People sometimes ask us why we chose to farm cattle and sheep. The answer is simple: you can only farm to your land. Cowboy wisdom dictates that it’s easier to plough around the tree stump than it is to try and go through it. With that in mind it’s best to accept that your land is what it is – and it’s a darn sight easier to work with it than to try and work against it.
Our farm sits 1000 feet up in the Mendip Hills, so we have pretty thin soil and we’re fairly exposed, which isn’t great for arable farming – but we can grow grass really well. That means that producing animals that can consume the grass is the best way to work this land.
One of the results of those efforts – our home reared beef – is available from the honesty shop on our farm, along with an array of other local produce, which you’ll find listed at the end of this blog. Try our beef, and you’ll be enjoying the fruits of our year-round efforts raising cattle here in the beautiful Mendip Hills.
While there are plenty of great places to eat out in the surrounding area, most of the people who come to us enjoy self-catering and want to do that for at least part of their holiday – and the good news is that our beef is just one of many local specialities you can enjoy during your stay.
We’re surrounded by a spectacular array of local food producers – from traditional cider to the makers of the area’s most famous delicacy: Cheddar Cheese. If you want to build your meals around the best the area can offer, here are the places you need to visit:
1. Thatchers Cider
The Thatchers family have been making cider for over a century at Myrtle Farm in Sandford. Visit their farm shop to buy their award-winning ciders, and stay a little longer for a guided tour. You’ll learn about the traditional methods used to craft their ciders, from selecting apples to blending and maturing – and you’ll get to sample their cider at the end. If you fancy a bigger drink, head to their traditional country pub, The Railway Inn, at the heart of Sandford Village.
2. Yeo Valley
Nestled in the heart of the Mendip Hills, Yeo Valley is an organic dairy farm that’s been producing top-notch dairy products since 1961. Their range now includes yoghurt, butter, ice cream, cheese, soups and more. Their Organic Garden is a delight, and is open to visitors for much of the year. If you want to stop for refreshments, head to the garden tearoom or the award-winning staff canteen, which is now open to the public serving up bacon sandwiches, soups, cakes and pastries – and you should also bring a cool bag to stock up on the local food to take back to the farm.
3. Lye Cross Farm
Just a short drive from Warren Farm, Lye Cross Farm is a family-run business that produces some of the best cheese in the region. With a focus on traditional methods, they’re committed to maintaining the highest standards in animal welfare and sustainable farming. Their on-site farm shop is packed with goodness: meats, cheeses, beers, ciders, wine and more – and it’s all local.
4. The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company
No visit to the area would be complete without experiencing the world-famous Cheddar cheese at its source. The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company is the only cheesemaker left in the village of Cheddar, and they take real pride in continuing the centuries-old tradition. Take their VIP Cheese Tour to learn about the cheesemaking process, taste the delicious results of their efforts – and then stock up on cheeses to enjoy during your stay.
5. Cobbs of Cheddar
Located in Cheddar, Cobbs is our go-to butcher for stocking up our honesty shop with excellent bacon and sausages – but it’s well worth visiting the shop itself where, as well as meats, you’ll find a fish counter, a deli counter, cakes, bread, flour and other staples.
6. Chew Moos
Based near Bristol, Chew Moos produces sensational, rich and creamy ice creams using milk from their Guernsey herd. You’ll find a small selection of these in our honesty shop, but if you visit their ice cream parlour on the farm you’ll be dazzled by the choices. You can also explore the farm, meet the cows, and take in the beautiful surroundings.
7. Seager’s Fruit and Veg
Seager’s is known for producing spectacularly good strawberries, and their on-site stall offers these plus other fruit and veg. As the strawberries are freshly picked just yards away, they’re as fresh as you can get.
8. Warren’s Fruit Farm
Not to be confused with our own farm, Warren’s is a great place to stock up on items such as fresh Cheddar Valley strawberries, fruit, vegetables and dairy.
9. Our honesty shop!
Our on-site honesty shop aims to make your stay easier and more relaxing by providing the things you might have forgotten to bring, and a decent enough range of local produce for you to be able to self-cater without leaving the farm.
As the name suggests, the shop isn’t manned – just write down what you take and pay at the end of your stay. Besides the items listed below, we also have a clipboard you can fill in to order fresh bread.
Here’s a list of the great local food you can expect to find in our shop:
- Bacon and sausages
- Kate’s home-made jams
- A milk vending machine for fresh milk in the mornings
- Orange juice, apple juice and fizzy drinks (Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke)
- Local alcohol, including beers from Cheddar Ales and Thatchers cider
- Our own beef burgers, diced beef and minced beef
- Local ice creams from Chew Moos
- Pasta, spaghetti and pasta sauce
- A range of chocolate
- Coffee and tea, including coffee beans for grinding in the coffee grinder you’ll find in your accommodation
- Essentials such as salt, pepper, and Somerset rapeseed oil
Apart from food and drinks, we also stock some toiletries such as shampoo, shower gel, razors, feminine products, Calpol and Nurofen.
We’re really proud of the great local food and drink produced here in Somerset, and we hope that when you come to stay with us, you’ll sample as much of it as you can – and leave feeling relaxed, recharged and well fed.
If you’ve found any other places that stock great local food from Somerset then let us know.