Farmhouse Fare reigns supreme in pie battle

Farmhouse Fare, run by Janet Green – a Lancastrian born in Colne – landed the supreme champion pork pie accolade with her first prize-winning and best-in-Yorkshire stand pie at the second annual Great Northern Pork Pie competition, staged to coincide with the Christmas prime stock shows and sales at Skipton Auction Mart.

For good measure, Farmhouse Fare also won the top prize in the speciality cold eating pie category with its pork and apple pie.

The business was established 35 years ago by Janet's father Ted Lee, who, at 75, is still involved, though Janet took over in 2002. The shop has been on High Street, Skipton, for 15 years, with the main kitchen and bakery based in the town's Cumberland Street.

Mrs Green said: "We've always known our pies are extra-special and this proves it. We are over the moon to win the supreme accolade in such a prestigious competition in our home town, more so because the title-winning stand pie was made by my nephew Robert Ogden.

"We have been using the same recipe for our pies for many years – and we didn't change it in any way for our competition entries. They are exactly the same as the pies that can be bought in our shop on a daily basis."

Farmhouse Fare pies are made with pork from pigs reared outdoors in the Lake District, which are supplied from Lancashire by meat wholesalers James Law, of Bacup.

Mrs Green received the Great Northern Pork Pie competition trophy from sponsor Robin Moule, of Skipton-based Moule Media.

Reserve championship honours fell to the first prize traditional pork pies from Kirklees butcher Simon Haigh, of Bolstermoor Farm Shop, Golcar, Huddersfield.

Mr Haigh established the business 12 months ago.