Feb 14, 2011
Get farm marketing tips from jolly old England

Do you feel you’ve run out of new ideas for your farm market? Have you been a regular on the U.S. and Canadian farm market bus tours, and in some ways feel like you aren’t seeing anything new?

If that describes you, you may want to bust out of the old ruts and consider joining me in April 2012 on an agritour to jolly old England. Our group will visit farm shoppes, adventure parks, a cookery school, farmers’ markets, a coffee shop, a farm restaurant and more, each hand-picked to help you expand your thinking and give you new ideas of ways to grow your business.

My first farm tour to England was with the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) in 1998, and I’ve known since then that I want to return and visit more of the United Kingdom – especially its farms and agribusinesses. Our friends across the pond have been involved in farm-direct marketing for a long time, and many continue as multi-generational farms. They have evolved and developed some interesting ideas not always seen in the United States, and have created ways to attract new customers that are likely applicable to our own farms.

On April 13-22, 2012, we are going on our fifth agritour to visit some of the very best from the National Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association (FARMA), the only organization in the UK dedicated to supporting the local direct-sales sector. Our tour will focus on the area south of London, from the English Channel to the Celtic Sea, and then back to London. All farms will be open and operating during these dates.

Here are some of our program highlights:

Newlyn’s Farm Shop is a 500-acre, traditional mixed farm with animals and grain crops. This award-winning business is known for its top-quality meat and friendly butchers. It features a state-of-the-art cookery school, with classes for every age group and every taste.

Secretts is a multi-enterprise farm shop including a flower shop, garden centre, pick-your-own and the Rendezvous restaurant. A third-generation farm business set in the beautiful Surry countryside since 1908, it has 150 acres of production outdoors and under glass.

Denbies Winery is England’s largest vineyard, set in a beautiful chateau-style estate in Dorking, Surry. It features an outdoor vineyard train ride and hosts an array of events and exhibitions throughout the year for families and adults. The property includes conference facilities, wedding sites and farmhouse accommodations.

A visit to Tulleys Farm will include its farm shop, plus a stop at the farmhouse kitchen tearoom and hayrack espresso bar. The farm shop features a Victorian Courtyard and Plant Centre. Stuart Beare, a NAFDMA member, has also learned from us and offers an extensive Maze Fun Park, Farmers Golf and plenty of seasonal festivals.

Durleighmarsh Farm Shop grows 12 fruit crops and more than 20 types of vegetables, as well as herbs and u-pick flowers on 25 acres. The farm shop features its products, as well as those grown by other local farmers. Its pick-your-own season begins with rhubarb and includes the summer fruits of strawberries, gooseberries, black currants, tayberries and plums.

Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park will be a highlight of the tour. It features animal attractions as well as a woodland walk, daily milking demonstrations, interactive water play and the Hen House Restaurant. Farmer Palmer’s is an entertainment park with plenty to do for all. Phillip and Sandra Palmer (a brother and sister team) also host birthday parties and other special group events.

Laverstoke Park, “Known as the University of Organics,” features a large online store to purchase a variety of meat cuts, in addition to a farm shop. It features an education center for school groups to learn about healthy eating. One of its newest ventures has been to produce its own organic ale using the traditional hops and barley grown on the farm.
Garsons, growing since 1871, features a very attractive farm shop with an enticing butcher’s department, local produce, chocolates and gifts for foodies. Its modern Garden Centre buildings feature an outdoor furniture department, huge plant displays and the outstanding Terrace restaurant. The restaurant features home cooking, homemade cakes or a pot of tea and scones.

The Big Sheep Park is devoted to sheep and fun. It features animal shows, with border collies not only rounding up sheep but ducks. The entertainment park features a high rope course, the EWEtopia indoor play zone, sheep shearing show, lamb feeding, outdoor combat games on a 7-acre battlefield and more. For the agritainment farms, this is a must-see stop.

A trip to England would not be complete without seeing some of the traditional tourist sites, including the Brighton seafront, Mayflower Exhibition, Stonehenge, Buckland Abbey (home to Sir Francis Drake), a London bus tour to see Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard, the new London Eye, Westminster Abbey and Portabello Road antique market.
We have included two farmers’ markets: Borough Market, London’s most renowned food market, and the Stoke Newington Market.

As you can see, an agritour to England will show you new entertainment ideas, new display techniques and new products. In order to grow our businesses, it is important to get off the farm to see what others are doing, and I know a trip to the UK will expand your thinking.

You can print off the entire itinerary from my website, or send me an e-mail to request a brochure. This trip is expected to fill up quickly.

Jane Eckert
314-862-6288
[email protected]




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