Summer so far…

We hope that you are all having a lovely Summer. Whether you’ve travelled afar or opted for a staycation. Of course our doors will always be open rain or shine.

Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm | Sunday 10am - 4pm (Flower Shop closed).

In this monthly post, delve into our recipe archives, get to know the team behind Chalk Hills Bakery and there is even an exclusive discount for online shoppers.

Did you know that you can look back previous Monthly Posts on our website? Read about our history and get to know the Kingfisher team in past editions here.

Ideal for alfresco dining…

Free delivery when you spend over £45 online…

Yep, you heard us right. We are super excited about our online shop, so we thought we’d treat you all to a tempting offer! Enter the code MONTHLYPOST45 at checkout, for free local delivery when you spend over £45.00 online.

Our online shop is full to the brim with your weekly Farm Shop essentials. We are always adding to our site, so keep a look out for new items.

We deliver locally, in our electric van, Tuesday to Saturday. Order before noon for next day delivery. Click here, to find out if you are eligible for local delivery.

We also offer a free collection service Tuesday to Saturday.

Hurry…the offer only stands until the end of August. Offer excludes subscriptions.

Dorking Area Foodbank…

We are so pleased to say that we have been collecting donations for our local foodbank for the past year. With your support, we drop off your donated items fortnightly. Whether you buy items from our Farm Shop or at your local supermarket - we are happy to accept any donation (large or small).

Each week we update our foodbank blackboard, with the most-needed items. You can pick up a leaflet of all the “needs and not-wants”…nobody likes to see a donation wasted. Contributions could be anything from tinned tomatoes to chocolate bars.

Simply drop off your items in our donation basket - situated just inside the Farm Shop entrance. As always, thank you for your continued support, it’s very much appreciated and now more important than ever!

Plenty for you to choose from…

Our very own superfood, watercress, is at the heart of our business and we grow it here almost all year round. Naturally, we have a multitude of recipes at our fingertips which have been tried & tested by our team.

We also have plenty of seasonal dishes for you to choose from. Yes, it is possible for us to prepare a meal that doesn’t include watercress!

Meet Chalk Hills Bakery…

We got chatting to Chris from Chalk Hills Bakery - he had so many interesting things to say, so we thought we’d put it in writing for you lovely lot! Without further ado…over to Chris.

“We’re very proud to be associated with Kingfisher, one of our very first customers. Even before we started Chalk Hills Bakery, we were customers of Kingfisher. As a separate business, we ran the Stephan Langton pub in Friday Street and used to make purchases at Kingfisher. This is when we got to know Margaret, Barrie and Marion. We’re delighted to say that the connection remains strong.

We have grown quite substantially over the years and whereas we aim to support local suppliers we cannot always do this due to the volumes. For example, our flour comes from Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire and a lot of our bakery ingredients, such as butter, sugar, seeds, etc, come from a commercial wholesaler by the name of Kluman & Balter – suppliers to the bakery trade. They deliver to us in pallets every week, so quite some volume. That said, we use meat from Hill House Farm in Capel, Debbie’s Jam in Newdigate and Chutneys from Two Many Cooks in Brockham, to name a few local suppliers.

Every year we have grown, just a little bit, in a way they call “organically”. We build on the business slowly by finding more customers and adding a ­few more products every now and again. We’d just like to continue in this pattern, unrushed and building quietly in the background. People are prepared to pay more for a decent loaf that hasn’t come from a factory and are more discerning about their bread.

We also have a partner, Crumbs Brewing, who take our unsold bread and brew beer from it! This is a great concept as it saves waste loaves that would otherwise be destined for the dump! It also makes a very nice drink to relax with. Cheers!”

Thank you to Chris & Rosie, it’s always lovely to speak to you guys. Be sure to pop over to their newly renovated Reigate store for a coffee and croissant!

A note from Netty…

Hi everyone, Netty here, the Kingfisher delivery driver. It seems a long time ago now since I was first asked to write a piece for our monthly newsletter. “Tell us about your daily routine”, asks Rosie - quite a difficult task as I never quite know what my day with entail. I deliver across the surrounding villages in the electric van, fondly known as ‘Bluebell’. I’ve got a lot of amazing customers that I see weekly, and have made some lovely friendships along the way.

Tuesdays are the busiest day, as I start by helping set up the shop. I begin my delivery routine by checking my list of customers for the day and work out the best route. Then the fun begins – I load up the packed boxes that my colleagues have prepared and set off. It’s great to see all my regulars but always a pleasure to meet new people. It’s such a rewarding job. I quite often have a little chat and carry in the heavy boxes. As well as produce from our Farm Shop, I also deliver logs, compost, plants and flowers. The Flower Girls are just out of this world when it comes to flowers. I get the best bit, delivering the most gorgeous bouquets. How lucky am I? As well as lovely people, I also deliver and collect from other local businesses. A customer that really deserves a mention is Hilly of Hilly’s Teashop in Shere. She has soft fruit deliveries for her homemade jam making. One of my best places and I always get offered a drink and a cheese scone! Do go and visit.

So that’s a little insight into my job at Kingfisher. It seems a good opportunity to say thank you to all of you lovely people for asking me to deliver to you. ‘Bluebell’ and I are here for all of your delivery needs. I look forward to seeing you all soon.

P.S: I’ve been told we have a special offer for online shoppers. Enter the code MONTHLYPOST45 at checkout, for free local delivery when you spend over £45.00 online.

Photography Credit: @chloe.hardwick