AT a time of hardship in the farming industry, a local farm is battling for survival with inventive and diverse marketing.

In June 2000, Maria Henshaw and her husband, Andrew, opened the Mainsgill Farm Shop on the A66, near Scotch Corner, North Yorkshire, and have been rewarded for their efforts. The farm shop won the first award for new enterprise at the Yorkshire Show this year.

The shop, which includes a caf, was originally opened to sell products taken from the livestock farm, which is also run by the Henshaws. The product range at the shop has since expanded to include cheese from a local manufacturer and even organic milk from a local farm.

Since the shop opened it has proven to be hugely successful and they have expanded from a two-man outfit last year to now employ ten people.

Mrs Henshaw said: "It's quite a prime spot and with it being open over a year now we are having people coming past again and coming in. We even had a few people from Ireland who had been speaking to friends who'd been last year."