a note from the editorChristmassy, I mean? I think it gets harder and harder each year to get into the spirit. The tinkle of bells introduces Mariah Carey’s festive belter and all I seem to think about is how much money she must make from that blasted tune, her private cash cow! Cynical, I know.  The magic that is Christmas as a child seems to be an elusive ideal the older you get. Last year, I pulled my own name out of the sack for our work “Secret Santa” and rather than admitting to it and putting it back in to choose another one, I kept it, bought myself something I actually wanted, wrapped it and looked forward to opening it with a genuine smile. Very sensible, I thought, but not really capturing the Spirit of Christmas! Even John Lewis seems to have lost their way this year. Nothing says Christmas quite like a Venus Fly Trap!  I thought my daughter was losing the festive joy yesterday when she announced that she no longer wants a stocking on Christmas Day. (She is fifteen, after all, but I just assumed this tradition would survive for as long as she is my daughter). She followed it up with “I don’t really need anything LITTLE” which made me chuckle and remind myself not to jump to conclusions. She still wants presents, just not silly little stocking fillers!  Well, she’s going to get one, perhaps more for me than for her. I will fill it with useful things – the ubiquitous socks, new pens, a phone charger and mascara – everything a teenage girl consumes on a daily basis – and some yummy little sweet treats from my local farm shop – hot chocolate, yoghurt coated raisins and her favourite little biscuits which we save for special occasions. And she will get in to bed with me on Christmas morning and I will “ooh” and “aaah” in mock surprise at all the things she opens in front of me…because that is our tradition and that will make me feel it! Christmassy, I mean.  Even if it’s only for the actual day itself, the Spirit of Christmas will come, and you’ll find me tapping my foot and raising a glass to Mariah and the great song she created all those years ago.
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 Our Fabulous Farm Shops Review Panel never shy away from the tough jobs so when an intriguing box arrived at HQ, filled with nifty little cans of Gunner cocktails, we breathed in, dug deep and selected a blue one and a red one each, then watched the clock until it was home time.  Back in our respective homes, as soon as the sun went down (somewhere!), favourite glasses were filled with ice, Gunner cans were extracted from the fridge, selected garnishes were chopped and arranged and a collective PFFFSSSS could be heard as cans were opened and poured. These eye-catching little cans come in two varieties. Choose your weapon depending on your mood or your taste or your dietary requirement. For the drivers, the dry-Januaryers, the over-indulgers and the non-drinkers…make a beeline for the red-stripe or the SAINT or the “classic effervescent mix of ginger, bitters and lime”  For the polite tipplers, the hardened boozers or pretty much everyone I know, get your mitts on a blue-stripe or the SINNER or the “classic effervescent mix of ginger, bitters and lime with a SHOT OF DARK RUM”. So are you a Saint or a Sinner? Let’s start with the Saints among us… There’s a pleasing fizz when you pour the contents out of the can and the beautiful amber colour is worth noting. It looks very tempting in a glass…whatever shape you choose to wrap your hand around!  I loaded my fave (and appropriately emblazoned) glass with a tonne of ice, garnished with a wedge of lemon and poured. It looks good and the ice is a recommended addition – not just so you can feel like you’re on a cruise ship as the ice cubes tinkle together– but this drink is best uber-cold.  The first sip is good -a little buzzing around the lips as the ginger hits my skin and a little tickle up the nostrils. I want more but I am not tempted to glug it back. I can imagine taking my time over this, standing at a party making conversations and gradually sipping away, enjoying the tingle of the flavours between each anecdote. Others felt the same: “Wow! - what a lovely blend of flavours – slightly spicy. Delicious.” "Ooh! This ginger brings the heat!” "I would definitely choose this if I was out and was the designated driver. Makes a great change from the usual soft drinks and much more exciting than water. Make mine a Gunners!” "Tasty..mmmmmmmm! My lips are buzzing!”.” It was a resounding thumbs up from the review panel at Fabulous Farm Shops. Stock this in your farm shop and we think you will have a happy band of dedicated followers. You might even see a few of us in there too, stocking up, as one reviewer concluded: “The Saint is my favourite go-to drink now. I really need to order another box"  So could the Sinner have the same effect on us all? The website description tells us that the Gunner Original Sinner is mixed with a shot and a half of aged dark rum “for a little more punch”. They call it “the Dark & Stormy of the 21st Century, the perfect "sundowner" for an evening on the terrace, or in your favourite place” Well, that sounds pretty tempting…. None of us were able to sip our drinks on the terrace as the outdoor temperatures had recently dropped to shrivelling so we made do with a tipple by the fire.
There is 4.5% alcohol in the can (no added preservatives) just dark rum, which adds a lovely scent to the liquid and the colour is as glorious as the non-alcoholic version. The first sip is warming and wholesome. “The perfect drink for an autumnal day” wrote one reviewer, and I know exactly what she meant. “Lovely warming feeling. It builds in my throat and floods through my ears…” I was less in tune with this one but I’m glad he was enjoying it! The rum adds a subtle flavour, not too overpowering, but complements the gingeryness of the mixer and, poured over ice, creates a really tasty, thigh-slapping drink.  I think you could happily sip on a few of these over an evening in your own home, at a bring-your-own party or pop a few in your cooler box if you’re out for a bbq or beach picnic. I have to say I’m tempted to keep one in my handbag for the next kids' rugby match I have to watch. It might take the edge off my frozen toes.  So, it was a double success for Gunners on the night. The recipe may be from the 1800s but the very modern Fabulous Farm Shops’ team thoroughly enjoyed both the Saint and the Sinner and even a few who were not usually keen on rum were converted. Our red seal of approval was swiftly applied to the bottom of our review, and we all metaphorically clinked our near-empty glasses. Cheers! To order your Gunners Cocktail, just get in touch Call or email Edward on 07516 741817 edward@originalgunner.com www.originalgunner.com   Our review panel, here at Fabulous Farm Shops HQ, is used to grazing on nuts, sniffing organic bath oils and knocking back (err, I mean, savouring) delicious aperitifs before we write our reviews, so when a pallet filled with Willoglow® briquettes arrived we pondered the best way to test them.  Deep in the middle of an Indian summer (remember that? Before Storm Ciaran had even begun to form…) nobody had even thought about putting on a jumper, let alone lighting their log burner, but we each lifted a pack of Willoglow® onto our shoulders and headed to our various homes.
I had done my research into these curious little uniform-shaped logs. Made from fast growing, British willow, compressed into cylindrical briquettes, they are incredibly dry and they burn hot. They are celebrated for being smokeless and eco-friendly and suitable for use in log burners, pizza ovens, barbeques and firepits. Warm in my flip flops and t-shirt, and not being a pizza oven owner, I decided tonight was the night to light the firepit and made a quick pitstop on my way home to buy a bag of marshmallows. As the sun dipped behind the trees, I sat out in the garden and got myself organised to conduct my review. I scrunched up the newspaper, added a bit of kindling and my trusty dry pinecones and opened the bag of Willoglow® briquettes. If the name was anything to go by, I would be sitting by the firepit as the evening turned to night, warming my toes by the glowing briquettes.  The briquettes are packed in groups of 7, wrapped in recycled plastic. The company is deep in the process of investigating alternative wrappings which are more environmentally friendly whilst preserving the integrity of the briquettes.  I opened the pack and picked out a log. They are very smooth to the touch, slightly shiny on the outside, and, as a result, there are no splinters to worry about or dust to deal with. This is clean fuel without any glues, additives, or recycled wood. I could imagine throwing a few of these into my car, ready for a weekend’s camping, and not worrying about mess (or spiders!) - a big positive!  The logs are about 25cm long with a diameter of 7cm. They stack very neatly together and are not offensive when arranged neatly next to a fireplace or can easily be interspersed with logs for the best of both worlds!  The willow is harvested and then densely packed into these log shapes but they are designed to be easily broken up – no axe needed. They need a decent whack against the floor or a stone hearth…I used the edge of my patio…and they break into bite sized chunks, perfect for the firepit. I really liked this feature.  The last of the warmth had left the sky so I drew up a bench and decided it was time to light the fire. My match caught the newspaper, flared up the kindling and licked around the Willoglow® briquette pieces that were evenly spaced atop the pinecones. The flames flirted with their prey for a while but it didn’t take long for them to catch and I kicked off my flip flops and stretched out my toes in front of the warmth.  Wow – these logs burn hot! The fire in the pit was glorious. To start with, I burnt only one Willoglow® briquette to see how long it would last and what sort of heat it would produce. I couldn’t measure the heat in degrees but it was deliciously hot next to my feet and that single log burnt for just over 50 minutes!! Staring into the fire was extremely relaxing and the flames danced along the pieces of willow and then, eventually, the log disintegrated and turned to an orange glow, perfect for my marshmallows.
For a camping trip or a firepit in the garden, I can wholeheartedly recommend these briquettes and the feedback from others on the panel was very similar: “These are perfect for my chimenea; no mess, break to size, burn hot…and I mean REALLY hot” “I’d take these camping every time – easy to transport, clean and easy with a fab, long-lasting burn and very little smoke. Perfect!” " We used the logs on several occasions [in our pizza oven] from lighting up to maintaining the fire to keeping the heat. They were a nice product" That’s a great big warm glowing thumbs up for Willoglow® briquettes on the firepit, chimenea and pizza oven. As the weather turned cooler, the review panel were keen to stoke up their indoor wood burners and try the briquettes inside. All the same advantages that were discovered outside, held true for indoors. Clean and dust free, easy to break to size, uniform shape for stacking, smokeless alternative to logs and more environmentally friendly – but how did the heat compare to a bag of conventional logs?  My own wood burner is fairly small and I laid my usual newspaper, kindling and pinecone welcoming committee, broke up one Willoglow® briquette and got the party started. Flames leapt into action and the bits of willow caught quite quickly. Once there was a healthy flame, I threw in another briquette and watched the temperature gauge on the wood burner climb.  The heat was phenomenal. With traditional logs, it can take a good 30 minutes for the wood burner to get to the desired “best operation” temperature of between 300 and 400 degrees F. With Willoglow®, it was nudging 350 after just ten minutes. These briquettes certainly bring the heat. Other reviewers were similarly amazed at the heat coming from their wood burners: “Little dry blocks of willow, easy to store and break - clean, no splinters and OH THE HEAT. These burn way hotter than logs…! I would use these in amongst my traditional logs. They look nice in my log basket arranged with a few real logs and I like the look of both of them in the fire. ” “hot, hot, hot! Excellent heat output – burned far hotter than my usual logs”  Inspired by the experience of these domestic wood burner reviewers who like to sit by their fires with a glass of something tasty in hand, reading or knitting, we thought we should crank it up a notch. One reviewer heats his entire house (3 bedrooms, 2 receptions plus a separate annexe and hot water system) from a wood burning range with a capacity of 27KW. He took a bag of Willoglow® briquettes and an equivalent-priced bag of logs home for the day and set up a time test to see which would go the distance. His findings were interesting: "The STANDARD LOGS were of mixed variety. They took a while to get to a good temperature but then burnt hot. We used three logs to start with then topped up with two at a time, the fire maintaining good temperature for 2.5 hours. During this time, we were also able to cook our dinner in the oven and on the hob. " The WILLOGLOW® BRIQUETTES lasted longer. We started with two briquettes, then 1.5 hours later added two more, then an hour later another log, and finally one more. In total, the fire maintained a good temperature for 4 hours. They burned with consistent, high heat but was controllable. Again, we used the oven and hob to cook." "All in all, the briquettes out-performed the standard logs, and we love their eco credentials" So, there you have it! Willoglow® briquettes are not only better for the environment (read all about it here) but they burn hotter and longer than standard logs. They are fabulous to sling in the back of the car for a camping trip, clean to keep in your house, create very little smoke (low enough to use in smoke free areas) and can be broken up easily to fit in a BBQ or a small wood burner.  They get the Fabulous Farm Shops' seal of approval and will be finding their way into our own log baskets over the coming chilly months. If you would like to stock them in your farm shop then get in touch with Willoglow® here. You won't find these fab briquettes anywhere but independent stockists as these 100% British-grown willow logs adhere wholeheartedly to the love local, buy local anthem that we sing daily!  Oh my gosh, it was chilly this morning. When the alarm went off at a stupid number that started with a six and I opened one eye to total darkness, the thought of throwing off the covers and actually getting up was more unappealing than usual. Sure enough, peeking through the curtains, I saw there was a frost on the barn roof in the field opposite me and fat, fluffed up birds sitting on the wires strung between the telegraph poles, keeping their feet warm.  When the season irrefutably changes from summer to autumn and the woolly socks come out, not only do I start to consider lighting the wood burner and adding another layer to my duvet but my need for heavy-weight comfort food becomes a slight obsession. I find myself leafing through cookery books salivating over unctuous stews and boiling broths, gooey chocolate cakes and creamy mashed potato. Let’s face it, food is the most primitive form of comfort.  I caught the tail-end of a Nigella Lawson cooking show this week which I sucked up like a thirsty man in the desert! She wafted about in her incredibly beautiful kitchen whilst making a brie, fig and prosciutto sandwich. The photography was as close to inappropriate as you can get on a cooking programme with slurpy, dripping fingers poking little bits of melted cheese into the corners of her lipsticked-mouth but the sheer quality of the ingredients was what got me.  The ripened fig was nestled in a fruit bowl of similarly delicious looking fruit, no plastic wrap and no supermarket stickers. The prosciutto that Nigella lifted from her immaculate fridge was wrapped in brown, waxy paper from the delicatessen down the road and looked ostensibly incredible and the brie was perfect, oozing and creamy, just like it would be from the cheese counter at my farm shop, not solid and cold from the chiller cabinet in the supermarket. She popped them all in between slices of floury sourdough and proceeded to fry the whole lot in a chunk of yellow butter the size of a small country and my mouth dribbled with unfettered desire. I checked no-one heard the small moan that escaped from my lips.  As George Bernard Shaw famously wrote; “There is no sincerer love than the love of food” and in that moment I loved that sandwich more than my children and wished, not for the first time, that Nigella was my neighbour who kept knocking on my door to taste test her food.  The look of food is just as important as the taste, perhaps even more so, as it hints at the joy to come, the pleasure we associate with eating and elevates the experience from a simple need to fuel our bodies into the intense joy of devouring a good dish. As Gianfranco Perri (founder of Just Gourmet Foods) wrote in Speciality Food Magazine this month; “it is .. important for independents to build a multi-sensory experience for the customer. Food shopping shouldn’t be a sterile process, and we can be positively inspired through all our senses. Good food retailing is an art and one to be indulged with visual impact, smell, taste and through the positive emotions that a customer will hopefully leave your shop with.” That’s it…right there. I want to walk into my local farm shop, grab a basket and fill it with food that wouldn’t look out of place in Nigella’s kitchen. Comfort food is going to keep us warm this week (and hopefully delay the central heating going on for a little bit longer!). After all, I’d much rather spend my money on figs and cheese than gas.  Stoughton Grange Farm Shop Stoughton Grange Farm Shop is a charming farm shop located in Leicester. The shop offers a wide range of fresh and locally sourced produce, including fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products. The farm shop prides itself on its commitment to sustainability and ethical farming practices, ensuring that all of its products are of the highest quality.  In addition to its fresh produce, Stoughton Grange Farm Shop also has a delightful café that serves delicious homemade cakes, sandwiches, and hot meals. The café is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, offering a cozy and welcoming atmosphere to enjoy a meal or a cup of tea.
One of the standout features of Stoughton Grange Farm is its friendly and knowledgeable staff. The team is always on hand to help customers with any questions or recommendations, and they take pride in providing excellent customer service.  Overall, Stoughton Grange Farm is a must-visit destination for anyone in the Leicestershire area. Whether you're looking for fresh produce, a tasty meal, or just a friendly chat, the farm shop is sure to exceed your expectations. Opening times: Mon - Sat 9am til 6pm Sun 10am til 4pm Stoughton Grange Farm Shop
Gartree Road Oadby Leicester LE2 2FB shop@stoughtongrangefarm.co.uk stoughtongrangefarm.co.uk Featured Producer - Willoglow®              100% British Grown Willow Briquettes2/10/2023  Willoglow® is a customer favourite. Made from locally grown and harvested 100% British willow, these market leading briquettes give ease of use and longer lasting warmth. The main aim when the briquettes are produced is to a be a sustainable product of the highest quality. This is achieved through the growing willow taking carbon in from the atmosphere and storing the majority within its roots. When the willow is harvested, the roots remain in the soil keeping the carbon in place. This process continues for more than 30-years and classes Willoglow® as being carbon neutral. Each time you use Willoglow® briquettes, you are supporting local British farming and your local farm shop. The willow crop also becomes home to many insects and birds to help build countryside biodiversity, supporting nature to continuously improve the environment.
Certified by Ready to Burn, the briquettes can even be used in UK smokeless zones. This makes Willoglow® one of the cleanest fuels available, allowing you to sit back, relax and feel the warmth. Each pack of seven briquettes is designed to easily store and use. They are easy to shape to fit most sized appliances and straightforward to ignite. The impressive high calorific value (18.016 MJ/Kg) ensures a longer lasting product. The moisture content is typically only 8%, meaning that as long as the briquettes are kept in a dry place, they will give you consistent long-lasting warmth throughout the cold season and great barbequed food when the sun is back out. There are many ways to use the briquettes including open fires, multi-fuel stoves, BBQs, firepits, chimineas and pizza ovens. Wherever you are, your Willoglow® is there to ensure a great experience as friends and loved ones gather round to chat and smile. With the winter months coming, Willoglow® will keep you warm, comfortable, and happy. Pull up a seat, put the kettle on, sit back, and relax!  “I absolutely love Willoglow. It last for ages and gets our pizza oven really hot” - Jonathan D. “The briquettes are brilliant: clean and green” – Julia A. “Willoglow is the perfect fuel for firepits, to gather round and enjoy an evening outdoors”– -Dan T. “A great product. Burns really well; easy to store and use” – Alison B. If you would like to stock Willoglow® in your farm shop then please get in touch: Web: www.willoglow.co.uk Email: sales@willoglow.co.uk Tel: 01423 523783 Parkside House, 17 East Parade, Harrogate, HG1 5LF  Lemberona -Â "This is how Nature Tastes!"Â Â Â Â Â Â Â organic dried fruits, nuts, legumes & spices1/10/2023  Lemberona are totally focused on reducing carbon emissions and protecting the planet – we always have been. In fact, our PlantLife brand of dried fruits and nuts is one of the most sustainable and zero carbon emitting brands you can stock in your store. ‘How can that be, as the goods are not from the UK?’, we hear you ask.  So let us explain. The first point is that the UK climate does not support the growth of mature fruits in our range, such as sour cherries, white and black mulberries, goji berries, almonds, pomegranates.  The trees or bushes may grow here in the UK, but they will not produce a harvestable crop, without substantial carbon emitting, artificial environments. So, the UK must import them from somewhere. Many PlantLife products grow in the wilderness of the mountains near Samarkand in Central Asia and are harvested by hand. The air is pure and snow melt from the foothills of the Himalayas provides the necessary water for plants to survive. You would not see a chemical or pesticide within several hundred miles. Most items grow on or around the ancient silk roads of central Asia, which are still just dirt tracks as they were when Marco Polo travelled them in the 13th century  Lemberona has an association with Fairtrade farmers or harvesters of wild produce. They are paid a premium wage and pick the crops under Uzbek Government license when their goods are weighed in at the collection point.  Goods are then transferred to a factory on the outskirts of Samarkand, where they are dried using 100% solar energy. In fact, the brand was called ‘The Pearls of Samarkand’ for over a decade. The drying process concentrates the nutritional value of the fruits and reduces the weight by around 90%, at the same time preserving the product for many years when stored correctly. Lemberona also planted over 300,000 trees on the slopes of the Pamir mountains, which not only absorb carbon, but prevent landslides. At this stage, PlantLife products have only absorbed carbon, but they will emit a small amount when the goods are transferred to Austria for packing. The packing facility also runs off solar energy. Lemberona asked Anthesis to measure our carbon footprint and they concurred that PlantLife does in fact have a negative carbon footprint – so no net emissions. But even better news, incredible intense flavours and quality.
So, if you sell the PlantLife brand you are providing your customers with very healthy organically certified products as well as supporting a very ethical business in every respect. For more details, please get in touch on info@lemberona.at Visit our website at www.plantlife.organic Or call us on 01832 270196 Article supplied by Lemberona
For the past few years, I have driven past this sign on my way to work and watched as the price of horse manure has steadily dropped. It used to read £1 a bag and the pile of large plastic bags, full to bursting with horse poop, would entice passers-by to fill up their car boots with steaming manure to sprinkle on their roses or veggie beds. Obviously, the pile wasn’t going down as quickly as the seller required, so soon afterwards, the price dropped to 50p a bag.  Driving by last week, I noticed that the sign had once again been updated. The price of horse dung has hit an all-time low in this neck of the woods as it is now FREE to anyone who can be bothered to lift a bag and pop it in their car. Free!! It seems whilst prices rise in pretty much every other market, from grain to petrol, from rents to cheese, there exists one place where you can grab a bargain – pony poo!  I’m sure a few people were excited by the freebies at the side of the road. The word “FREE” can make a person do all sorts of out of character things. I feel my fingers twitch when I see a “BUY ONE GET ONE FREE” (or the delightfully named BOGOF offers) in my local supermarket. Who else comes home clutching two bags of doughnuts when really all they went in for was a box of matches? It’s false economy really. No one needs two bags of doughnuts …. It could be argued that no one really needs ONE. The word FREE makes us lose our rationale and gather up stuff that we ordinarily wouldn’t look twice at. I am trying to be a better shopper. I am trying to not get sidetracked. Just because horse poop is free, doesn’t mean I automatically put some in my car boot and so neither should I pick up bags of doughnuts.  Freebies in supermarkets are just the tip of the destructive pricing model iceberg that lures consumers into expecting to pay less and less for the food. The reality behind the BOGOF is that producers are not being paid fairly for their hard work, their own profits are being squeezed into non-existence and food production in the UK is shrinking as a result. “Farmers cannot keep feeding us if they are denied commitment and security and are not making a fair, reasonable profit” says the eloquent Guy Singh-Watson of Riverford. Everything should be pointing the conscientious shopper to the farm shop where the supply chain is short and the pricing fair. We’ll keep shouting about you and fuelling the revolution! Shoppers… turn your back on those BOGOFs and get down to your local farm shop. A bag of free horse manure to the first ten customers through the door.  Flower Farm - Bistro & Farm Shop We are Flower Farm, a family-run farm since 1974, with cattle, sheep, pigs, turkeys, chickens, fruit, and vegetables! We grow a wide range of pick-your-own crops including strawberries, raspberries, plums and Maris Piper potatoes (which are now being grown for the first time in 30 years!). Our award-winning farm shop has a butchery with meat from ours and one other local farm, a deli with handmade products, an abundance of fresh produce and shelves lined with artisan favourites. We also have an online shop with delivery and collection!
Every Friday and Saturday, our fishmonger, Stefan, sells fresh fish from his stall outside the shop. Also, on these days, we have freshly baked artisan bread and an array of fresh flower bouquets.  At Christmas, you can order our farm-reared Supreme Wirrall turkeys which are reared right here at Flower Farm. The Flower Farm bistro is open every day for a wide range of dining, including a variety of build-your-own breakfasts and lunchtime favourites. Every Friday and Saturday we are open until 11 PM, with Flower Farm reared steaks and fish from Stefan our fishmonger! At Flower Farm, we place great emphasis on sustainable farming practices, responsible sourcing, and supporting local producers. Our shelves are filled with the finest organic fruits and vegetables, dairy products, handcrafted preserves, freshly baked goods, and so much more.
 We take pride in showcasing the hard work and dedication of our local farmers, artisans and growers, fostering a deep connection between our customers and the land from which their food originates. Opening Times: 9am-6pm daily Flower Farm Oxted Road Godstone Surrey RH9 8DE 01883 742288 info@flower-farm.co.uk flower-farm.co.uk/farm-shop  The lovely people at Filbert's Fine Foods have been down to the Post Office again and sent us another box of snacks to review. I feel like Mr Filbert, with his rainbow selection of aprons (a different colour for each snack packet) is almost part of the family. Certainly, his exciting and varied selection of snacks has been making an appearance in my snack cupboard, the children’s lunchboxes and my weekend picnic basket with notable frequency… but here were three more flavours and textures which were new to the household.. and to the Fabulous Farm Shops Review Panel.  Step forward: Café Espresso Coffee, Chocolate and Nut Mix Spicy Barbecue Crunchy Corn Moroccan Spiced Almonds Café Espresso Coffee, Chocolate and Nut Mix Mr Filbert’s pride themselves on seeking out new and delicious (and slightly unusual) flavour combos and these little packeted nuggets possibly top that list. Mr Filbert is on the front of this beautiful packet sporting a cappuccino-coloured apron and offering a “luxury trail mix”.  Forget boy scouts on a muddy hike, I’m immediately imagining a deluxe safari yurt with a pure white mosquito net draped over my luxurious king-sized bed. In my head, I’m a tad peckish, lounging like a maharaja across said bed, popping decadent snacks in my mouth - just to boost my energy levels before heading out to spot giraffes. All this just from the words “luxury trail mix” - that and the beautiful, succulent, glossy photographs of gleaming “mixed nuts, chocolate coated coffee beans and caramel pieces” featuring on the front of the packet.  Filbert's Fine Foods do a grand job of titillating photography and the packet would be extremely hard to resist lined up on a farm shop shelf. These snacks get the juices flowing well before the packets are even opened and the contents poured into a bowl. Can the taste and experience live up to my imaginary scene? Absolutely! There was a resounding “hell, yeah!” from the review panel for this snack. “Fresh AND salty, with a lovely hit of coffee chocolate. I’m smitten” wrote one taster. “The perfect combo of flavours ” scribbled another. “Just what I love to have with a glass of wine! ” exclaimed another. “This is my perfect drinks companion ” I won’t tell her husband if you don’t!  Spicy Barbecue Crunchy Corn So far, so good. That packet of trail mix had been an absolute, unanimous smash. Snack pouches were going on reviewer’s Christmas lists. Could the rave reviews last? Step forward the Spicy Barbecue Crunchy Corn. The packet looks clean and fresh and enticing with its close-up photos of crunchy corn kernels interspersed with some silver glitter giving it the jazz hands. The description is pretty tempting too…” crunchy corn kernels .. gently fried and tumbled in a spicy bbq sauce to create a gluten free deliciously high fibre snack!” The pouch is the perfect size and the volume of kernels is very decent for a roaming snacker. As with all of Mr Filbert’s pouches, they are perfect for picnic or a lunchbox or just to pop in your pocket for a long journey, but they would be equally at home on the beach blanket or at a drinks party. They really have thought it through beautifully.  There was unanimous delight in the texture of the snack. “When you bite down on the kernel, you get a fabulous crunch” raved one reviewer. “Chuck a little handful in your mouth and you let your teeth get to work. Fab snacking” wrote another. “I’d take this to the cinema instead of popcorn”. The taste of the kernels, however, somewhat divided opinion. “Like teeny tiny doritos. I love these” wrote one panel member. “Absolutely delicious – a fabulous, corny, savoury popcorn flavour” scribbled one, running out of room for anymore adjectives! “Didn’t love these. A bit blah!” wrote another who is known to indulge in chilli-eating competitions on a night out. She was first in line for the Moroccan spiced almonds.  Moroccan Spiced Almonds A little palate cleansing took place and the review panel moved on to the third and final pouch. It is worth noting how easy these pouches are to open. I have had my fair share of tussles with packaging in the past. I have sliced fingers on tough foil or, like a caveman, resorted to tearing plastic with my teeth. None of this with Mr Filbert’s. The pouches tear open like a dream and open up to pour out their contents with ease. A small point to note but it certainly adds to the whole enjoyment. No-one wants to work up a sweat opening their snack! Back to the almonds….  These are one beautiful snack. The glossy nuggets shine in the light, a beautiful colour and shape. “As soon as I poured them into the bowl, my mouth was watering” wrote one reviewer. I knew what she meant. I was aware that a little happy squeal escaped me when I saw them nestling in their bowl. My neighbour popped in shortly afterwards, possibly alerted by the noise or perhaps the scent of “the warm chilli flavour with a contrast of cool mint” and she pulled up a chair to join in the tasting. “Wow, these are gorgeous” she managed before taking another couple. “Not too spicy but just enough of a kick to make you want more” - which she obviously did because she put her feet up and tucked in! “Crunchy and fresh in the mouth” scribbled another reviewer. I wondered if she’d also had a visit from the neighbours. “Perfectly sweet and savoury with a lovely warming feeling from the spices” “A kick with no heat. Aftertaste lasts. A perfect peppery pick me up” Looks like the entire review panel, plus neighbours, had found their favourite. These Moroccan Spiced Almonds won a Great Taste Three Star Award last year and the Fabulous Farm Shops review panel are not going to argue with that. Their mouths are too full anyway!
So, if you’re a farm shop wondering whether there’s a space on your shelf for these pouches, we suggest you make a space. They are very hard to resist, look good, taste great and are refreshingly different and, just as it says on the logo, “a dash more delicious”. If you would like to stock these fabulous little snacks in your farm shop then get in touch with Filbert's Fine Foods:
by phone 01458 833744 by email sales@filbertsfinefoods.co.uk or online mrfilberts.com/pages/trade  The office was buzzing (pun intended) when a box of goodies arrived from Neve’s Bees ready for a product review. When the cardboard flap was lifted, it was like a summer meadow had been delivered to our doorstep, with beautiful little recyclable metal containers emblazoned with brightly coloured stickers. Everything in the box looks like it has been designed to bring maximum joy and certainly the review panel were excited to give these little pots a go.  Personally, I’m not much of a beauty product girl. Having suffered terribly, in the past, with eczema, I am very wary of what I put on my skin and my normal beauty routine comprises a warm flannel and an early night, but I had read up a little bit about Neve’s Bees products and understood that they are 100% natural, made using the purest natural plant oils and butters and beeswax. I didn’t hesitate to chose my trio of cute little pots.  Neve’s Bees Hand Salve The largest of the trio is the Neve’s Bees Hand Salve which comes in six different evocative scents (again all naturally fragranced) or one completely plain and unfragranced. There is even a specific one for men with “a subtle fragrance of zingy grapefruit with woody cedarwood “. Grrrrr!  One reviewer made a beeline (pun intended) for the YlangYlang and Patchouli pot, broke the seal and got stuck in. The scent was fresh and dreamy. Her eyes closed as she inhaled it deeply. She smiled. We witnessed the beginning of a beautiful relationship as she commented on the deeply pleasing appearance of the salve in its little silver pot. It is smooth and tempting and seems a shame to sully the surface, but she couldn’t help but rub a finger across the top. Slightly oily to the touch, one does not need much but it makes an immediate impact. She rubbed it into the back of her hand and it glistened for a moment and then began to sink into the skin. “Easily absorbed. My hands felt softer immediately” she later scribbled on her review sheet.  I couldn’t wait any longer and opened my own little pot of Lemon and Lavender. The scent is subtle but very clean. The lemon keeps it fresh and the lavender is present but not cloying. I was transported back to opening my grandmother’s airing cupboard and admiring her beautifully layered and pressed cotton sheets, a gentle, flowery scent hanging in the air. I swirled my finger around the pot and applied it to my thirsty skin. I could almost hear my hands thanking me for finally giving them a little care and attention. Others felt the same. “My hands feel young again” scribbled one reviewer. “A little greasy at first but it soaked in quickly and felt smooth and soft”. “I’d recommend this to my friends” wrote another. “Fantastic smell” wrote the tester of the Rosey Hand Salve “and the scent lasts for a long time”.  These little pots are the perfect size to slip into your handbag or purse, pocket or backpack and keep handy for daily use. They are made in small batches and without any preservatives, so their use-by-date (about a year) is written on the back of the pot. There’s plenty of salve in a pot and a little goes a long way. And you don’t have to just keep it for your hands. I popped a bit on my knobbly old elbows and they definitely look less like walnuts than they have for a while! I can see this hand salve finding a way into my life and, I would go so far as to say, that I might have to add another step to my beauty regime: 1) use Neve’s Bees Hand Salve Neve’s Bees Lip Balm Next on the table was the lip balm and who doesn’t love a lip balm? I am frequently scrabbling around in the bottom of my handbag for something to ease the horrible feeling of a tight, cracked mouth.  Laid out on the table were the most adorable little tins with cheerful packaging and tempting flavours. We circled our prey, eyeing each other up, whistling the theme tune to a Western. Should we choose the honey vanilla, the buttermint, the lemon & lime, the sweet grapefruit or the rosey? It was more enticing than a trip to the ice cream parlour. I shot from the hip and picked up the honey vanilla, broke the little paper seal and slid back the tin lid. The scent was lovely - subtle and pleasant – a suggestion of vanilla rather than a full-blown candle shop. The little cake of balm is smooth and attractive and, again, seemed a shame to blemish with a finger, but my lips were in need. I smoothed on a healthy fingerful and rubbed it in.  This is good balm! It felt wonderful. Other reviewers had similar thoughts. “Beautifully, silky lips” wrote one. “Slides on and makes me want to pout” wrote another. “The smell lingers just under my nose and my lips feel amazing”. “This is staying in my handbag”. There was a slight debate about which flavour was the best but no conclusion was reached. Some love lavender, others prefer lemon. I was very happy with my honey vanilla. It’s just as well Neve’s Bees have come up with so many options, including unfragranced, for those who like it au naturel. Whichever little tin floats your boat, you can rest assured that it is packed with pure, natural balm and, like us, you’ll be very happy with the way it makes your lips feel. Pucker up!  Neve’s Bees Cuticle Butter Last, but not least, we each helped ourselves to a pot of cuticle butter. Similar funky, joyful packaging, sporting bright oranges on a blue background, covers a small round metal tin. This cuticle butter only comes in lemon & orange and what a smell! Everyone’s reaction was the same – beautiful! My nostrils couldn't get enough and I became slightly light-headed as I inhaled hard. It really is a lovely mix of citrus and worth having in your pocket on a long journey just for the scent alone – to cover up any unpleasantness in your surroundings!  The panel of reviewers was a mixed bunch, some frequently indulging in manicures, others more at home with their hands in a compost heap than a salon, but everyone knew what to do. They rubbed a little bit of the butter onto their nails and cuticles and sat back to admire them. I felt a bit like a 1950's housewife as I stuck my hand out to admire my shiny nails and watched my glowing skin slowly absorb the waxy butter. Slightly greasy at first, it softens the cuticle and allows you to gently ease them back away from the nail. It was a very pleasant experience - so good, I shared it with my toes!  “I love this stuff. It’s now part of my daily routine”, wrote one reviewer, adding a little heart to her scribbles. “I used this before a manicure and it worked brilliantly” wrote another (no heart but lots of exclamation marks) “Absolutely LOVE the cuticle butter. Handy little tin, beautiful spa smell and it feels like it is nourishing my cuticles”. Wow – that’s a lot of love! So, there you have it. It’s unanimous from the panel at Fabulous Farm Shops. These little pots of loveliness are worth giving a go. Buzz on over to the Neve’s Bees website to see all the gorgeous little pots for yourself and get some flower power on your skin. Neve’s Bees is very keen to grow in the retail sector and offers excellent POS merchandising and generous margins, so if you are a farm shop looking for some flowery magic for your shelves then email Julie to find out more.  article supplied by SVVL "You Think It. We Label It"SVVL specialises in producing and printing bespoke labels for all sectors of the food and drinks industry. With almost 30 years of experience in the label and packaging industry, we have a unique ability to produce high-quality bespoke products. All our products meet our clients' own specifications. Our in-house team will meet all individual requirements to promote your brand and business.
 In addition to the above, we offer bespoke boxes and paper bags in all sizes printed to individual requirements. This is an ideal way to promote a company and its products. For more details, please get in touch with sales@svvl.co.uk
Visit our website at www.svvl.co.uk Or call us on 01245 524473  Woodlets Briquettes are the new hot thing |
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We, at Fabulous Farm Shops HQ, are constantly amazed by the energy of this community and thrilled by the re-invention employed to combat the retail climate. Expanding your farm shop with a café showcasing all that is fresh and local is your ACE. Offering a refill service or a vegetable delivery scheme is your DROPSHOT. Showcasing your local ice cream producer in a cabinet instore or a coffee van or fishmonger on your courtyard is your BACKHAND SLICE.
We sit in the front row applauding and whooping your efforts and hope with all our hearts that the clouds clear, the sun comes out and you can throw your sweat bands into the crowd and lift the trophy.
Copplestone Farm Shop
This little gem of a farm shop reopened back in March 2023 with new owners who have steadily expanded the offering. They are now proud to say that they have goodies on sale from over 40 local producers and suppliers.
Lucy and Michaela opened Copplestone Farm Shop because they felt there was a real need for what they could offer – good, honest, local food in a happy, sociable, friendly little shop. And to date, they have been proved right with locals and visitors supporting the farm shop and all that it has to offer.
There is a fabulous selection of products now on sale from fresh, local fruit and veg, to hot pasties, biscuits, nuts and fudge. There is an ample supply of local meats and sausages, and they aim to grow their selection in the months to come.
 everything you need for breakfast |  Everything you need for tea |
They use a local coffee supplier to serve hot drinks, and various local cake makers in their extremely tempting “serve to go” cake cabinet. There are even outside benches or seating inside if your visit turns in to a slightly longer affair.
The Copplestone Farm Shop has become a social hub for the local community and you may well be tempted to take the weight off, rest your bones and eat another slice!
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Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm
Monday to Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm
Copplestone Farm Shop
Dulings Farm
Copplestone
Crediton
Devon
EX17 5NR
01363 530764
copplestonefarmshop@outlook.com
Dulings Farm
Copplestone
Crediton
Devon
EX17 5NR
01363 530764
copplestonefarmshop@outlook.com
Interesting to ponder, for a minute, what you expect when someone offers you a snack. Are you imagining a monstrous, cartoon layered scooby-snack, a weighty slice of bread on the bottom balancing a slab of every meat you can think of, a ginormous slice of beef tomato, a hunk of cheese bigger than a small country and a gravity defying top slice keeping it all together?
Or are you, like my children, imagining a chocolate-laden Swiss roll - chocolate sponge rolled expertly around chocolate butter icing and all excessively encased in solid chocolate (because two types of chocolate in a snack can only ever be improved by adding a third).
 | Or are you, like me, imagining a wrought iron balcony, looking out to the Mediterranean, a warm breeze ruffling your skirt as gentle music plays and a waiter brings you three little dishes of delicious savoury morsels to accompany a glass of cold rose? |
| If you're on my wavelength, and those three little dishes hold a trio of olives, nuts and sweet chilli rice crackers then you too should have Mr Filbert’s Fine Foods on speed-dial. Their foil packages of “really interesting snacks” mean that you can experience the delights of snacking absolutely anywhere and that imaginary Mediterranean balcony can be in the layby off the M5 if your handbag holds a snack pack with Mr Filbert on the cover. |  |
We, at Fabulous Farm Shops, recently had the good fortune to review three of their snacks (Pitted mixed olives with rosemary & garlic, French rosemary almonds and Traditional beef biltong) and found them quite delightful (read more here). So another box of goodies was sent our way and the gallant review panel, arms twisted, stepped forward with their hands cupped and ready for the next round of tasting.
On the table this time:
Basil, garlic and coriander marinated olives (snack pack)
Sweet chilli rice crackers (sharing pack)
Peanuts and Hazelnuts with Italian herbs (snack pack)
Basil, garlic and coriander marinated olives (snack pack)
Sweet chilli rice crackers (sharing pack)
Peanuts and Hazelnuts with Italian herbs (snack pack)
Well, anyone offering me my own little packet of olives to snack on immediately goes on my Christmas card list so I, for one, was pretty happy to see olives on the menu again. This time they are marinated in basil, garlic and coriander which is a slightly controversial mixture. Some of the review panel members turned their nose up at the thought of coriander. I have recently learnt that one’s delight or revulsion at the taste of coriander is a genetic predisposition rather than a simple taste preference. If coriander tastes like soapy water to you, then it is just the way you were born!
Fortunately, Mr Filbert’s use of coriander in his snack pack of olives is very sparing and the light hint of herbiness across these olives is perfectly balanced. There’s a nod to the Mediterranean without an overwhelming perfume or flavour.
" a subtle hint of summer nights"
...wrote one reviewer. “Soft and scrumptious” crooned another and “Moreish” scribbled a third.
The word moreish was deliberated over for a while by the review panel. Meaning “so good it leaves you wanting more” it was certainly applicable to this little pack of snack olives. This was not a sharing pack. It was a small handful of the most succulent, gently flavoured green olives. Some were left desperate for more whilst others felt that the volume was perfect for a little one-person accompaniment to a cool beverage. I certainly didn’t want to share mine with anyone. They can have my last rolo but I’m keeping my Filbert’s olives.
Next in the bowl were the sweet chilli rice crackers. Now if you’re after a bag of goodies to share with your mates, then you’ve come to the right snack. This is a sharing pack and a generous one at that. The packaging is fantastic as the resealable pouch can be easily closed and keeps the rice crackers gloriously fresh for the next bout of the munchies and there weren’t many who could have finished off this pack all by themselves. They pack a serious punch of chilli sweetness which knocks some sense into you. Often a sharing pack is just an excuse to eat three times more than you know is sensible but here we had a snack you want to take your time over.
The crackers are small and intense, a glorious orangey colour with a fabulous crunch. Pop a couple in your mouth and the sweet chilli gets the juices flowing then a powerful kick of flavour demands your attention. It was slightly unexpected on the first mouthful, eyes opened wide and a few coughs escaped but everyone, and I mean everyone, came back for more.
"Fabulous explosion on the tongue!!!!"
... was one comment, followed by a liberal sprinkling of exclamation marks. “WoW” shouted another. “Ker POW” added another (who thought he was in a Marvel comic and not writing for an extremely respectable and serious review panel).
| A definite hit. |  |
Our third and final treat for the day was another smaller snack pack containing a pleasing mixture of peanuts and hazelnuts with Italian herbs. Everyone noted the packet and were in favour of the realistic and attractive picture on the front. Knowing how hard it is to photograph food and make it look enticing, the consensus was that Mr Filbert’s have got it just right. The packaging gives you a good indication of what your senses are about to experience. Light and colourful but with a cleanness to the presentation which only makes you want to snack more. Excellent work.
Now for the taste test. Again, eager hands were held out for a good sprinkling of nut magic. And no one was disappointed. An even distribution of herby flavouring was noted and the taste was a “just right” on the Goldilocks’ scale of appreciation.
“ooh, a real change from the norm”
...wrote one nut-lover. “Perky” suggested another and the word “moreish” was rolled out again by various reviewers. One wrote a full essay on the pleasures of enjoying Mr Filbert’s peanuts and hazelnuts whilst watching a game of cricket with a cold beer. It was an excellent essay despite the awful handwriting and the unsightly beer stains on the paper but the message was clear…
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“I will be buying these snacks in the future”
- accompanied by a very good doodle of a wicket keeper.
- accompanied by a very good doodle of a wicket keeper.
See! - snacks beyond expectation.
If you would like to stock these fabulous little snacks in your farm shop then get in touch with Filbert's Fine Foods:
by phone 01458 833744
by email sales@filbertsfinefoods.co.uk
or online mrfilberts.com/pages/trade
by phone 01458 833744
by email sales@filbertsfinefoods.co.uk
or online mrfilberts.com/pages/trade
There’s a new man on the scene at Fabulous Farm Shops HQ and we hope you’re going to meet him soon. Edward Spicer runs his own unique business (more on that in a minute) but is perfectly placed to talk to all you fabulous farm shop owners out there about the great work that we are doing and he has agreed to become our man on the ground, our ambassador, the bearded face of Fabulous Farm Shops!
He travels around the UK with his own business, ArtisanLink, which he set up after seeing a gap in the market. He recognised that artisan producers want to put all their time and effort into creating the most beautiful, delicious, flavoursome product they can and that the promotion of that product to the delis and farm shops out there can be time-consuming and tricky.
Equally, he realised that the huge range of products bombarding the farm shop and deli owners on a daily basis made an informed decision difficult and that a lot of the best products were being lost amongst the, shall we say, less scrumptious.
Edward knew there was a place for a personal service, a trusted, carefully crafted regional sample delivery service. He gathers the best artisan products and presents the samples to the established farm shops and delis in his four carefully thought-out regions (see his website for more details on this) with a friendly and informative approach.
Edward does the leg work, enhancing brand exposure and maximising the impact of those all-important samples, creating quality leads and new opportunities.
So…we hope that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Whilst out on the road with ArtisanLink, Edward will be sharing our latest projects with farm shops, carrying copies of our new printed 'A' list and picking up titbits from the coalface of local retail!
Communication is the name of the game, so all feedback is welcome… as always, we want to continue to help farm shops and producers thrive in this ever-changing and challenging climate. So, if you meet Edward over the coming months, feel free to sit him down and tell him what you want… maybe just make him a coffee first!
I know they say you can’t but it’s not true. I’m learning new things all the time and I’m (err) a lady of a certain age.
I bought a paddleboard last year (went to Lidl’s for a tin of pineapple and came home with one, as you do) and can zig zag my way down a river now with the best of them. I’ve watched Strictly Come Dancing wistfully for years now and finally took the plunge this year, signed up for classes and now my rumba is as cringingly awful to watch as anyone else’s (but deeply satisfying to perform!) and when I used to make the cricket teas for my dad’s team back in the 80s, I never thought to actually pick up a bat and ask if I could play, but now I’m down the nets every Tuesday and I’m getting better, really I am. See – old dog, new tricks!
I’m a huge believer in “give it a try” and can be heard shouting it frequently at my children when I put a new dish in front of them and it’s greeted with a curled lip and a wrinkled nose. They both hate mushrooms and avocado, but I refuse to be beaten. I leave them both off the menu for a good twelve months and then sneak them in, in a new guise, a re-invented fanfare of deliciousness to see if their tastes have changed, their palates broadened.
Talking of broad, I used to feel that way about broad beans. My dad would plant a couple of packets every autumn and his excitement was almost palpable around this time of year when the first small pods were ready to pick. I would wander down the garden path and stare at the long rows of rather beautiful plants with their silvery-green lush foliage and striking black and white flower and wonder how such a pretty thing could produce such a vile bean. My heart would sink at just how many there were. It was going to be a bumper harvest.
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Sure enough, that Sunday, the kitchen would take on a rather farty aroma as the bright green little kidneys were boiled in their skins, turned an unattractive grey and were liberally scooped onto our plates. Dad would clap his hands in glee. I would vow never to eat another broad bean as soon as I was old enough to choose for myself.
And, for a long time, I kept my promise to my younger self. Until about five years ago when I went to an early summer party. We were out in the garden, a Pimm’s in hand, painted toes on show, enjoying the thrill of the first truly warm evening and the hostess was passing round platters of delicious things. I scooped a generous dollop of a bright green dip onto my oval of sourdough and popped it into my mouth…and, OMG , the world stopped turning. Well, not quite, but my eyes opened a little wider, the birds sang a little louder and I started following the hostess like a lovesick puppy.
“What IS that?” I swooned.
“Broad beans” came the repulsive answer. Don’t be ridiculous!
But yes - that’s what it was. New broad beans, boiled BRIEFLY in salted water, cooled and PEELED. Yep – those guffy skins are taken off and discarded - and then the beautiful new little nuggets of goodness are whizzed up with a little bit of mint, garlic and olive oil. Well, well, well….
So my epiphany came after 30 years and my self-inflicted broad bean exile came to an end. And my cries of “give it a try” have become even more evangelical. Do it today!
Take something you’ve always hated (and I’m talking about a fruit or a vegetable, not James Blunt – although you never know what a remix featuring Eminem might do) and mix it up. Re-interpret the little blighter and you too might just find heaven in a bean.
Take something you’ve always hated (and I’m talking about a fruit or a vegetable, not James Blunt – although you never know what a remix featuring Eminem might do) and mix it up. Re-interpret the little blighter and you too might just find heaven in a bean.
Blackberry Farm Shop & Cafe
Blackberry Farm Shop and Café is set in the heart of the Ruby Country, north Devon, with far reaching views of Dartmoor.
 then... |  ...and now! |
Opened in 2002, after Lizzy swept out her larder and created a tiny farm shop known as “Lizzy’s Larder”, now their many awards and accolades speak volumes for the quality of both their food and service. Much of the delicious fayre served in the café and available to buy in the shop is produced on site by Lizzy and her cook, Gillian.
The extensive menu includes an amazing all-day breakfast made with local ingredients, home-made curries, soups, cakes, paninis, sandwiches, jacket potatoes and more.
The warm, home-made scones in their award-winning Devon cream tea are served with local clotted cream and home-made strawberry jam. It can be included as part of a quintessential afternoon tea.
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When you have finished your food, you can stroll around the ‘free to enter’ animal area and meet and greet lots of friendly animals from goats and pigs, ponies and donkeys, rabbits and guinea pigs, poultry, alpacas, and, of course, Shake - the tortoise.
There really is something for everyone including gluten and dairy free products, vegetarian and vegan meals. Lizzy also offers fascinating talks about the relationship between farming and food and conducts farm walks.
Opening times:
Mon - Sat 9am til 5pm
Sun 10am til 4pm
Mon - Sat 9am til 5pm
Sun 10am til 4pm
Blackberry Farm Shop
Milton Damerel
Holsworthy
EX22 7NP
01409 261440
sales@lizzyslarder.co.uk
www.blackberryfarmshop.co.uk
Contactless collections available
Milton Damerel
Holsworthy
EX22 7NP
01409 261440
sales@lizzyslarder.co.uk
www.blackberryfarmshop.co.uk
Contactless collections available
“Work Hard, Snack Often” could be our office motto here at Fabulous Farm Shops HQ so when a box of goodies arrived from Mr Filbert’s, bearing their wonderful strapline “REALLY INTERESTING SNACKS”, there were some mild palpitations amongst those lucky enough to be on the review panel.
Up for review were three different snack pouches holding an exotic assortment of yummies:
Pitted mixed olives with rosemary & garlic
French rosemary almonds
Traditional beef biltong
Pitted mixed olives with rosemary & garlic
French rosemary almonds
Traditional beef biltong
And the first thing to mention is the concept. These fabulous little pouches are crying out to be poked into the side of a picnic basket or a lunch box or a cooler bag. Imagine packing a picnic for a day at the beach and all you need to do is chill the wine, make a thermos of coffee and open the cupboard to an array of pouches. Hmmm today I’ll have almonds lightly dusted in rosemary!
Where were these pouches when I was struggling to find interesting snacks for my children’s lunch boxes (is a box of raisins ok for the fifth day in a row, darling?). My son would have been very excited to have a packet of biltong in his lunch box instead of another solid and stinking peperami!
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The packaging is lovely too. Fresh and enticing pictures of the product adorn the front of the pouches with a cute little colourful drawing of Mr Filbert in his apron all beautifully coordinated with the title on the packet. I know one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, or a snack by its packet, but if the picture on the front sets one’s juices flowing then it needs a mention. Good packet, good expectations and farm shop customers are much more likely to pop one in their basket. Hoorah!
So let’s get down to business and tell you what we thought of the pitted mixed olives with rosemary & garlic!
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Well, personally I’m an olive fiend. Having spent the first 25 years of my life doing whatever I could to avoid the little blighters, something flicked a switch in me whilst on my travels, I welcomed olives into my life and have spent the next 25 years trying to make up for lost time. To find a pouch of olives which is RESEALABLE (thank you Mr Filbert for thinking of everything), lightly bathed in rosemary and garlic and created without excessive oil… well Hallelulah!
The packet tells us that this is…
Easy snacking:
No stones, no oil, no mess
Easy snacking:
No stones, no oil, no mess
And they are right about that. These olives are well-behaved and could accompany you anywhere. Equally at home on a bohemian beach blanket or a starched white table-clothed dinner table… they are deliciously UNmessy. You could stick these in your backpack, nibble on them whilst traversing the Camino de Santiago and still shake hands with the pilgrims on arrival - without making them greasy.
The general consensus from our review panel was that there was just the right amount of flavouring. The garlic and rosemary are present without being overpowering and add a smattering of interest whilst letting the olive be the star of the show.
The only question that divided opinion was of the texture of the olive. Some loved the slightly soft consistency of the pitted olives and couldn’t get enough of them whilst others wished for something a lot harder which requires proper robust nibbling!
Almost all reviewers could imagine themselves on a foreign balcony, with a glass of something cold in one hand, a handful of Mr Filbert’s olives in the other and the warmth of a Mediterranean sun warming their skin. Now THAT is a good snack!
Next to be poured into our little hors d’oeuvres bowls were the French rosemary almonds and they made quite an entrance. These are very pretty nuts! Not a phrase I have written before, but a large proportion of the review panel mentioned the glaze on these almonds and how good they looked before they made it into any mouths.
Words like “enticing” and “gorgeous” and “attractive” were being banded about and they weren’t talking about me! One reviewer went so far as to scribble “tempting little brown nuggets of nuttiness” which makes me happy just to type!
The smell of the almonds was also celebrated. A slight dusting of rosemary had one reviewer turning poetic and imagining themselves “brushing through a herb garden” and another “smelling sunshine”.
But it was the glorious act of snacking on these beautiful nuts which brought the most accolades. The “perfect combination” whispered someone in hushed and reverential tones. “Beautifully moreish – I never want to stop,” said another. “Dangerous” scribbled someone else, as they reached for another. “I would SO buy these”.
The firm crunch is just right, the dusting of herbs is perfect and the sugar/salt ratio is bang on. This little “light aromatic snack” is a unanimous hit with the Fabulous Farm Shops Review Panel and we can see why the packet is the proud bearer of a Great Taste award rosette.
These almonds were always going to be a hard act to follow and the Traditional beef biltong was going to struggle to compete in these conditions. A little palette cleanse was called for, a walk around the block and a taste reset.
The field was divided into biltong eaters and non-eaters which always makes the process slightly trickier. Some were self-proclaimed aficionados whilst others were biltong virgins and the results were equally extreme. For some, the biltong was a bit too "interesting", a step too far, but then a rallying cry could be heard from the back of the room. “This would be lovely with red wine“ chirped someone….”beautifully moist with a crisp edge” chimed another. “Mouthfuls of aromatic wonder” mused the poet.
“You can’t please all the people all of the time” scribbled the scribe and made a mental note of how successful marmite has become despite half the world being less than supportive!
So there you have it… three of Mr Filbert’s fabulous snacks and our humble opinions. There are other flavours and other products available on their website at mrfilberts.com and some wonderful combination snacking selections from “indulgent” to “vegan” to “tapas” to "for him" collections.
All the snacks are created in Somerset with carefully foraged ingredients with an emphasis on healthier and delicious snacks which are, as their advertising suggests, truly
“beyond expectation”.
“beyond expectation”.
If you would like to stock these fabulous little snacks in your farm shop then get in touch with Filbert's Fine Foods:
by phone 01458 833744
by email sales@filbertsfinefoods.co.uk
or online mrfilberts.com/pages/trade
by phone 01458 833744
by email sales@filbertsfinefoods.co.uk
or online mrfilberts.com/pages/trade
A Note From The Editor
A friend of mine popped over the other day for a catch up and I flicked the kettle switch down as I heard her footsteps coming up the path. I had two of my favourite mugs on a little tray and a couple of pastries and my milk frother at the ready. The anticipation of my first coffee of the morning and a chat with my friend had me buzzing before the caffeine even hit my blood.
Then she uttered the chilling words….
“No thanks. I’ve given up coffee. I’ll just have water….”
Well, that burst my frothy bubble. Where’s the joy in that? Could we even still be friends?
“No thanks. I’ve given up coffee. I’ll just have water….”
Well, that burst my frothy bubble. Where’s the joy in that? Could we even still be friends?
Don’t get me wrong. I love a nice cold, glass of water…after a game of cricket or a long bout of gardening or housework or when I’ve just done my teeth and can’t shake the minty fresh tongue thing but at 11 o’clock, when you have already done what feels like half a day’s work - is there anything better than coffee???
pic from Fields Farm Shop & Cafe, Suffolk
Most of the world agrees with me. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world (after oil) with over 2 billion cups consumed every day and 98 million of those in the UK (according to the British Coffee Association. )
Coffee shops have been multiplying on our high streets exponentially for at least 20 years and we are seeing more and more of our fabulous farm shops introducing coffee machines, expanding their footprint with coffee shops and cafés, and selling beautiful, roasted beans alongside their fresh milk stations.
The green barn farm shop's new cafe, essex
We know that we drink coffee to help us wake up, to motivate us to get on with the day, to keep our eyes open when the snooze creeps up on us but the social side of drinking coffee is the real pull for me. Meeting for coffee, hands clasped around a big mug, those glorious aromas wafting around you whilst you chat and re-connect make this drink a bigger part of our lives than anyone could ever have guessed when it was introduced into England in the 17th Century.
Coffee:
A warm, delicious alternative to hating everybody every morning forever
Coffee has filtered (sorry!) through our lives and created a fragrant backdrop to business meetings, first dates, break-ups, favourite sit-coms, friendships, reunions and farewells. As American romance writer J. Lynn writes:
“the key to the start of any good relationship is to remember how the other person likes their coffee”.
Nowadays some 700 million people are estimated to rely on coffee in one form or another for their employment, you can get a master’s degree in coffee at a university in Italy, attend various barista training courses, enjoy coffee tasting experiences, have quotations about coffee framed on your wall at home and buy “coffee lovers” gift sets for Christmas … you can even spread the old grounds on your garden and use it to improve your roses or burn it on your log burner.
Not bad for a little bean!
pic from Hooga Coffee, Somerset
I was sat in my garden on a glorious late April afternoon, cradling a cup of coffee (my third, if I’m honest) and seeking inspiration for this very blog post. It’s the time of year when everything feels fresh and new, poised to unfurl (but I wrote about that LAST April!) and full of energy (except my brain!).
Waiting for a flash of inspiration, a bee came into view as it landed on a dandelion at my feet. It got stuck into the golden layers and looked positively joyous as it emerged coated in sunshiny dust. Absent-mindedly, I followed its journey and saw it land on my wallflower, poke about for a few seconds and then on to my rosemary bush where it lingered for longer and delved into the small, lilac/blue flowers, open and welcoming in the sunshine.
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Where next? It hovered around my coconut macaroon for a while (did I fail to mention the coffee accompaniment?!) before settling on my tulips and finally buzzing off where I could no longer follow…to the neighbouring garden. Good luck, I whispered, you won’t find much there!
How fabulous, I thought, to have such a choice for your coffee break, to flit from yellow to purple to blue to white, to taste a bit of sweetness, a bit of savoury, a bit of herby perfume and spend your day digging into a smorgasbord of different flavours and colours…. KER POW…inspiration!
Isn’t that just how I feel when I shop in my local farm shop?
During the week, squeezing a food shop into the window of opportunity between work and school run, I will nip into the supermarket. Uninspiring but necessary, I will be on autopilot picking up what we need in the cupboard, but, at the weekend, when time is my friend, I will venture to my farm shop and browse the shelves and I become that bee.
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Ooh olives in chilli and garlic? yes please…I’ll try a bit of that.
Hand-stretched focaccia with sea-salt and rosemary? Well, I don’t mind if I do, thank you very much.
Grass-fed steak, dry aged on the bone? Why ever not?
Handmade, gooey chocolate brownies? It would be rude not to.
Hand-stretched focaccia with sea-salt and rosemary? Well, I don’t mind if I do, thank you very much.
Grass-fed steak, dry aged on the bone? Why ever not?
Handmade, gooey chocolate brownies? It would be rude not to.
I flit from one delicious offering to the next, metaphorically dunking my stripes in their pollen and revelling in their goodness! The farm shop, with its plethora of choice, is the kama sutra of the food shop.
A very wise man (William Cowper 1731 – 1800) once said that “Variety’s the very spice of life” and, had I met him, I’d have shaken him by the hand (and possibly asked him if he’d been watching a bee in his garden when he came up with that one). We all need choice in our lives to keep them exciting – man cannot live by turnip alone.
The supermarket can keep us alive but it’s the farm shop that can nourish our soul.
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Cobbs at The Farm, Stratford
Cobbs at The Farm, Stratford, is part of the Cobbs Farm Shops group - a group of farm shops founded out of supplying quality food with provenance to their customers, as well as providing a platform to the immense volume of artisanal producers on their doorstep.
Cobbs at The Farm was redeveloped in 2017 and has become a popular and unique food and well-being destination that all the family will appreciate and enjoy.
Cobbs at The Farm was redeveloped in 2017 and has become a popular and unique food and well-being destination that all the family will appreciate and enjoy.
The Farm Shop
They showcase artisan producers, products, a wholefood cafe, a traditional butchery, and fantastic delicatessen. There is a strong emphasis on sustainability and they do their very best to recycle and use recyclable packaging.
This wonderful farm shop offers a superb choice of locally sourced produce and fresh fruit & veg are in abundance.
It's clear to see that Cobbs support local brands and champion independent suppliers with the wide range of local wholefoods on offer. You'll be equally impressed with the cheese selection, the delicatessen, the bakery, and the incredible range of ethically farmed meat available at their butchery.
This wonderful farm shop offers a superb choice of locally sourced produce and fresh fruit & veg are in abundance.
It's clear to see that Cobbs support local brands and champion independent suppliers with the wide range of local wholefoods on offer. You'll be equally impressed with the cheese selection, the delicatessen, the bakery, and the incredible range of ethically farmed meat available at their butchery.
Sustainability is the key and you can refill time and time again here at their eco-friendly refill stations – from food to cleaning products.
The little ones will love the 'naturally made' play area - there's plenty of space to burn off a little steam before lunch at the café! Cobbs at The Farm is a wonderful place packed with an array of things to see and do – there’s a lovely herb garden and some farm animals to walk around and see.
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Relax in beautiful surroundings and enjoy some wonderful seasonal and flavoursome dishes. The fully licensed café is the perfect place to enjoy a spot of breakfast or lunch, or a great-tasting coffee and cake with your family and friends. Freshly made pizzas are available every day and you can also enjoy a delicious roast every Sunday.
The Café
If the sun is shining, take your meal outside! There is ample seating in the court yard.
Events
Cobbs at The Farm also offer workshops and even boast a cookery school. You can choose from a wide range of workshops such as wreath making or dress making and the seasonal cookery courses offer courses such as Sushi Workshop and Speciality Bread Making.
OPENING HOURS:
Monday-Saturday 9am -5pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm
Monday-Saturday 9am -5pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm
Cobbs at The Farm Stratford
Snitterfield
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 0QA
01789 731807
hello@thefarmstratford.co.uk
www.cobbsfarmshops.co.uk/cobbs-at-the-farm-stratford
Snitterfield
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 0QA
01789 731807
hello@thefarmstratford.co.uk
www.cobbsfarmshops.co.uk/cobbs-at-the-farm-stratford
The Old Forge Farm Shop
The beautiful Wiltshire village of Berwick St James has welcomed the opening of the Old Forge Farm Shop & Café. Well worth a stop off if you are travelling down the A303 and passing through Winterbourne Stoke (look out for signs at the roadside). The slight detour will be rewarded with a warm welcome from the new team that has taken on this quirky little building.
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Customer reviews are five star, and the locals are thrilled to have a farm shop back on their doorstep offering fresh fruit and vegetables, pies and pastries, cheese and olives, store cupboard essentials and a section of refills ranging from beautiful, locally harvested rapeseed oil to dried fruit and nuts.
Half of the old forge is now a great little café for cakes, coffees and amazing full English breakfasts which come in varying degrees of “fullness” with farmers’ fuel (one of everything!), farmers’ feast (two of everything!), farmers’ allotment (vegetarian option), farmers’ harvest (vegan), growing farmer (kids). Literally something for everyone!
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This is a great place to stop if you are walking in the area and the laid back atmosphere is suitable for muddy boots and dogs (dog treats available) - even horse riders are welcomed and have been known to pick up a bacon roll to eat on the go!
It is worth keeping an eye on social media posts for all the daily specials which will be hard to resist from coconut & chickpea curry to meatball pasta. There are sharing platters and cream teas, luxury afternoon teas (pre-booking essential) and lots of gluten free options.
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And if the sun is shining, grab a table outside. Sit back and let the Old Forge vibe soak in!
Opening Hours:
SHOP Tuesday to Saturday 9am - 4pm
CAFÉ Tuesday to Saturday 9am - 3pm
SHOP Sunday 10am - 4pm
CAFÉ Sunday 10am - 2pm
SHOP Tuesday to Saturday 9am - 4pm
CAFÉ Tuesday to Saturday 9am - 3pm
SHOP Sunday 10am - 4pm
CAFÉ Sunday 10am - 2pm
The Old Forge Farm Shop
Langford Lane
Berwick St James
Salisbury
SP3 4UA
Langford Lane
Berwick St James
Salisbury
SP3 4UA