Farm opens shop for 50th birthday

Broad Close Farm Shop is selling pork from Tamworth pigs and Dexter beef, as well as lamb, which is also reared on the farm.

The shop – custom built with help from Business Link South Yorkshire, is run by Jonathan and Nicola Charlesworth, son and daughter-in-law of farm owner Philip Charlesworth.

Jonathan started breeding Tamworth pigs, which roam freely in woodland on the Silkstone farm two years ago.

"There is a public footpath linking Silkstone to Silkstone Common which goes along the top end of the wood," said Jonathan.

"We realised that the pigs were causing quite a stir among the people using the path, so I put a sign on the gate with information about the breed.

"This created even more local interest, so when we decided to start the farm shop, we incorporated a viewing area for people to look at the animals.

"It's next to the road, so people see the pigs as they drive past, which is a great way of marketing the shop."

"Our meat couldn't be more local either. We buy feed from Argo's in Penistone, the animals are slaughtered by Bramalls at Oxspring and if we ever need to buy in beef from elsewhere, we get it from nearby Bull Haw Hall Farm, which is about three fields away.

"The recent restrictions due to foot and mouth really bring home how important it is to keep everything as local as possible – which is exactly what we do."

Jonathan's wife, Nicola, praised Business Link food, farming and tourism team member Terry Woodhouse, for the aid he provided.

"There's no way we'd have been able to do this so quickly without her advice on business planning, on financial forecasts and on the Objective 1 and DEFRA funding that we secured," said Nicola.

"The whole process, from the seed of an idea to the finished shop, has taken less than 12 months. Terry also helped us by putting us in contact with local suppliers, and I went on Business Link South Yorkshire's Enterprise in Food course, which was really useful and helped me to meet other people setting up food businesses."

In addition to its own produce, Broad Close Farm Shop sells vegetables from nearby farms and a range of local food, including chicken.

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