As the hourly double-decker bus trundles through Anstruther, Pitenweem and St Monans we’re glued to Google Maps, making sure there’s no chance of missing the stop for Bowhouse.

There’s not a cloud to be seen in the Springtime sky and having just spent an evening at the utterly charming Shoregate in Crail we’re feeling bold in this voyage of discovery, despite knowing relatively little about our destination.

The rural farmhouse venue is described as an East Neuk hub for small businesses, home to the likes of Baern Bakery, Futtle organic brewery and Angry Kulture kimchi and ferments.

Beyond that it’s we’re not entirely sure what to expect as the blue dot snakes closer to the location pin.

What we do know is that we’re arriving on the second weekend of the month, a time when the entire space is transformed into a sort of turbo-charged farmer’s market, with producers from across the East Coast and further afield gathering to share their wares.

The promise of an opportunity to stock up on award-winning pies, hand-crafted cheese and local charcuterie is more than enough to have fuelled our visit, but after meeting business development manager Rosie Jack upon arrival, a guided tour will soon reveal there's so much more to Bowhouse than first meets the eye.

It’s relatively early for a Sunday morning, and yet there's still a decent crowd already as we move through the main hall with Jack telling us they’ve noticed a trend when it comes to the Market Weekends.

There are the shoppers on a mission, who know exactly which stalls to hit for their favourites and do so with military precision before the buzz picks up.

Then there are the day-trippers, like us, who are there to take their time, getting to know vendors before settling down for a pint of Pale Ale and street food snacks while live music is performed in the covered outdoor space.

While I fully respect the first lot, I struggle to understand how anyone wouldn’t be tempted to stick about.

We pass talented jewellers who have crafted delicate rings of silver and gold by hand, a seller of freeze-dried honeyberries and an apiary that uses its honey for both a selection of jars to take home and a range of cosmetics before a full lap is finished.

“We get a lot of applications from people who want to run a stall,” Jack said.

“But we try to make sure we’re really careful about who we choose so that we know they share the same values when it comes to quality.”

Moving through to another section of the building, a healthy queue has formed at the onsite butchers where fridges hold bowls of freshly ground beef mince, thick hunks of steak and sausages prepared this morning that will no doubt be the stars of many a BBQ later in the day.

In what will become a running theme at Bowhouse, a conscious effort has been made to help customers experience a deeper connection to the process, this time with windows that look directly into the meat chiller, where carcasses from the Balcaskie Estate are suspended from the ceiling to age-dry naturally over Himalayan salt.

“Allowing the meat to age without covering it helps to preserve the flavour because it stops the muscle and fat from drying out.

“It’s great to get people out here so that they can actually see the cattle outside and how the butchering is done.

“Say it’s the team from a restaurant that uses our meat, for example, everyone from the chef to the waiter will then take that knowledge back with them and be able to communicate it to their customers.

“It’s a lot of work, but getting that message across is really important.”

Going even further to invite members of the public to discover more about a farming process that shuns artificial inputs to soil or livestock, the team also hosts regular Grass to Grill tours where ticket holders can hop aboard a tractor for a day on the estate that ends with a seasonal BBQ.

With every step that follows on our tour, be it a visit to the East Neuk Market Garden just a short walk away or a closer look at the milling process for local grains from Scotland the Bread, there are new examples of the synergy that drives Bowhouse’s success.

Even the colourful flyers for each month’s market events are designed by local artists, giving them a platform and in turn becoming something of a collector's item with regular visitors.  

It’s only when we take our seats at the outdoor terrace upstairs at Baern Bakery and enjoy a moment of silence while feasting on Balcaskie mutton stuffed focaccia sandwich and almond tart on a near impossibly thin pastry case that we’re able to appreciate the true scale and importance of what the resident businesses, monthly traders and management are striving to achieve.

‘Sustainability’ has become a bit of a buzzword these days, often accompanied by worthy spiel about ‘Scotland’s Natural Larder’ that feels reserved for fine dining restaurants rather than our own kitchen tables.

But there's something quietly revolutionary about the work being done here by a team that is truly passionate about great food, in a way that makes local produce seem not just within our reach but hugely exciting.

“Bowhouse replaces a missing link in the local food chain,” a statement on their website reads.

“It connects small growers and producers with restaurants and shoppers, giving everyone better access to the best ingredients and finished produce that the East Neuk has to offer.

“At its heart, Bowhouse is a gathering place for people who really care about food.

“We look forward to welcoming you there soon.”

The next Market Weekend will take place on July 14 to 15 and no matter how you make your way there, rest assured that for anyone who has ever called themselves a foodie, it will be worth the journey.

For more information visit www.bowhousefife.com.