to mention their fine sausages – try the wild boar and apple and, of course, their famous Sweeny Pies. If your freezer is large enough half pigs and half sheep are excellent value.

Grays Farm

Heathlands Road, Wokingham

Definitely more farm than shop in this case. In fact it is essentially a few tables in a barn. That said fruit and vegetables are always good, in season and worth it (check the amusingly awful website for what they have – don’t expect everything to be there). There is an extensive ‘pick-your-own’ set-up if you like paying to do half the work yourself. Fill the freezer with some of the best raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries in these parts.