Did you know you can visit these farm shops in the UAE?

Pick your own fresh veggies, go on a tour of the fields of crops, or even milk a cow…

Agriculture and the United Arab Emirates might not typically go hand-in-hand, but there’s been a quiet revolution ongoing in the organic farming space in the UAE. Now, across the emirates you can visit an array of farm shops where you can shop locally grown produce, partake in on-the-farm experiences, and reward yourself after your hard work with fresh brews and bites from the on-site coffee shop.

Here are 4 brilliant farm shops to visit in the UAE.

Abu Dhabi: Mazaraa Farm Shop

Part cafe, part farm shop, the mantra at Mazaraa is “we sell what we grow”, and that’s exactly what they do. As such, the farm shop shelves are stocked with seasonal produce grown on the land, as well as organic oil and honey from the UAE. To be assured of the freshest produce, you can even go and pick your own on the farm, as well as enjoy farm activities such as feeding the animals, fishing and camel rides, all for a fee of Dhs25 for adults and Dhs15 for children, which gets you entry plus a snack and juice. Afterwards, head over the farmhouse-style Mazaraa cafe for freshly brewed coffee and delicious bakes. It’s located in Al Bahya, with the handy Google location pin found here.

Mazaraa Farm Shop, Al Bayha, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to 8pm. @mazaraashop

Dubai: Greenheart Organic Farms

Greenhart Organic Farms service the UAE with delivery of fresh, locally grown produce, but you can also visit the Greenhart Farm Shop, located near to Dubai Miracle Garden to shop in store. The farm isn’t attached to the farm shop, but crops grown on the 80,000 square metre farm in Quata, Sharjah are brought directly to the farm shop each morning. Alongside fresh vegetables, greens and organic fruit grown in the UAE, they source produce from organic farms in Lebanon, Sri Lanka and India, and alongside fruit and veg, you can find a wide selection of pantry items, meat, dairy and more all handpicked for the store.

 Greenheart Farm Shop, Arjan, Al Barsha South 2, 10am to 6pm Mon to Sat. Tel: (0)4 361 7010, greenhartuae.com

Al Ain: Emirates Bio Farm

Emirates Bio Farm is the largest privately-owned organic farm in the UAE, located between Dubai and Al Ain amidst the red desert dunes of Al Shuwaib. The farm is built on the ethos of sustainability, which applies to crop rotation, use of pesticides, right to the packaging of fruits and veggies sold from the farm. The farm has created a complete visitor experience, which includes a farm shop, outside dining and seating area, experience center, greenhouse restaurant as well as an Arabian tent overlooking the farm and open desert dunes. During visiting hours, you can walk the fields, feed friendly goats, or pick up seasonal fruits and veggies. There’s also the Farmer’s Table restaurant, serving organic juices, fresh salads and veggie delights. You can also still order fresh and organic greens, fruits and farm made goodies online, with free delivery on orders over Dhs200. You can pre-buy tickets for Dhs40 online, with under threes entering for free. You’ll also need to pre-purchase event tickets for their Sunday brunch, priced at Dhs80 for adults and Dhs50 for children (brunch only). If you also want to visit the farm, you’ll need to still buy a farm ticket.

Emirates Bio Farm, Al Shuwaib, Al Ain, daily 9am to 5pm. Tel: (0)3 783 8422. emiratesbiofarm.com

Fujairah: Rumailah Farms

Conceived in 2017, Rumailah Farm is the UAE’s first Jersey cow milk farm, and its herd of over 400 Jersey cattle are naturally grazed and milked locally to produce the freshest and creamiest dairy produce. Rumailah Farm, located in Fujairah, produces milk, butter, laban, ice cream, and ghee, distributed to companies around the emirates and sold at a duo of coffee shops in Fujairah and Dibba. You can book in for one of two farm tours, which offer fun for the whole family. The Full Farmers Package (Dhs350) runs once per week and starts at 5am sharp. It includes a fresh farm breakfast, milking, ice cream sampling, and a production tour. Then there’s the basic tour package (Dhs150) which happens daily at 4pm, where you’ll get to enjoy a tour of the facilities, milking and ice cream sampling.

Rumailah Farm, Corniche St – Fujairah, tours at 4pm daily, Dhs150. Tel: (0)9 223 9090. rumailahfarms.com

Images: Instagram