Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire takes part in Open Farm Sunday

Kay Croot with one of the lambs

One of Derbyshire’s most popular farm shops is giving customers the chance to go behind the scenes of a farm during a national event that’s billed as the farm industry’s open day.

Croots Farm Shop near Duffield is throwing open the gates to Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, on 11^th June when it takes part in Open Farm Sunday.

Organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), Open Farm Sunday is the opportunity for farmers to proudly showcase British farming and food. It will be the second year that Croots Farm Shop has taken part in the national event.

“After the great success that we had last year, we are proud to say that we will once again be opening our farm up to the public on Sunday 11th June 2017 from 11am until 3:30pm,” said Kay Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop with husband Steve Croot.

Kay grew up at Farnah House Farm, which is run by her parents Jim and Sue.

During the event on 11^th June, which is free to enter, visitors can watch sheep shearing and blacksmith displays, meet the farmer, learn more about lambing, join Shire horse and cart rides, take part in competitions and look at tractors.

There will be live music from contemporary folk band Isembard’s Wheel and a BBQ will also be running.

Croots Farm shop and Café will still be accessible during the day, with events running in the fields and barns around the shop.

“We are very proud of the food we produce at the farm and are looking forward to giving our customers the chance to see behind the scenes,” said Kay. 

“Last year, more than a quarter of a million visitors went out onto farms during Open Farm Sunday, and since the first Open Farm Sunday in 2006, over 1500 farmers across the UK have opened their gates and welcomed 1.8 million people onto their farm for one Sunday each year. It’s a great opportunity to discover first-hand what it means to be a farmer and to find out more about how food is produced.”

For more information, visit http://www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Bake Off star Val extends range of bakes at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Croots Farm Shop head baker with Val's range

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has added to its range of bakes created by Great British Bake Off star Val Stones.

Val’s brother Steve Croot runs the farm shop near Duffield, with wife Kay, and last year they teamed up to launch a tasty selection of bakes under the Val at Croots……made with love brand.

Now two new bakes – banana and pecan loaf and spelt cookies - have been added to the range.

“Val’s bakes have gone down so well with our customers that we’re delighted to now be launching two additional products,” said Steve Croot. “She was an absolute star on Bake Off last year and won many fans. She’s remained popular with the public and has thousands of followers on social media, who enjoy watching her baking.

“We are proud to sell Val’s bakes in Croots – items that she’s specially created in conjunction with our bakers at the farm shop to sell on our shelves.”

Other products in the range include Virtuous Cake (fat free and sugar free), cherry shortbread and a selection of cookies. The Virtuous Cake and the cherry shortbread have been best-sellers, added Steve.

Val, a retired head teacher who lives in Somerset, said: “I’ve had a hand in helping Steve with recipes and ideas for Croots Farm Shop products for several years now, and I was so pleased when my range Val at Croots……made with love launched in the shop. I’ve now developed two more products in conjunction with Margaret, the chief baker at Croots, and her team, which I hope will prove to be popular with customers.”

Val shot to fame in last year’s Great British Bake Off and became one of the most favourite characters on the BBC TV show.

A regular visitor to Croots, she was cheered on by staff and customers as she took part in the programme. In December, she held baking workshops at the farm shop for customers, which attracted many of her fans.

Croots, which is based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Focus Consultants appointed project manager on Tatton Park scheme

Tatton Park farm entrance

Heritage experts at Focus Consultants have been appointed to help drive forward a project to showcase the history of farming and its relevance to healthy eating today at one of the UK’s most well-known country estates.

Tatton Dale Farm in Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, has received £1 million Heritage Lottery funding to develop a scheme to tell the story of food production for a large country estate from the late 18^th century to the 1950s. 

The project aims to bring alive the agricultural, architectural, technological, social and cultural heritage of Tatton Dale Farm through the ‘field to fork’ story - told through the mouths of former workers, its buildings, machinery, livestock and traditional agricultural skills.

It includes a new visitor hub at the farm’s agricultural mill building, as well as a number of site-wide hands-on experiences.

Focus Consultants, which has worked on a wide range of heritage and museum-related schemes across the UK, has been appointed to project manage the overall development alongside Cheshire East Council, which manages and finances Tatton Park on behalf of the National Trust.

Focus partner Steven Fletcher said: “Tatton Park is one of the UK’s most complete historic estates, and the team at Focus Consultants is very pleased to have been appointed to help develop the ‘field to fork’ story of the estate’s farm so that its story can be shared with future generations.

“We have extensive expertise in developing heritage attractions and are proud to be a part of the team providing a fascinating and enjoyable exploration of this uniquely well-preserved window into farming and food production at Tatton Park over two centuries.”

Focus, which is based in Nottingham and also has branches in London, Leicester, Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire, has been involved in numerous heritage schemes, including at many London museums, as well as at the National Museum Wales, MShed in Bristol, SeaCity in Southampton, and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. 

Carole Mullineux, Tatton Park business development manager, said: “We’re delighted that Focus Consultants is part of our team. The ‘field to fork’ project is an exciting new initiative for us which will give us the opportunity to attract new visitors, protect Tatton’s heritage assets and ultimately realise the farm’s potential.”

Meanwhile, Cllr George Walton, chairman of the Tatton Park board, said: “This is an extremely important educational addition to the park and we look forward to working with Focus Consultants who will drive this forward.

“They have considerable experience in heritage projects of this nature and the ‘field to fork’ story will complement the many other attractions that combine to make Tatton Park one of the best visitor attractions in Britain.”

As well as providing skills in heritage development, Focus also specialises in funding and economic development including area regeneration strategies, funding applications, economic impact appraisals, business plans, and research and evaluation. Since 1994 Focus has also secured for clients more than £953 million of grants for projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion worth of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful businesses of its kind in the country.

It also offers a range of services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, quantity surveying, project management, and sustainable development support.

For more information, visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop & Café a finalist in Family Business United Awards 2017

Kay and Steve Croot

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has been named a finalist for the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award 2017.

The farm shop and café near Duffield, run by husband and wife team Steve and Kay Croot, is one of 12 family firms shortlisted for the accolade.

“We are delighted to learn that we’ve been chosen as a finalist in this award. It’s great news for Croots Farm Shop and all the wonderful, hard-working staff we have on our team,” said Kay Croot. “The farm shop was launched at my parents’ farm in 2008, and has gone from strength to strength.

“It’s very much a family business, with our staff being part of our extended family. We have some people that have been with us at Croots Farm Shop since the start and are incredibly loyal and amazing with customers. We have shared our progress with them, they understand what we are striving to deliver, live the same values and we look after them and treat them like part of a big family.

“I’d like to thank them, as well as all our suppliers and customers, for helping this family business to grow and to get to a stage where we have been named a finalist of the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award 2017.”

The Family Business of the Year Awards are organised by Family Business United, the award-winning magazine and resource centre that champions and celebrates the family business sector. Now in their fifth year, the awards recognise the diversity, strength and depth of family firms across the UK and seek to highlight the contribution that family firms make to the UK economy.  

Open to family firms of all generations, sizes and sectors, the awards recognise some outstanding family firms and really help to put family businesses on the map.

Paul Andrews, founder and managing director of Family Business United, said: "We are delighted to be able to pull together such a vibrant bunch of family businesses, some that have succeeded for numerous generations and continue to thrive, and others that are relatively young but have great values at the heart of what they do.

“Well done to Croots Farm Shop & Café on being named a finalist.”

Sian Steele, head of family business at PwC, sponsors of the award added: "Any one of those shortlisted would make worthy winners and ambassadors for the sector. We are looking forward to finding out more about each of them and I am sure that the decisions to determine the winner will not be easy.  Previous winners of this award include Penny Hydraulics, Cropwell Bishop and Fracino so the 2017 winners will be following in the footsteps of some incredible family firms."

The awards process concludes at a gala reception and awards ceremony that takes place in London at the prestigious May Fair Hotel in London on June 8 where the winners will be crowned.

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk