From 11am onwards, the church, All Saints' in Cawthorne, near Barnsley, will play host to a Harvest Festival with a difference. Local farmers and producers are being invited to display and sell their produce. The day will end at 3.30pm with a traditional harvest service, featuring Cawthorne Brass Band, and the preacher will be Claire Foster, the environmental adviser to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Mr Reynolds has suggested local farmers come to display and sell their goods as a way of supporting the struggling local rural economy. The parish includes 18 working farms, alongside two farm shops, a bakery, an ice-cream producer, those who make preserves and pickles, and various traditional craftspeople.

"After a sustained period of wet weather, bringing in the grain harvest this year has been particularly grim," said Mr Reynolds. "And we wanted to do something not only to support our local producers, but to raise awareness of the wonderful variety of farming and craft skills in our locality."

None of those who have been invited to display and sell their goods are expected to make any financial contribution to the church – and they are welcome to sell whatever they have brought at a market price.

"This is our way of helping our farmers and local producers to introduce themselves to new customers, and is just one of the many ways we seek to support them in practical way throughout the year," said Mr Reynolds. "Cawthorne is a lovely village, and always makes a perfect day out over the weekend. I hope folk from far and wide will come and discover what we have to offer," he added.

n Digging into local history has people buzzing in Ainsty. There's a public meeting on Wednesday, October 15 at 7.30pm in Appleton Roebuck parish room where Martin Minogue, who lived at Nun Appleton estate as a child, will speak on "A Child's War". If you go along, you will be invited to be part of their energetic Villages History Group which is busily researching the stories of Appleton Roebuck, Bolton Percy, Colton and Steeton from 1875 to the present day.

Marjorie Harrison, a local historian, has already written a book called Four Ainsty Townships – 1066-1875 and the group hopes to publish a second book by late next year. The researchers are volunteers who are eager to collect material from residents, past and present, including oral recording of personal memories. Visit www.ainstyvillages.org.uk