Dr Sentamu was speaking after visiting Shepherds Purse Cheeses, Stamfrey Farm clotted cream makers and Robert Thompson's "Mouseman" furniture workshop in North Yorkshire.
Dr Sentamu was accompanied by the Rural Dean of Mowbray, Richard Rowling, on the penultimate tour of 24 visits he is making to Deaneries across the Diocese of York.
In the morning, he had a private meeting with clergy from parishes in the Northallerton and Thirsk areas before making a series of local visits.
His tour began at Thirsk Clock, which describes itself as more than a youth club and different from a community centre. It aims to increase the potential of young people to play a full part in the social and economic life of Thirsk and its surrounding villages.
The Archbishop moved on to visit Shepherds Purse, where he put on a hygienic head covering before watching the production of Yorkshire cheeses at Leachfield Grange, Newsham, near Thirsk. It produces four speciality blue-veined cheeses along with its own Yorkshire Feta.
Dr Sentamu was greeted by chief executive and founder Judy Bell and saw the farm and cheesemaking operations before being presented with Shepherds Purse sheep and cows' milk cheeses by children from South Otterington CofE Primary School.
His next stop was Stamfrey Farm at West Rounton, near Northallerton, where owners, Angus and Sue Gaudie, make clotted cream and yoghurts. Stamfrey Farm's customers include Bettys Tearooms in York, Harrogate and Ilkley.
The Archbishop later visited Robert Thompson's at Kilburn, near Thirsk, and saw workshops founded in the 1920s. He ended his day with a Meet Your Archbishop session at All Saints' Church, Northallerton.
Dr Sentamu said: "Mowbray Deanery has some superb examples of fresh thinking in rural and county market town communities.
"At Shepherd's Purse and Stamfrey Farm there are people successfully swimming against the commercial tide by getting back in touch with their roots, while at Thompson's you see a traditional business going from strength to strength in the modern world because it values the skill of its people.
"Surely our 2007 resolution ought to be grow, eat, drink and buy British. Why? Because it is the best."