We are now stocking local duck eggs. They are supplied by George and Holly Roberts from Kilmington. George
is a ranger for the Natioonal Trust here at Stourhead. Their flock is expanding as their daughter loves the ducks so much.
New Year9/1/2021
A new year and a new lockdown! However we are open, stocked up and ready for anything. We look forward to seeing you for
some safe and stress free shopping. Give us a ring if you want to collect from outside, or if you cannot get to us. We can always
sort something out for regular customers.
New Year29/12/20
We are closed for Christmas and New Year, and for annual maintenance. We re-open on Thursday 7th January.
We are very grateful for your support through a thoroughly strange 2020. In particular, thank you all for your tolerance as we bossed
you around to make sure we complied with that week's rules. I hope that at some point in 2021 we can let more than four of you into the
shop and have no more mis-heard conversations through masks.
Christmas is coming (possibly)10/11/20
Fully locked down? Rule of six? Boris' Xmas free-for-all? It will still be Christmas. We will have our usual wonderful turkeys and other poultry
from Woolley Park Farm in Bradford on Avon. Order in the shop or download our order form
We will take Christmas orders up to Friday 11th December. We will require a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the estimated order value at time of placing
the order, as we have a long lead time on Christmas meat and all birds are killed to order. If a 5kg turkey is too big for you, how about a turkey breast joint, large chicken, pheasant or duck? Free range Cotswold Chickens are another option:
handy if you may be doing several mini Christmases this year.
If you want a particular beef joint, please order as early as you can as we have limited supplies.
Orders may be collected from Monday 21 December.
We are open!4/11/20
Britain locks down again. Stourhead Farm Shop carries on as usual. We will be open as before, with all our usual stock. If food shopping is
one of your few chances to get out, you ought to enjoy it. Come to us, park outside the door and shop in peace. Ring us before you come if you would
rather not enter the shop and we will put together your order collect from outside.
Apple Month28/9/20
We will not be holding an Apple Day this year, as the last thing we want is a crowd.
However we will be stocking a wide range of interesting apples and pears all through October.
The Cheese Counter is Back21/7/20
Cheese is one of our biggest enthusiasms. It has been very sad for us over the last few months to leave our cheese wrapped up in pieces in the display fridge, as
the cheese counter was too close to the till for the two metre rule. We were aching
to talk to you about the cheese and give you a taste. Changes in the rules, and some elegant Stourhead ash framed screens mean that the cheese counter is back.
Stourhead Gardens Re-opening6/6/20
Stourhead Gardens is re-opening on Monday 8th June on a pre-booked basis. This will not affect the shop, as we will continue to concentrate
on providing a safe and relaxed food buying experience for our local customers. The National Trust have agreed to arrange their car park entry system such that
it will not interfere with shop in any way.
If you are visiting Stourhead, you are welcome to the visit the shop. However do not rely on us for your lunch. We are not doing hot drinks or snacks, and
do not have any tables outside. If you want to do serious food shopping, we will be delighted to see you.
Order & Collect16/4/20
We are providing an order and collect service for customers who cannot come into the shop. See our order page for how to do this. You can drive
in and pick up from outside the shop. If you do not have anyone to pick up for you we can deliver in Stourton parish. There are queues of
volunteers in all parishes looking for people to help. Look in your parish magazine or on your parish website.
Wild Garlic Sausages
And now for some good news: it is our wild garlic season. We will have our favourite wild garlic sausage in the shop every Friday and Saturday for as long as
the season lasts.
Settling Down 28/3/20
The new ways of operating the shop seem to be settling in. We have a good system for keeping everyone at least two metres apart, and most of
our suppliers are coping. The only thing we cannot get is flour and yeast.
Thank you all for your help and patience, putting up with the "magic square" on the floor and the occasional wait outside when others are in the shop.
Our hours will be:
Sunday 29 March 9.30 to 12.00
Monday 30 March onwards:
10.00 to 3:00 Monday to Saturday,
Sundays: Closed
Local volunteers needed. Local help available.
Please would volunteers willing to help people living in Stourton please give their details to the Farm Shop. Anyone who is self-isolating, or
who is ill, and needs support, shopping for food, medicines etc. can contact us
and will be put in touch with a volunteer who will help them.
LOCKDOWN UPDATE 26 MARCH AND OPENING HOURS CHANGES 26/3/20
We are permitted under the lockdown laws to remain open as an essential food shop. We will not be selling coffee and will be removing
all seating other than that for
waiting customers who need to sit down.
Cyclists, dog walkers and walkers exercising in line with government guidance must go somewhere else where there are no people.
Parking will be permitted for customers only, and just for the time they are in the shop, not walking themselves or the dog. After
shopping customers must go home.
More than half our staff are unavailable at present, and the increased complications of running the shop safely and taking phone calls mean
we have to reduce the hours we are open to the public.
Friday 27th March 9.30 to 3.00
Saturday 28 March 9.30 to 3.00
Sunday 29 March 9.30 to 12.00
Monday 30 March onwards:
10.00 to 3:00 Monday to Saturday,
Sundays: Closed
Thank you for your support and stay well
Corona Virus / COVID 19 21/3/20
We are open, and will stay open if we possibly can. We have been very busy. We have realised that it is not possible to restock shelves while customers are in
the shop and
keep safe separation distances between people. For this reason we have changed our opening times to give time for restocking in the middle and end of the days.
We will be open 9.00 to 12.30, 1.00 to 4.00 every day from Sunday 22nd March.
Our first priority is keeping our staff safe. Our next is keeping you, our customers, safe. This is going to involve inconvenience, and sometimes bossiness
from us. I am sorry.
Corona Virus / COVID 19 21/3/20
We are open, and will stay open if we possibly can. We have been very busy. We have realised that it is not possible to restock shelves while customers are in
the shop and
keep safe separation distances between people. For this reason we have changed our opening times to give time for restocking in the middle and end of the days.
We will be open 9.00 to 12.30, 1.00 to 4.00 every day from Sunday 22nd March.
Our first priority is keeping our staff safe. Our next is keeping you, our customers, safe. This is going to involve inconvenience, and sometimes bossiness
from us. I am sorry.
Local volunteers needed. Local help available.
Please would volunteers willing to help people living in Stourton please give their details to the Farm Shop. Anyone who is self-isolating, or
who is ill, and needs support, shopping for food, medicines etc. can contact us
and will be put in touch with a volunteer who will help them.
Sunday 27 October
Apple Day - CHANGED DAY: now Sunday 27th October 14/10/2019
Due to high winds and heavy rain forecast for Friday night into Saturday, we are moving Apple Day to Sunday 27 October. The shop will be open as usual on
Saturday 26th, with a huge range of local apples for sale and, weather permitting, to taste.
On Sunday from 11am - 5pm we will be tasting:
- Willy’s apple cider vinegar and kombucha drinks
- Rich’s single variety ciders,
- North Perrott apple juices,
- Exciting new cheeses,
- Our own label pickles,
- Busy Bees honey
and of course loads of varieties of local apples including some rare ones from the Stourhead Walled Garden.
We are now taking orders for Christmas. Our excellent free range poultry comes from Wooley Park Farm. It is first come first serve on the beef joints. I
would also advise ordering venison early as we never know what the stalkers will manage to shoot.
It's less than two weeks to our Apple Day. The apples are rolling in, the cider is ready... please Mr. Schafernaker
no hurricane this year.
The first gooseberries are ripe. I have summer pruned all the bushes in front of
the shop to make picking easier, but it is still a prickly business.
The rate of growth of asparagus is directly proportional to the temperature. It
is not surprising it has started late this year! It is here now, and the season does not last
very long, so make the best of it.
Merguez Sausages 7/5/18
Merguez are a spicy sausage, originally from North Africa but common now in France. We make both a beef and a lamb version. Spicy may
make you think chilli: they do have chilli in them but, as you can see, a whole range of spices. When I was making a batch yesterday I
thought it looked so pretty I had to take a photo.
Cheese 19/2/18
Take a tour round the West Country in cheese! With the exception of a bit of Stilton at Christmas, all our cheeses
come from the West Country. Our definition of West Country does take in Hampshire and Berkshire, but they are not very far away and it would
be a shame to miss out on some excellent cheese.
Click on the blackboard to expand.
ChristmasNick 31/10/17
We are now taking orders for Christmas. Our very free range poultry comes from Wooley Park Farm to supplement our normal
quality meat range. As ever the beef cattle only have so much fillet and rib, so it is first come first serve. I
would also advise ordering venison early as we never know what the stalkers will manage to shoot. If we have a spell of foul weather
the deer retreat to the deepest thickets (and I suspect the stalkers stay in their warm beds).
Pick up an order form in the shop or download here.
Apple Day UpdateNick 19/10/17
Due to the predicted gale, we will not be doing tastings outside on Apple Day on Saturday 21th October. This has been a good
year for top fruit. We have 15 varieties of apples.
If the weather is better on Sunday, we will offer tastings of cider, cheese and pickles.
Untreated Cream from HurdlebrookNick 1/7/17
As untreated and live culture products seem to be becoming fashionable, this is a reminder that we stock Hurdlebrook's fantastic products.
There untreated cream has an amazing flavour and texture. The live yoghurt is really rich and creamy. Glossy magazines may be catching up, but our
customers have been enjoying them for years.
Dorset PimpsNick 12/5/17
If you need to light Dorset charcoal for a barbecue, get a Dorset pimp to do it for you.
No, this is not a side line of the sex trade. Dorset coppice workers have always made pimps, small bundles of birch twigs
and split sticks just the right size to light a fire. These are then tied up into bigger bundles for sale. We are selling them individually and
in bundles of a "baker's dozen" (13).
The birch is being cut to maintain open heathland, home of rare birds such as the Dartford Warbler and Nightjar, and all six native
reptiles.
Tasting Day Saturday 22 AprilNick 15/4/17
We will have tastings of new Cottage Delight chutneys and breadsticks, local cheddars and cider.
We have made 40 Kg of wild garlic sausages in the last three days. They seem popular!
Apple Day, Saturday 22nd October Nick 18/10/2016
Apple Day is here again. Over 20 varieties of English apples and pears from Charlton Orchards and Gasper Mill Garden.
We will be joined by Russ from Rich's cider, Tracklements, The Bay Tree Company and Longman's cheese, offering samples of their finest wares between 10 and 4.
The Shop is open as normal from 9 to 5.30.
Dorset Dairy TastingNick 4/10/2016
Dorset Dairy will be offering tastings of their Whole Milk Dorset Strained Yoghurt and Fat Free Dorset Strained Yoghurt this
Saturday 8th October. It is "Greek style" with a thick creamy texture packed with dairy goodness , which tastes delicious.
They have been shortlisted for Best Dairy Producer in the 2016 Taste of Dorset Awards.
Belly PorkNick 13/6/2016
I have just cooked this again. How can something be so delicious for so little effort? See our
recipe.
They are back!Nick 1/4/2016
It is wild garlic season again, so we are out picking as much as possible to keep up the supply
of wild garlic sausages. If you have not tried them, do. The leaves give a wonderful flavour, but hurry as it is a
short season.
CoffeeNick 4/3/2016
We still have the winter weather (some snow today) and now have real coffee to take away, as well as tea and hot chocolate. It so nice that we
have to ration ourselves or we develop a cafeine twitch by the end of the day!
Hot DrinksNick 17/1/2016
To warm you up now that we finally have some real winter weather, we are serving hot drinks to take away. There is a choices of teas.
Coffee is instant at the moment, while we investigate the best coffee machine for us.
RecipeNick 10/12/2015
Try this fantastic recipe for breast of lamb.
Alan Power on Radio 4's PM programmeNick 28/10/2015
Once again Alan has given a lyrical description of the autumn colours at Stourhead on BBC Radio 4's PM programme. Alan reckons
that this year is as good as 2008, when he first spoke on PM, and I have to agree. Read more on Alan's
twitter thing.
Apple Day, Saturday 24th October Nick 20/10/2015
Apple Day is here again. Over 20 varieties of English apples and pears from Charlton Orchards, Stourhead Walled Garden and Gasper Mill Garden.
We will be joined by Russ from Rich's cider, Pilton Champagne Cider, The Bay Tree Company and Longman's cheese, offering samples of their finest wares between 10 and 4.
The Shop is open as normal from 9 to 5.30.
WARNING - Fake Website Nick 19/10/2015
A fraudulent website has been set up purporting to be Stourhead Farm Shop. It uses a domain name we had in the past, stourhead-farm-shop.co.uk
and purports to sell a range of vaguely farm shop type products. Do not try and buy from them, you will lose your money. The only contact
information is the address of a grubby office building in north London. It is probably operated from abroad, as it is extremely slow
(as though it is following a series of links) and they cannot spell "categories"!
We are investigating what can be done to close it down.
New Season's Apples Nick 24/9/2015
The season is well under way, and we already have half a dozen varieties. It has been
quite a good year for top fruit, so we hope to have dozens of varieties for our Apple Day
on 24th October.
Old Winchester Nick 21/7/2015
If you have not yet tasted Old Winchester, you must. Aged for 30 months, it has masses of flavour. It is delicious to nibble
with a glass of red wine, but can also be grated like Parmesan. At this time of year it is perfect scattered over a crispy green
salad.
Rich's Cider Nick 15/5/2015
We have three new vintage, single variety ciders from Rich,s. From 2012 is Yarlington, a tawny medium bodied cider.
Dunkerton's and Lambrook Pippin from 2013 are both golden, Dunkerton's being slightly drier, Lambrook Pippin more aromatic.
Asparagus Nick 24/4/2015
The season does not last very long, so make the best of it.
Wild Garlic Sausages Nick 14/4/2015
These are popular: we have been selling enormous quantities. We have just received the following email:
Just to let you know that I purchased the wild garlic sausages this Friday and they are the best sausages I have ever tasted.
I always buy very good quality sausages from my local butchers so I am use to being spoilt with properly made high quality sausages,
and your wild garlic sausages topped them all. I will definitely be returning for more when I'm visiting around the Stourhead area.
10 Year Party Nick 14/4/2015
The shop will be ten years old in April. We will be celebrating from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th.
Over the three days we will be tastings cheess, pickles, cakes, tea, beer.... On Friday Reece will give a demonstration of the noble art
of sausage making at 12 noon and 3 p.m..
Steve and Louise will be hosting a farm visit at 3 p.m on Saturday at Coldcot Farm (booking not required).
On Sunday we will be giving tastings of our full range of ciders, to celebrate our
new orchard planted behind the shop.
Wild Garlic Sausages Nick 1/4/2015
It has been a late spring, but finally the wild garlic is ready to use in sausages. Wild garlic, Allium ursinum, is a wild relative of the chive and is also known
as ramsons. The edible part is the broad leaves, which have a strong garlic flavour. It grows under dense
deciduous tree cover, taking advantage of the spring sun before the canopy comes into leaf.
We only produce wild garlic sausages during the short season, so make the most of them. For the rest of
the year you can still get the taste of it wrapped around the Wild Garlic Yarg in the cheese counter.
10 Years! Nick 11/2/2015
The shop will be ten years old in April. We will be celebrating from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th.
Over the three days we will be welcoming those of our dedicated suppliers who have been with us from the beginning, and who
will be giving tastings. On Friday Reece will give a demonstration of the noble art of sausage making. Steve and Louise will be hosting a farm visit on
Saturday. I will confirm times nearer the event.
As well as remembering the last ten years, we are looking forward: we have just signed a new ten year lease with the National Trust.
With the long term in mind, we have planted a new orchard behind the shop. On Sunday we will launch that in some way. I am not exactly
sure how you celebrate a new orchard. Drink cider perhaps?
Burns' Night 25th JanuaryNick 15/1/2015
We have McSween's famous haggis in for Burns' Night. Buy now, because when it is gone, it is gone.
Christmas / New Year Opening Nick 12/12/2014
We wish you all verY happy eating over Christmas. We will close at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve and do not re-open until Thursday 8th January. In the
New Year we will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..
Christmas Nick 11/10/2014
Once again we will be selling fantastic free range turkeys, geese and other poultry from Russell Candy's farm near Trowbridge.
Let us have your order form before Monday 15th December, and pick up from the shop on the day of your choice. If you
want a rib of beef, order early!
Bath Blue Nick 21/11/2014
Bath Blue has just been named World Champion Cheese for 2014. It is a Stilton style cheese, but creamier with a wonderful
smooth flavour. Taste it here to see if you agree with the judges.
Power Cut Nick 13/9/2014
We had a bit of excitement on Tuesday, when the electricity transformer hidden in trees opposite
the shop blew up spectacularly. Flames went thirty feet into the air, and Stourton and the surrounding area
were plunged into darkness. However with the kind loan of a generator from one of our deer stalkers, and Scottish and Southern Electricity
working through the night, we were open as usual the next day.
We and the National Trust are still being powered by a wonderfully quiet generator provided by SSE, but
it is business as usual.
Nigel Ings Nick 25/8/2014
We are very sad to announce the death of Nigel Ings, our butcher here for the last five years.
He was much loved by both staff and customers. His cheerful presence will be greatly missed. The shop
will be closed on the day of his funeral, Friday 29th August.
Good Grass Nick 16/8/2014
Warm and damp weather has made the grass grow well, and Steve's cattle are very happy out at Heath Hill. The
traditional pasture there is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the wealth of wild flowers. The orchids this
year were spectacular..
Stourton Strawberries Nick 15/6/2014
Ian is supplying us with his wonderful starawberries again. We have found that they go very well with the waffles
that we have recently started stocking. Try for yourself.
Wild Garlic Sausages Nick 3/4/2014
It is wild garlic season. Wild garlic, Allium ursinum, is a wild relative of the chive and is also known
as ramsons. The edible part is the broad leaves, which have a strong garlic flavour. It grows under dense
deciduous tree cover, taking advantage of the spring sun before the canopy comes into leaf. It makes damn fine sausages.
We only produce wild garlic sausages during the short season, so make the most of them. For the rest of
the year you can still get the taste of it wrapped around the Wild Garlic Yarg in the cheese counter.
Venison Nick 9/1/2014
If you think that you do not like venison, you may be surprised by our the meat from our wild roe deer.
Roe venison is very tender, and so does not need long hanging and does not have a strong "gamey" taste.
It is very lean, perfect for a low fat New Year treat. Some recipes recommend marinading venison: don't!
Fry steaks quickly over a high heat, roast joints quickly in a hot oven, and serve fairly pink.
The deer population in Britain is higher now than at any time since the last Ice Age. Over-browsing by
deer is one of the greatest ecological threats to many of our woodlands. Our stalkers did very well over the
Christmas break, so we have lots of venison in the shop. Come and do your bit to control deer numbers!
Christmas Nick 13/10/2013
Once again we will be selling fantastic free range turkeys, geese and other poultry from Russell Candy's farm near Trowbridge.
Let us have your order form before Thursday
12th December, and pick up from the shop on the day of your choice. You can order any of our usual beef, pork, lamb or venison joints,
as well as anything else you will
need. If you do want a beef joint, it is "first come first served", so don't delay.
Apple Day, Saturday 26th October Nick 2/10/2013
We will be giving free tastings of cider, cheese, pickles and lots of apple varieties all day.
There will be a pork roast with apple sauce at lunchtime.
Fruit & Veg Nick 17/7/2013
We are nearly at the end of the asparagus, but the good news is that we are getting
some really nice, interesting fruit and vegetables grown by John Rowswell at Barrington:
Cherries, apricots, broad beans, new potatoes etc..
Doh! a deer Sara 28/3/2013
The doe season ends next week, so the deer brought in today will probably be the last one for some time. Fresh venison in the shop this weekend.
Snow Nick 18/1/2013
I am afraid we will be closed today, Friday 18 January, but will be open normally tomorrow..
Farmhouse Breakfast WeekNick 15/1/2013
It is Farmhouse Breakfast Week from the 19th of January. If you don't usually
have a cooked breakfast, this is the time to treat yourself. Next week will be very cold,
a protein rich breakfast is what you need. Eskimos do not eat meusli!
We will be offering a special breakfast platter, witha great deal on ketchup and
brown sauce to go with it. To keep your vitamen C levels up, there is 20% off Somerset Orchard
Apple Juice.
New Year Nick 1/1/2013
Happy New Year. We re-open on Friday 4th January.
Christmas Nick 1/12/2012
Once again we will be selling fantastic free range turkeys, geese and other poultry from Russell Candy's farm near Trowbridge.
Let us have your order form before Friday
14th December, and pick up from the shop on the day of your choice.
Apple Day Thanks Nick 1/11/2012
Thank you to all who came to our Apple Day, it was a huge success. The cider tasting was interesting: anyone who tasted Black Rat bought
some. Up to now sales had been fairly slow. Perhaps the name scares off some people. It shouldn't as it is wonderful. The pork shoulder roast
was very popular, particularly with the cook (me) as it is very easy to do. We did a whole shoulder on the bone, but we can cut you a smaller bit
to do this at home. Just leave it in the oven on low for 12 hours and all the fat melts out and the meat turns into a rich, tender confit.
Apple Day, Saturday 27th October Sara 10/9/2012
We will be giving free tastings of apple juice, cider, sausages, cheese and lots of apple varieties all day.
There will be a pork roast with apple sauce at lunchtime.
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