Throughout March, businesses and communities across the New Forest come together for the New Forest Awakening Festival, a month-long programme of events celebrating local food, nature, heritage and the people who help shape this remarkable landscape.

At Hockey’s Farm Shop in South Gorley, just outside Ringwood and Fordingbridge, the festival provides a natural opportunity to share more of what happens here every day. Our farm shop, café and butchery are rooted in the New Forest community, and much of what we do centres around the land around us, the local producers we work with and the traditions that define this area.

During the Awakening Festival we are opening our doors for a series of events that invite visitors to spend time at Hockey’s in a different way. Some focus on the landscape and history of the New Forest, others celebrate the food produced here, while others are simply about bringing people together around the table. Together they create a programme that reflects the character of the New Forest itself.

For regular visitors, it is a chance to see a different side of the farm shop and spend more time here. For those discovering Hockey’s for the first time, the festival offers a perfect introduction to what makes this place special.

What the New Forest Awakening Festival celebrates

The New Forest Awakening Festival takes place across the New Forest throughout March and brings together farms, producers, businesses and community organisations. The aim is to highlight the connection between the landscape, the food produced within it and the traditions that help preserve it.

Across the forest there are guided walks, talks, food events and community gatherings that invite people to explore the New Forest in a deeper way. Visitors can learn about commoning and land management, discover local producers and spend time outdoors experiencing the forest beyond the main tourist routes.

At Hockey’s Farm Shop we are proud to be part of the festival because it reflects the values that underpin everything we do. Supporting local producers, celebrating seasonal food and creating a welcoming place for people to gather are all part of everyday life here.

Throughout March we will be hosting a number of events designed to showcase the landscape, the food and the community that make the New Forest so unique.

Breakfast and Guided Walk, experiencing the New Forest landscape

One of the highlights of the Awakening programme at Hockey’s is our Breakfast and Guided Walk, taking place on Tuesday 10th March and Friday 20th March.

The morning begins in the Farmyard Café at Hockey’s, where guests enjoy our well-known Hungry Farmer Breakfast featuring produce from our own butchery alongside locally sourced ingredients. It is a relaxed start to the day and the perfect way to gather before heading out into the forest.

After breakfast we will hear from Andrew Parry Norton, Chair of the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association. Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge about the traditions and land management practices that make the New Forest unlike anywhere else in the country. His talk offers fascinating insight into commoning, grazing and the careful balance required to protect this landscape.

Following the talk, guests will head out on the Hockey’s Loop, a beautiful circular walk that begins and ends at the farm shop. The route passes through quiet woodland and open forest, offering a chance to experience the New Forest landscape while hearing more about the history and ecology of the area.

Events like this bring together several of the things visitors enjoy most about Hockey’s: good food, the outdoors and the opportunity to learn more about the place we call home.

Recipes and Tasters,celebrating local food

Food sits at the heart of the New Forest community, and our Recipes and Tasters Day on Saturday 14 March focuses on exactly that.

Throughout the day visitors will be able to sample a range of products from the farm shop while discovering new ways to cook with local ingredients. Our team will be sharing ideas, recipes and cooking tips, particularly when it comes to making the most of the exceptional meat available from the butchery counter.

From wild New Forest venison to carefully sourced local cheeses, chutneys and deli products, the farm shop brings together flavours from across the region. The Recipes and Tasters event is a chance to explore these products in a relaxed setting, talk to the team about how to cook them and perhaps discover a new favourite ingredient to take home.

For anyone who enjoys cooking or simply appreciates high-quality local food, this is an event that celebrates the best of what the New Forest has to offer.

The Golden Years Lunch, bringing the community together

Community has always been central to life at Hockey’s Farm Shop, and the Golden Years Lunch on Monday 23 March is designed to bring people together around the café table.

Guests will enjoy a welcoming lunch in the Farmyard Café, followed by a talk from Jodi Longyear, author of 222 and 222+. Jodi’s work explores stories, connections and experiences that resonate with many people, making this an engaging and thoughtful afternoon.

Events like this highlight the role a farm shop can play beyond simply selling food. Hockey’s has become a place where people meet, share stories and spend time together, and the Golden Years Lunch celebrates that sense of connection.

Family and Animal Showcase, a day at the farm

Towards the end of the month we will be hosting our Family and Animal Showcase on Saturday 28 March, a day designed for visitors of all ages.

Hockey’s Farm is home to a growing collection of animals that have become firm favourites with visitors, from goats and pigs to smaller farmyard characters. The showcase day will give families the opportunity to meet the animals, spend time around the farm and learn a little more about rural life in the New Forest.

For many children, visiting the animals is the highlight of a trip to Hockey’s, and the event celebrates that simple connection between people, animals and the countryside.

Making a day of it at Hockey’s Farm Shop

While the Awakening Festival events provide a reason to visit, many people quickly discover that a trip to Hockey’s easily turns into a full day out.

Visitors often begin in the Farmyard Café, where breakfast and lunch menus focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and the exceptional meat prepared by our skilled butchers. After eating, a walk along the Hockey’s Loop offers a chance to explore the surrounding landscape before returning to browse the farm shop.

Inside the shop, shelves are filled with carefully selected local produce, from cheeses and charcuterie to spirits, chutneys and sweet treats from small producers across the New Forest and surrounding counties. The butchery counter showcases seasonal cuts, including wild venison from the local area alongside other high-welfare meats sourced with care.

Many visitors also take time to meet the animals or wander through The Vinery, which features a collection of gifts, crafts and locally made products that reflect the creativity of the New Forest community.

It is this combination of food, countryside and welcoming atmosphere that encourages people to stay longer and return again.

Join us for the New Forest Awakening Festival

The New Forest Awakening Festival is a wonderful opportunity to explore the New Forest in a meaningful way while supporting local businesses and producers.

At Hockey’s Farm Shop in South Gorley, our events throughout March offer something for everyone, whether that is a breakfast walk through the forest, a day discovering local food, a community lunch or a family visit to meet the animals.

If you are planning to join one of the events, we recommend booking in advance as spaces are limited. You can find full details and reserve your place on our website.

Even if you are simply passing through the New Forest this March, Hockey’s Farm Shop is well worth a visit. Stop in for breakfast or lunch at the café, explore the farm shop and enjoy a walk through the surrounding countryside.

March is a time when the New Forest begins to stir with activity once again, and the Awakening Festival provides the perfect excuse to experience it.

We look forward to welcoming you to Hockey’s.