Peach Croft Farm
Free range Christmas turkeys and geese have been reared on Peach Croft Farm, Radley for more than 70 years. Farmer Bill Homewood and his family pride themselves on rearing their birds by traditional methods, which allows them freedom to roam in grassy paddocks and fields around the farm.
Bill says they are grown naturally and slowly to full maturity and enjoy a totally natural diet which includes the farm’s home-grown cereals.
As members of the Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association and the British Goose Producer Association, the farm is independently inspected regularly to verify that all Peach Croft poultry are raised to the highest standards and the best welfare conditions.
The turkeys are sold whole, as a boneless rolled joint or a turkey crown. You can choose from the free range of Bronze feathered turkeys or white feathered Farmyard reared turkeys. Turkey weights go from 4.5kg to 10kg.
Free range geese are sold in three sizes – small, medium and large. All festive birds come in a carry-home box with full cooking instructions.
Peach Croft also offer a Royal Roast, which is a boneless, rolled joint containing goose, chicken and wild pheasant, which makes an ideal centrepiece for that special family dinner party.
For the finishing touch to your Christmas meal, you can order a Peach Croft Christmas pack which includes quality sausage meat, pork chipolatas and the very finest streaky bacon. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are also available from the farm.
And for the most delicious roast potatoes, a jar of Peach Croft Farm is a real must. Once you have tasted roast potatoes cooked in goose fat, you will never want to cook them in anything else.
Peach Croft Farm,
Radley,
Abingdon,
Oxon 0X14 2HP
O1235 520094
Bill Homewood
Even during the harsh winter months visiting Worton Organic Garden is a joy, because regardless of weather conditions, there is always something interesting growing on this seven acre smallholding.Because proprietor David Blake believes in adding flower plants to his plot, sometimes as companion planting and sometimes just because he loves the perfusion of colour they bring to his vegetable plots, visits here are always a colourful experience.
Bunches of fresh cut flowers are often on sale along with organic seasonal fruits and vegetables. His hens range free in a small wooded area at the bottom of the garden, which ensures that Worton eggs are simply delicious.
You will find a plentiful supply of fresh herbs at Worton, along with a great assortment of peppers and chillies during the summer months.
Because David goes out of his way to plant vegetables and fruits you would not normally find in the supermarkets, choice is assured.
The farm shop is open Fridays from 10am to 5pm and Saturdays from
10am to 2pm. During the summer months (June to October) Worton is also open on Thursdays from 10pm to 5pm. David also trades at Wolvercote Farmers Market which is open every Sunday from 10am to 1pm.
You will find Worton Organic Garden situated midway between Cassington and Yarnton.
Willowbrook Farm
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| Lufti and Ruby |
When they took over their 44 acres of land in 2002, the earth was exhausted and lifeless, offering little or no sustenance for wild life.
Their main aim on taking it over was to develop a vibrant ecosystem capable of sustaining a wide variety of plant and animal life and they have succeeded. The farm is now visited by 25 species of birds, several of which are on the RSPCA Red and Amber list which indicates population decline. Their hens live in conditions that are way beyond the official requirements that allows them to describe them as free range, as they are able to grub through land boasting thousands of sapling trees that are now maturing beautifully. Their hens also get to enjoy the trimmings from vegetables grown on the farm. This means that the egg yolks are a deep natural yellow and their eggs taste as fresh eggs should.
The couple are members of WWOOF, a world-wide network which links volunteers looking for farm experience with farmers who are looking for volunteer help on an organic farm. They are also building a cob house which will become their home when it is finished. Anyone interested in this project can attend their cob workshops.
Visitors to the farm house will find that they can also purchase fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables grown on the farm during the summer months.
Willowbrook Farm,
Hampton Gay,
Oxfordshire OX5 2QQ
01865 84957
0781 200 5629
Charles and Charlie Gee
The British asparagus season is short – just six weeks long. As it is best eaten just hours soon after it has been harvested, before the sugars turn to starch, Oxford based foodies make the most of the asparagus season by buying it from Medley Manor Farm Pick-Your-Own, where it is picked fresh every morning.This year (2011), due to the unseasonably warm spring, the asparagus spears pushed their way through the earth two weeks earlier than usual, which caught everyone by surprise, particularly the farmer Charles Gee who farms his land at Binsey with his son Charlie. But as the warm weather had also encouraged the strawberries to ripen early, he was able to open the gates to his pick your own for strawberry enthusiasts sooner than usual.
As Medley Manor Farm is close to Port Meadow it attracts customers from both Jericho and Wolvercote who can enjoy a walk across the meadow to purchase their fresh summer fruits and vegetables.
Initially the farm opens Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays from 12pm to 6.30pm, but once the strawberries are ready it is open every day of the week from 10am. The vegetables available as they mature are carrots, beetroot, artichokes, peas, broad beans, spinach, sweet corn, new potatoes and garlic. Fruits include blackberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and raspberries which continue to be available until late autumn. Most of these fruits can be purchased ready picked – but regular customers take joy in picking their own whilst taking in the silence of this farm, which is only broken by the sound of birdsong. It is indeed a magical place.
Medley Manor Farm doesn’t have a website – but if you phone 01865 241251 you will tune into a message informing you of the produce that is available during the summer and autumn months.
Medley Manor Farm,
Binsey Lane,
Oxford OX2 ONJ
01865 241251
Foxbury Farm
Foxbury Farm
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| Colin and Rebecca Dawes |
Having won almost every award possible for their splendid well stocked farm shop that features local foods, Collin and Di Dawes decided it was time to sell up and embark on a new challenge. Their intention was to find a buyer for the entire farm, house and farm shop. Although there was a considerable amount of interest in parts of the business they didn’t find a buyer for the whole venture and have decided not to sell for the time being.
This means it is now all systems go as the festive season approaches. They are even planning for Easter! Their turkeys are growing well on a nearby farm, and the butchers and shop staff are preparing for a busy season. They will have order forms ready by mid October, which enable customers to organise their Christmas food purchases, and have them delivered to their door in time for the festivites by Colin.
Foxbury Farm specialities include Gloucester Old Spot pork, which is reared on the farm and turned into tons of delicious sausages or sold as chops and delicious Sunday roasts. Their lambs and cattle are also supplying the shop in ever increasing number.
The farm shop also boasts a fresh fish counter, a deli and self service salad counter. Vegetables, biscuits, sauces and ready meals prepared in the farm kitchen which are also proving popular. Local beers and wines are also available, making it possible for the customer to create their entire dinner party from Foxbury Farm stock.
Orders can be delivered every other Thursday and Friday, and can be placed by going to the Foxbury farm website: www:foxburyfarm.co.uk
You will also find Collin selling his produce at the Stowe farmers market every second Thursday of the month and at Oxford Castle Farmers Market on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9am to 2pm.
The Dawes Family (Colin & Di, Stuart & Rebecca)
Foxbury Farm,
Burford Road,
Brize Norton,
Oxfordshire 0X18 3NX
Tel: 01993 867385
