‘Once family farms are gone, they’re gone’

On the evening Speciality Food speaks to Farm Shop Reviews founder Taylor Dunn, the dust is settling on a remarkable day in British farming history, with an estimated 10,000 farmers having descended on Westminster to protest against proposed Inheritance Tax measures levied against them in the autumn Budget.

It was one of the largest collective movements by the UK’s farming industry in living memory…and a reminder to the British public about the hardworking people behind the scenes, working tirelessly to put food on their plates.

Taylor, and fellow Farm Shop Reviews collaborator George Buckley are part of a younger, newer generation discovering rural retailing, and finding it a real tonic from the anonymity of supermarkets. Farming is something we should all be fighting for, they say, preserving long held traditions, skills and food security for now, and for the future. Taylor explains why farm shops matter to him.

What are your thoughts on the new Inheritance Tax rules?

I disagree with them completely. It’s utterly the wrong thing to do and there has to be more awareness of it. A lot of people on social media seem to think every farmer is rich, but that’s not the case at all. Generations going forward might not be able to look after the farms in the future, and we’ll see farms going under. It’s a very sad situation. I read that Labour is saying not all farms will be affected, only those worth £3 million, but my perspective is, I can’t think of any farm less than £3 million – they’ve got a mortgate, land, livestock, salaries to pay – it’s incredibly tough.

Food security is a massive concern at the moment and it seems the Government don’t know much about farming or agriculture. What they’re doing could potentially damage the countryside, and leave us relying on imports – that’s a huge concern. Once family farms are gone, they’re gone.

What sparked your interest in farm shops?

A few years ago myself and my girlfriend were saving up for our first property. At the time, instead of going on big holidays, we thought we’d do little weekends away, exploring the countryside a bit more and discovering places in the UK. We travelled all over – the Lake District, Yorkshire, Cornwall – and visited lots of farm shops. I loved chatting with the farmers and people who worked in the shops.

In the first lockdown we went out to Chelmsford (we’re in Southend) and came across a farm shop in the countryside. It looked a bit run down to be honest, and didn’t look like there was much going on – it was like a shed in the back garden. I thought to myself, ‘this has got a bit of character, I’m going to have to pop in’. Inside there was a lovely lady, just by herself sorting out the veg and produce. After a bit of a browse we had a conversation and she told me she’d only been open for a week. In the local village there were quite a lot of elderly people who were not able to get to supermarkets or use public transport.

Her husband was cultivating the fields, and she was using the farm shop to give out free fresh fruit and vegetables to the local community – mostly the elderly. She would put it all out in baskets and containers, and put a message on social media for them to help themselves.

That touched me a lot. It made me quite emotional, and ever since I’ve had this burning passion. I thought I cannot let this incredible woman’s story, and the story of others like her not be told. My mission to support farm shops and small local businesses stemmed from there. I think we’ve visited about 90 of them now.

What do you love about farm shops?

For me, personally, it’s the experience you can’t get anywhere else. The atmosphere, the smells, the sensory stuff. As you walk into a farm shop you can tell everything’s local, and it’s part of the community – everyone has a huge smile on their face. They’re supporting their local area, and other independent businesses which is so important too. You know what you’re buying hasn’t got more passport stamps than you do.

What makes a great farm shop?

It sounds brutal, but they shouldn’t be commercialised. There are a lot of farm shops in various parts of the country where you go in and instantly feel like you’re in Waitrose or M&S. For me that’s not a farm shop, that’s just a shop that’s been to a wholesaler and put its prices up because it looks posh. A farm shop should have personality. I want to see signs hanging from the ceiling. I want fresh veg still covered in mud. And local ingredients and products put first.

Do you have any favourite products?

I’m always on the lookout for a good pork pie – I love a pork pie, and farm shops that make their own are some of the best. One of the first things I look for in a farm shop is a bakery. And the meat counter. They are amazing. There’s a farm shop in Benfleet in Essex called Green Barn Farm Shop. They rear their own incredible grass-fed organic beef, and we love using this to make our own pies at home.

Which stories have resonated with you most in your time visiting farmers?

As well as the lady in Chelmsford, there’s a dairy farm in Essex called Bradfields Farm Dairy. Myself and George went there earlier in the year and spoke to farmer Nick who, I believe, is in his 80s. He’s been farming for decades. He told us there used to be 400 dairy farms in Essex, and I’m sorry to tell you there are now only four, and Bradfields is one of them.

The thing that inspires me is that there is so much red tape around farming and dairy farms, where food standards have to be a certain level, and the farm has to pay a certain amount of money each year to Arla – it’s incredibly tough. So it’s humbling that Nick and his family continue to do it, providing milk and other dairy products to the local community. 

Tell us about some of your favourite British farm shops

First is Lathcoats in Chelmsford. It’s set in the beautiful countryside with lovely views as you arrive, and they grow their own apples, so in the season there’s apple picking and fruit picking, which is really nice. All their veg is incredibly fresh. Another thing I like about them is they support local businesses. When there’s someone up-and-coming, selling cakes or jewellery, whatever it might be, they help to promote them. I also like the meat counter. And the fact it’s really good for families, with a nice little cafe.

My second pick is Wonky Barn Farm Shop. They’re based in Herefordshire. They grow their own produce and it’s incredibly fresh. They have their own milk, dairy, eggs, bakery and Cheddar, all purely made on the farm, not imported. The farm shop has its own brand as well, for oils, jams and things. I like that it’s a proper farm shop experience. It’s more like a shed, not a commercialised setting, it’s old fashioned - ‘here’s what we’ve made for you, come and grab it’.

My third choice would be the North Cotswolds Dairy Co. That’s a really good dairy farm. They’re the ones who produce milk for Diddly Squat farm. When you turn up you think it’s going to be commercial but it’s not like that at all. They’ve got a trust pot so you can pick your own milk, milkshake, ice cream or other dairy products and pay using the honesty system. You also get to see the cows, which I think is incredibly important. It’s really lovely.

What do you think modern farm shops need to do to survive?

I think they need more open days for the public. It’s really good education and it’s a good way to share knowledge, especially with the younger generations, so they know where foods come from – they need to understand food doesn’t grow on shelves!

I would like to see more marketing online as well. I only know about farm shops because I’m researching them. As much as us consumers should make an effort to find farm shops, it would be good for them to make a bit more effort with us to strengthen that relationship.

What would you like to see more of?

I think it would be good for them to have volunteering days open to the public, so they can go in with the team, maybe pick fruit and veg and bring it into the shop, collect eggs, spend time in the dairy.

That’s a good way to get people to understand more about farms and why farms are important. 

We have to support our farmers by shopping locally. When we go to the supermarket to get a bottle of milk, pennies go to the farmer. Everyone reading this should get to a farm shop or farmers’ market this weekend, buy some fresh meat and produce, and after they’ve cooked it, before they take a bite of their dinner, just think about the people who worked hard to put that food on their plate.