Farm Shop

[Tristan]

Some lovely food for sale in there to be fair. Nice price as well. The kids play barn is excellent.

Tristan

 

[sleepy]

These people are doing a great job of it the sell a lot online as well

http://www.chucklinggoat.co.uk/

They even have a live 'goat cam'

http://www.chucklinggoat.co.uk/goat-cam/

 

[RCS-EPoS]

You have to pay someone to man it or man it yourself , how many days a week 6 or 7 how many hours a day , most want shops open 8 till 8 or you will lose trade, that's a lot of wages to cover before you start to make a profit

This is true though there's nothing to say you couldn't build up to this especially if you start out small by supplying a local village. Open up for a couple of hours a week or:

Operate a small one selling spuds, other veg and eggs. Mostly work an honesty box, handily placed on a busy road and near several towns.

Also if there is a local farmers market it could be a way to test what works and what doesn't work. Plus you'll be able to make contact with customers.

 

[Dman2]

We set up www.dropswellfarmshop.co.uk back in 2002
ran it until 2009 gradually building it up until it was starting to get out of our control.
Eventually took the decision to pull out of the day to day running and now rent it to the guy who was our butcher.
There are only so many hours in the day, and sometimes farming has to come first.
Do not miss Christmas time in the shop. Run up was usually 4 am starts and 11pm finishes just so that half of waht you sold could get chucked in the bin on boxing day

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

Wife's cousin owns and runs this one. leggesofbromyard mixture between farm shop and traditional butchers but they seems to be doing great business.


@multi power don't worry about your lack of people skills , our local one is run by a chap and wife/lady and he is miserable as sin, he turn his back most of the time you approach the counter. Never the less the meat is great so I go back every week.

I've walked out of shops because of poor staff attitude to customers - if they can't be ars@d I'll go elsewhere !

 

[brynseiri]

That jimmy's farm bloke highlighted the main issue in his first series, how was he going to get shoppers to travel far out of town and a mile up a farm track to pay him £1.00 per sausage. That is the skill of a shopkeeper really.

 

[Will 1594]

emma,s mum has had a farm shop for last 30 year , sell taties and veg fruit eggs ,plants ,fresh flowers for all occasions ,and al sorts of stuff , find her on face book , cleatham farm shop

 

[FarmerRichard82]

Location is key. Test it on a micro level first.

 

[DrWazzock]

Location is key. Test it on a micro level first.

Yes, if not close to a busy road, I would not bother.

 

[Farmer Dod]

Totally agree with comments re:location. We're just outside a town of 10000 people and on a commuter road.

 

[Farmer Rich]

would also agree with location. Becketts farm shop at Wythall (Birmingham) started small and now car park is busy everyday. Seem to focus on selling good local produce and the onsite restaurant has been voted to have the midlands best breakfast!

 

[TheRanger]

I know of a dairy farm that has a farm shop/cafe/milk bar that seems to be able to employ twice the amount of staff in the shop as on the farm. Must be money in it.

 

[IH 684]

Thinking of trying a mobile one, more options, less paperwork,

 

[aggravated farmer]

There is one a minute down the road from me. Sells loads of vegetables. I'm gonna be selling honey there next year, did a trial run recently and sold all I had there.

 

[rusty]

would also agree with location. Becketts farm shop at Wythall (Birmingham) started small and now car park is busy everyday. Seem to focus on selling good local produce and the onsite restaurant has been voted to have the midlands best breakfast!

I went to a presentation and tour around by the owners 2 years ago. Very impressive, they have about 100 staff in total. It was good to hear the farmers mentality in gaining planning permission for extra car parking (more silage pits) etc. They have also refurbished their old poultry sheds to let out as light industrial and retail space.

 

[Dawb]

Location, location, location as they say.

There a farm shop on the A66 called maingill farm. They seem to be really busy I think mainly because its a convivial stop between the A1 and the lake district.

It offers excellent food and a playground which helps.

When I stopped last they were working out of a big marquee, it may be a way of dipping your toe into the water before building a shop. I have also supplied many marquees to people who have successful shops and would like to expand them for Christmas.

If you need a marquee I have a web site selling them secondhand If you need any advice on flooring, heating, planning permission etc just ask.


mod note:- edited to remove sales link

 

[Hedge Hunter]

my local shop .http://humfreysfarmshop.co.uk/
there is a National Front shop but thats not for the locals.only the tourists use the national trust shops.
did you know the national trust dont even employ locals so as a result humphrys shop is well busy.

 

[S J H]

There is a farmshop on the oxford to Gloucester road which I've seen, it's a timber building on top of a low loader, so when it's shut it's not there. In the layby of the farm entrance. I thought it's was a great idea, and if it doesn't make money, then you can sell the shop.

 

[warksfarmer]

any one got one pros,cons?

Location location location.

1. Busy roads.
2. Local towns only with supermarkets in them.
3. Nice post code with a bit of cash around.
4. Sell everything from veg, fruits, meats to logs and pet food.
5. Price match the supermarkets.
6. Add a deli.
7. Eventually add a tea room and sell christmas trees at cost price.
8. Work 7 days per week.

Do not buy your fruit and veg from the big local city market because its crap quality compared to what the supermarkets are offering.

Good luck.

 

[Condi]

Place I was at started one. Went pretty big from the start. We all said it wouldnt last. 5 years later they have won awards for the produce in there; own deli, tea shop, cafe and the like and are going great. Fair play to her. They must have invested about 500k to get it going though by the time they had converted the barn and everything. Also buy a busy road in a reasonably well off area.