The best in the business in running for FARMAs

The National Farmers’ Retail and Markets’ Association (FARMA) recognise the UK’s best farm shops and has been a well-established event for more than a decade.

Home Farm, Beningbrough, in York, has been shortlisted for the Best Small Farm Shop Award 2013 while Keelham Farm Shop near Bradford has been short-listed for Farm Retailer of the Year.

Meanwhile, The Balloon Tree near York is shortlisted for the Pick Your Own category.

The Best Small Farm Shop category was introduced this year in recognition of those traditional farm shops which hold fast to their integrity as farm-based, family-run businesses serving the local community.

Alistair and Lucy Jackson are tenants at Home Farm, which forms part of the Beningbrough Hall estate owned by the National Trust.

In 2008, with a need to diversify and a passion for local food, the Jacksons poured their savings into converting an old cart shed a few metres from their back door.

The result is a striking and homely farm shop, with views overlooking the parkland and the Aberdeen Angus herd, which in turn provides meat for the farm shop.

The farm shop has become a hit with locals, and an added attraction to the 130,000 visitors to the hall each year.

“We are delighted that Home Farm Beningbrough is a finalist in the 2013 FARMA Awards, as we believe that size doesn’t always matter and small farm shops can be excellent at what they do,” said Rita Exner, FARMA Secretary.

“In the next round of judging, we will be looking in more depth at all the finalists, taking into account not only the customer experience, but the retailing and management skills behind the scenes.

“Congratulations to all the team at Home Farm for all they achieved so far; we wish them all the best for the final round.”

The winner will be announced in the coming months.

The FARMA Awards (now known as the FARMAs) have been running since 2002.

They recognise those farm shops, farmers’ markets, pick-your-own and farm attraction sites, which exemplify a passion for local food, a commitment to farming and the environment, a talent for retail, and the fruits of a lot of hard work.

Last year the region enjoyed a double success with Fodder, on the Great Yorkshire Showground, receiving the Judge’s Special Award and Rob Royd Farm Shop in South Yorkshire named as a Rising Star.