Just on the edge of Milton Abbas you will find Steeptonbill Farm Shop, a humdinger of a farm shop. It’s not shiny and shouty, but the produce on offer makes you sit up and notice. It has won awards for delicious, fresh food grown locally, if not on the farm itself.
Steve Gould is the face of the business and what he doesn’t know about fresh, seasonal vegetables probably isn’t worth knowing. He’s also extremely passionate about the animals that he rears and the provenance of the meat he sells in the farm shop. And he’s very happy to share his incredible knowledge with any customer who needs a little nudge in the right direction whether it’s how to roast a leg of lamb or how to make a giant marrow taste delectable.
After more than 15 years in the business, Steve is as determined as ever to support the local growers and encourage as many members of the public to eat well as he can. The taste of a home-grown carrot is unsurpassable and he wants the world to know it. Seasonal fruit and vegetables nestle in wicker baskets, picked that morning from the muddy ground and baskets of still-warm eggs tempt you. The chickens are pecking around the yard just outside the shop.
There’s local honey and fresh bread, delicious sausages (pork and marmalade? Yes please) Somerset brie and Dexter beef. The greens and the fruit on offer simply depend on what’s in season. It could be whirl-shaped gourds or bright green beans, kurly kale or earthy potatoes but whatever is, you can guarantee the taste will be fantastic.
Always on offer are the store cupboard essentials plus some mouth-watering snacks with crisps and nuts, croissants and ice-cream hard to walk past. A trip to Milton Abbas is well worth the journey.
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