A FARMER who gave up his prize-winning dairy herd to switch to organic methods, has now opened a farm shop.

Ken Wade, who runs the 260-acre Larberry Pastures farm, near Longnewton Village, hopes the new shop, with its emphasis on organic products, will prove that he made the right decision in changing his farming methods.

He is also offering a plot of land on his farm to anyone who would like to grow organic vegetables to sell in the shop.

He said: "We are facing a big challenge but we are going to market our own organic produce together with food produced by other, small speciality businesses in the North-East, not all of it organic, but of high quality. We are giving consumers in Tees Valley, and beyond, the opportunity to buy food they will rarely find in supermarkets, and they will know exactly where the produce comes from."

Mr Wade, his wife Merilyn, and their daughter Eileen have joined Northumbria Larder, a recently-formed speciality food producers association.

Apart from his own organic beef and poultry, there will be a wide range of North-East produce, including lamb, pork, turkey, ice cream, cheese, cakes, jams, dry goods and vegetables.