Cutting out the middle man

1:23pm Thursday 14th February 2008

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FOOD miles and traceability are the new buzz words in shopping thanks, in part, to celebrity chefs. Charlotte Shepherd visits some of the farm shops in the Cotswolds who have for many years been quietly getting on with the business of selling good quality and, most importantly, local food.

Judy Hancox who owns and runs The Butts Farm Shop in South Cerney with her husband, master butcher Gary Wallis, is delighted that the world seems to have caught up with her way of thinking. "Our whole thing has been trying to explain to people traceability. The word was unheard of when we started."

"The way farming is going this is the only way forward."

She is proud that she can trace the meat back on people's plates to birth and before.

The Butts Farm Shop opened up five years ago, predominantly selling the farm's own rare breeds meat. The farm itself has been open as an attraction to visitors for 17 years and it seemed a logical extension to also sell the farm's own produce.

"It has helped us because we are cutting out the middle man," Judy explained. "Everything we produce goes into the shop."

However, Judy knew that to be successful she would have to offer more than just meat and the shop now also sells dairy produce and vegetables most of which are sourced locally.

Local and organic are the buzz words at The Organic Farm Shop, at Abbey Home Farm just on the outskirts of Cirencester.

All the meat is produced on the farm to the highest organic standards and the vegetables, when in season, are their own.

This farm shop aims to provide customers with a one-stop shopping experience and has diversified to offer cotton clothes and organic lipstick as well as the staples of bread, milk, vegetables and meat.

Bex Genillard is the daughter of owner Hilary Chester-Master. She believes that the taste of organic food is "very different" and says that "people want to eat good food and that is what we are selling."

Maggie Fillingham from Amberley is a regular customer at The Organic Farm Shop. "The quality is excellent. I like to go to the source if I can," she said.

Opening a farm shop can make all the difference in the harsh economic world of farming.

Cutting out the middle man and not selling to supermarkets means that farms are able to ensure that they get a fair price for a crop or animal.

FARMA, National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association, is a membership organisation representing farmers selling through farm shops and at farmers' markets.

Sue Thomson, FARMA certification manager, estimates that there are between four and five thousand farm shops throughout the UK.

Critical to success for a farm shop, Sue believes, is proximity to a relatively busy road. "Otherwise shops need to do a lot of promotion."

FARMA encourages their member farm shops to always think local. "Traceability is the key word - being able to find out easily where things have come from," Sue said.

Food doesn't get more traceable than at Cotswold Farm Fayre shop in Chedworth, where the milk, yoghurts and ice cream come from their own Woodlands Farm Dairy.

The beef is also their own and the pork and lamb comes from a farm in Lechlade. "Our best sellers here are the meat and the dairy because people know where it has come from. That's what people want," explained Rosanne, who is the third generation of the Finch family who have lived and farmed at Chedworth since the 1920's.

The farm shop opened its doors in March 2006 and has expanded to now include a successful cafe and a Friday evening fish and chip takeaway service.

Rosanne admits that it is at times a struggle to get people through the door, perhaps because they are off the beaten track.

"It takes a long time to build up a name for yourself," Rosanne said. Although opening a farm shop has meant a lot of extra work, Rosanne is convinced that it has been the right move for her family's farms. "The way farming is going this is the only way forward," she said.

However, the farm shop is not right for every farm. We spoke to the manager of one farm in the Cotswolds, which did not wish to be identified, on the verge of shutting up shop. Another, Oakdene in Oaksey, closed at the end of last year because it was not "economically viable."

Price may be putting some shoppers off from trying out farm shops, but the Standard found that vegetable costs at one farm shop compared very favourably with a leading supermarket. (see box below).

Chesterton Farm Shop is an old hand when it comes to retail, having been selling to the public since the early 1970's.

Edward Jenner is the son of farmers Peter and Ruth Jenner and works in the shop for two days a week. When it is ready the farm sells its own beef and potatoes and bacon is cured on the premises. Other produce comes from local farms wherever possible.

"It's a huge priority to source local food for the shop. It's what sets us apart," said Edward.

With bread from Whiddetts Bakery in Cirencester, milk from Woodlands Farm at Chedworth and free range chicken and eggs from Fairford, this is no idle boast.

Edward has noticed an increase in demand for local food in the last 12-24 months and the shop is well-placed to take advantage of this current trend. "We are a working farm and farming has been going through a difficult patch. The farm shop makes a huge difference to our business," he said.

Plans are afoot to diversify further at Chesterton Farm Shop and open a cafe on site.

Finding a niche in a crowded market place is important for farm shops. They all strive to deliver something unique to their customers, whether it is rare breeds meat at Butts Farm or dairy produce at Chedworth.

One thing that they do all manage to deliver is a stress free shopping experience in today's increasingly hectic schedule.

Directory of Cotswolds Farm Shops The Butts Farm Shop South Cerney Cirencester 01285 862224 Chesterton Farm Shop Cranhams Lane Chesterton Cirencester 01285 642160 Cotswold Farm Fayre Denfurlong Farm Chedworth 01285 720265 The Organic Farm Shop Abbey Home Farm Cirencester 01285 640441