FARM shops are the fastest-growing retail sector - four out of ten shoppers have visited one in the past 12 months.
Opened last year, all the produce sold by brothers Gabriel and Fraser Purdey, on their sister Holly’s farm, has been sourced locally and has to meet their exacting standards of authenticity and 100 per cent traceability.
Gabriel and his siblings grew up on their parents’ Exmoor organic dairy farm, and his entrepreneurial skills began by cutting hay with scissors and selling it to his sisters for their rabbits!
He set up and ran a chocolate business in 2014 which took him all over Europe. He has also made wine in Sicily and puddings in France. Returning to Exmoor, he convinced his family that with their combined skills and experience they could set up a farm shop.
Fraser was also exposed to the farming lifestyle from his childhood which sparked his interest in farming and food which he has combined with his other love of science to improve the quality of the soil.
He also keeps ducks and has a flock of Icelandic sheep which he breeds for their wool.
Sister Holly learned how to farm from her parents and subsequently gained a degree in land management. All her animals are grass and forage fed with no bulking grains or animal based feeds.
Gabriel said: “The beef and lamb we sell is from our own farm. This ensures that they are 100 per cent grass fed and outdoor reared. Having traceability over all of the food we sell is key to us.
“Based on recent soil samples, we absorb more carbon into the soil then the farm emits, so we are a carbon negative farm. This is not achieved through using offsets off the farm, just our farming method. Herbal leys, a mixture of plants such as clover dandelion, plantain and chicory offer livestock a wider nutritional diet creating healthier and tastier beef to enjoy all while encouraging more diversity in the land.”
The brothers claim their food is competitively priced and often cheaper than supermarkets - due to the lack of factory equipment and transportation.
Gabriel added: “We started the business with just £3,000 and have grown it to a good-sized shop with a large range of products. Our local customer base has really grown and we also attracted plenty of tourists last summer.”
By vacuum packing and freezing everything that is produced the brothers take pride in the fact that they haven’t thrown any meat away due to spoilage since they opened. They also hope to use renewable energy to power the freezing systems to further reduce their carbon output.
The shop is open all year round and has plenty to tempt holiday-makers and locals alike - from 75 ice cream flavours, to locally sourced jams, chutneys, honey, cheese, crackers, flour, alcohol, apple juice and much more.
Another popular offering from the farm shop is wood-fired ‘Pizza nights’ which not only are fun social occasions but make good use of their produce.
“Using British flour and many of the toppings being sourced from our farm we again keep the pizzas as British made as possible,” Gabriel said.
“Our family business has large ambitions from small beginnings. We believe the future of food is local food with great provenance and that is what our farm shop is all about.”