we entered the low stone building by a heavy wooden door standing ajar, and stepped into a chilly room. the entire place was crammed with boxes of produce, freshly harvested and washed, beads of moisture still clinging to the cabbages and crisp curly kale. the carrots on the other hand, were righteously filthy, crusted in dirt like some 6 year old after a day making mudpies in the garden. onions, leeks, potatoes, broccoli, parsnips the size of my head, beetroot, chard, spinach and lettuce, a cornucopia of squash and pumpkins sprawled over the floor like a centerpiece you can pick from. i was giddy with glee and filling paper bags like a kid in a candy story. a refrigerated (did it need it?) section showcased local dairy products like goats cheese and yogurt, and a butcher shop at the back was stuffed with cuts of meat, pheasants (plucked and wrapped), guinea fowl and sausages of every sort. there were locally made jams and honey, biscuits and breads. there were no lemons.

this is the kind of place where you can find the freshest foods, knowing the veg has been cut, plucked, twisted, clipped or pulled up from the ground, possibly that very same day. the meat is from beasties which have spent their lives literally chilling in the forest, doing a bit of rooting, a bit of digging, and a lot of munching. you can pick up some yummy gifts for family (thats what i say but they never actually get that far) like smoked garlic from the isle of wight, and chilli rub for barbecues. in short, the award-winning Warborne farm is the kind of place you make a detour for when you are a couple of foodie geeks exploring the new forest national park, and you wont leave without a car full of luscious edibles.

and Warborne farm is the kind of place which due to a great big pile of odds stacked against it, will be closing after christmas, once everyone’s got their birds delivered for the big day. people just arent visiting the farm shop enough. one of the reasons is that the prices are higher in the farm shop than at the local supermarket. that is not open to discussion, the price of a bag full of freshly picked organic kale, crisp and lively, will undoubtedly be slightly higher than a bag of chopped up, withered kale from a supermarket shelf. you are in fact paying a premium for your food to be beautifully fresh, organic, and grown in the area. but let it be known that george heathcote, who owns and runs the farm, ensures the price of his produce is always lower than or matching the prices at the local waitrose.

so for people not willing or interested in spending the extra few quid on their shop, there is the supermarket. but there are those who can afford it, and yet still dont make regular trips to the farm shop. the reason is semantic. to be called a farm shop, it is not possible for the shop to stock foods they do not grow themselves or are not grown locally. although they would happily stick a basket of lemons in the shop, they would have to change nomenclature. residents in the area want to get their shopping done in one fell swoop, so the local somerfield, or even waitrose is a quicker option. this is understandable, and this is why its a real shame that the local government isnt doing more to help support independent farmers like George and his crew.

why discourage the obvious hard work and dedication it takes to make a place like Warborne farm? The food they produce is of excellent standard, and the farm shop is a little jewel of a find. imagine how excited we were to discover it, what an awesome place crammed with delicious grub, and so unique… but then how disheartening it is to hear that it just wont be around much longer. places like Warborne farm should be supported through hard times, not made to jump through silly legislative hoops that supermarkets never seem to have to deal with (or have armies of lawyers to work through). if they want to stock loo roll and lemons, then let them – they will be providing an essential service to local residents, as well as being a special destination for food enthusiasts who find their way there. Warborne farm is what makes this country beautiful and rich, and able to sustain a positive future. they fight for quality and traceability in the food we eat. but keeping the place going has become an exhausting battle for George and his gang, one that just doesnt seem worth it anymore, even if his loyal customers have begged him to reconsider. farmers get a bum deal in this country, and its outrageous! they should be rewarded and their enterprise encouraged, or pretty soon we’ll be depending on imports for all our food, from cherries to chicken, bacon to bread.

support enterprise. support quality and traceability. support small businesses, and wonderful, unique places like Warborne farm!