Part of our ethos at Lower Campscott Farm is to keep our impact on the planet and climate as minimal as possible. From powering our site exclusively using renewable fuel in our biomass boiler, establishing a ‘pump and return’ system to minimise water waste, to working with the Soil Association to maintain Organic standards, we try our best to do everything we can to treat our environment with care and respect. Through our on-site farm shop we try our best to spotlight local produce and introduce our guests to the best that Devon has to offer. Whether that’s local organic fruit & veg, honey, jams and chutneys, local ciders or even our own organic meat, we want to make sure that whatever we stock is not only top quality but keeps the food miles down.
One of the oldest partnerships we have is with Brendan Hill, who produce a huge variety of delicious jams, chutneys and preserves. In fact, any guest staying with us will have the opportunity to try their delicious jams as a part of the welcome cream tea we provide, alongside fresh local scones. For the more adventurous they also produce a wide variety of jams you won’t find in the supermarket – maybe on your next visit you can try some Chuckleberry or Whortleberry jam, or even Dumpsy Dearie jam, a blend of apples, pears and plums in sweet spices.
Another long standing partnership of ours is Farmer Tom’s, who produce a delicious variety of quality ice creams from Dunstaple Farm in Holsworthy, which is just under 40 miles from our door. A hit with kids of any age, the wide variety of flavours mean even the most discerning ice cream taster will find something they really love. The heated debate between Coconut Cream and Eton Mess in our household will probably never be settled!
As many of our guests will know, we also try to stock a variety of beers and ciders, many of which are locally sourced. Red Rock Brewery, based in Burlescombe in Mid Devon, produces a wide variety of great local beers that don’t have to travel very far to get to us. We also stock Shipwrecked Cider, produced independently just down the road from us in Mortehoe. Devon has a proud tradition of cider making and we try to do our best to support it!
In addition to this we’re lucky enough to have the brilliant Hakeford Woods close to us, a charity that offers woodland educational courses and wellbeing opportunities to individuals, community groups and students in the local area. Not only do they supply us with barbecue charcoal but we’re convinced it’s some of the best in the country, making it perfect for those summer barbecues. Helping support sustainable forest craft is something we’re keenly interested in and it’s a perfect addition to our shop.
These are just a few examples of course, we stock a variety of other local items – art from local,talented artists, fudge from local dairies, sticks of rock, delicious cakes and brownies and so much more. We’re always looking for the next perfect product to introduce to our guests, so next time you stay with us why not take a look around the shop and see (or taste) just a sample of what Devon has to offer?