Just off the A30, on the outskirts of Chard, you will find the wonderful, family-run Barleymow’s Farm Shop. The purpose-built, barn-like structure is a brilliantly stocked shop, offering everything one could want from a local farm shop. The owners live and breathe a local food policy: if they aren’t able to produce the food themselves, it will be sourced from somewhere within a 25-mile radius. The freshness and quality of the food sold is spectacular.
The meat counter, complete with a knowledgeable butcher, is brimming with roasts, joints, chops, burgers, sausages and faggots — any quality cut you can think of. The meat looks mouth-wateringly pink and inviting, perfect for a Sunday lunch or a midweek BBQ. Couple that with the home-grown vegetables — earthy potatoes, crinkly green cabbage, freshly pulled beetroot and cauliflowers still wrapped in their inner leaves (no plastic anywhere to behold!) — and you know every mouthful is going to do you good.
The deli counter caters to those passing through (many cyclists stop here en route), with cheeses and quiches, pasties and pies. The sweet treats are particularly hard to walk past, with daily offerings of freshly baked bread, cakes and biscuits, as well as a very good selection of gluten-free products. Fresh eggs come from the farm, and a Friday fish counter caters to a growing following.
The floristry section is a well-known local secret. Fresh blooms are always available and make a breathtaking alternative to plastic-wrapped ‘garage’ flowers. There is also a good selection of potted plants, bedding plants or farm-grown Christmas trees (depending on the season).
Attached to the farm shop is a delightful, fully licensed restaurant with views over the surrounding farmland. Tables are in demand, making it a popular place to take the weight off and indulge in some local fare, with seating both inside and out. There is a good range of light bites or more substantial meals, with cream teas in the summer and hot soups, coffees and cakes for winter sustenance. And if you love it so much that you need to stay longer, there is a beautiful campsite with electric hook-ups, open from Easter to autumn.
The farm shop is open Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm (the café closes at 5pm), and on Sundays from 8.30am until 4pm.
For more information you can visit their website at www.barleymowsfarmshop.co.uk and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
