All farm shops great and small

THINK farm shop. Think big.

The Lakeside Farm Shop is so big, it even has an upstairs with more little shops in it. And a cafe. And a play area. Originally the huge, light, airy building was a grain store. Now it sells a range of food, including the best of local produce.

The same standard food is what they sell in the cafe.

Sarah and Graeme Thompson never meant to be shopkeepers. They took over the family farm at Ellerton between Scorton and Northallerton in 1997.

"When the pig industry was on its knees, " says Graeme. "We were losing money every day."

He refused to be beaten. They sold most of their pigs to the big supermarkets, but he started selling direct to local customers - and was soon making as much selling three pigs directly as he was from selling 100 to the supermarkets.

"What it showed me was that there was a demand for good local produce, " he says. "More people are interested in where their food comes from and want to know how it's produced and what goes into it."

So they changed direction. They no longer keep pigs themselves. The farm is given over to arable and a few sheep and they have opened the shop.

"There is such a lot of really good produce around, a lot of talent. So many people in this region are producing really good food, " says Graeme.

"All our meat, for instance, comes from within a 20-mile radius. We know the farmers, we know the way the animals were reared. We know it's the best. All our beef is hung to develop the flavour."

They have locally produced cheese, meat, ice cream, pies, pickles, cakes, jams, chutneys, vegetables. "Many of the producers are farmers like ourselves and it's good that we can give them another outlet for what they produce, " he says.

Sarah, who comes from a farming family in Northumberland, has a year's absence from Barclays Bank to get the business established.

"We have three little boys and I think it's so important to feed them properly, " she says. "The eating habits they get into when they are young stay with them for life and there are so many children now who seem to have missed out on that.

"I don't want to give other people's children anything that I wouldn't give my own. So in the cafe, we do burgers and chips because that's what children like, but they're real burgers and proper chips.

"We have a marvellous cook who makes the food for the cafe and it is going really well."

Because of the terrific height of the barn there was room for an upstairs above the shop and cafe. This is now given over to local small and specialist businesses, giving them another shop window. There are cards , gifts and dried flowers. And local shops such as the Little Green Bag, organic beauty products from Richmond, or Cooks and Kitchens from Darlington.

So there's a real buzz about the place.

"It was all a bit daunting, " says Graeme, who, when he spent three years at agricultural college, probably never thought he would end up in an apron working a till, "and we're still learning.

We've put a comments book in the cafe and welcome suggestions and ideas on how we could make it better. Everyone's said nice things so far."

Even though the shop only opened just before Easter, already there are "regulars" coming back. They've started big - they could soon be bigger.

The Lakeside Farm Shop and Country Cafe, Ellerton, between Scorton and Northallerton, not far from Kiplin Hall. Closed Mondays, except Bank Holidays.

THE Little Shop has grown, with a newer, bigger branch in Richmond as well as the original one in Barnard Castle.

Simon and Jackie Edwards were IT experts from Redcar, fancied the rural life, bought a farmhouse on the top of Bowes Moor and, when Jackie was made redundant, started The Little Shop It really is little, but soon made a big name for itself, and its stock of organic food, local and Fair Trade products.

Simon - fed up of commuting - joined the business and makes jams, pickles and preserves.

He has also developed their land into a working smallholding with hens, ducks, rare breed Hebridean and Shetland sheep and British Lop pigs.

"It's a bit of a surprise as you drive along the A66 - sheep, sheep, more sheep - and then four large pink pigs with floppy ears bombing around on the top of Bowes Moor, " says Jackie.

Jackie makes all the quiches, lasagnes, cottage pies and vegetarian bakes on the shop's deli counter.

"We are awaiting an exciting range of traditional items such as Greek honeys, preserves and olive oils which will be imported from Crete, but we also go out of our way to support as many local producers we can, " she says.

"We have local cheeses, honeys, vegetables, soft fruit, fudge and a range of natural bee products from Northumberland Honey Farm."

The new shop in Richmond even has room for a small cafe.

"This is a new venture for us, " says Jackie. "All the tea and coffee is organic and Fair Trade and made with Acorn Dairy organic milk from Darlington.

"All the food and coffees are available to take away as well and everything is fresh and home made. I make all the savouries and Jan Cosgrove (Mrs C's Country Kitchen from Winston) makes all the cakes and scones. Her Belgian chocolate fudge cake is to die for.

"People are getting increasingly sick of processed foods, hydrogenated fats, Enumbers and all the other things that lead to health scares."

The Little Shop too could soon be big businesses.

The Little Shop, Horsemarket, Barnard Castle; Finkle Street, Richmond.

WARNING!

IT has been a terrible week for Internet banking scams. Nearly every day I have had e-mails pretending to be from banks, mainly Barclays Bank.

The e-mails are very realistic, right down to the Barclays colours, so it would be easy to be fooled if you were feeling a bit dozy or distracted.

They say that security has been updated and therefore you need to enter your details. They ask for account number and PIN.

DON'T GIVE THEM!

It is someone trying to get into your bank account and spend all your money.

If you get something like this, then forward it to your bank, so they know what's going on. Then delete it. And don't let them take you for a mug.