Cornwall Life visits Padstow Farm Shop, owned by established farming family the Watson-Smyths in this October issue. The Shop sells quality local and seasonal farm produce that is so delicious, even a local butcher went to work there

A Family's Farming Enterprise

Padstow Farm Shop, owned by established farming family the Watson-Smyths, sells quality local and seasonal farm produce that is so delicious, even a local butcher went to work there

Tregirls Farm has been farmed by the Watson-Smyth family for over 50 years and is part of the Prideaux Brune estate. It is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty overlooking Harbour Cove and produces high-quality meat and vegetables. For many years it has supplied restaurants in Padstow and, in order to expand on that, it started delivering seasonal vegetable boxes to local businesses and friends. While delivering the boxes, Matthew Watson-Smyth, son of Charlie, the farm's owner, was often asked if he could also supply lamb. This sowed the seeds of an idea to set up a farm shop.

Padstow Farm Shop was opened in May 2006 and is located at Trethillick Farm, which is part of Tregirls Farm. It sells vegetables grown on the farm at Tregirls and in the old Prideaux Place Victorian kitchen garden, as well as traditionally reared Devon Ruby Red beef and Charolais lamb. Since 2008, when Tregirls Farm bought some Tamworth and Large Black pigs, sausages, bacon and pork cuts have been sold in the shop.

Once established, Padstow Farm Shop began to sell lambs to friends in the area, and the local butcher in Padstow, Norman Brooks, heard that there was a regular supply of delicious meat from the farm and started to buy from it. Norman is now the butcher in the farm shop and has been working there since it opened.

As the farmland extends to the cliff tops, the animals bred on the farm are encouraged to roam freely and to enjoy the sea air as much as the Watson-Smyth's do. There is a stock of seasonally available homegrown vegetables, salads and herbs, as well as other seasonal products from local suppliers. When the chickens are laying there is also a supply of fresh eggs.

Apart from meat, the most popular products are the large range of delicious Cornish cheeses and an even larger range of locally produced beers and ciders! As the shop's focus is on locally sourced products there is a range of goodies, from chutneys and candles to Cornish Biltong. "Cornwall is becoming far more diverse in the range of foods and goods it produces, so we in no way feel restricted by only stocking Cornish produce and are proud that all our produce is sourced from Cornwall," Matthew says.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed this year for some good weather, as this is our second attempt at growing our own durum wheat in order to make the very first batch of Padstow pasta," says Matthew. The wheat is being grown in our fields and will be milled by the Cornish Bakehouse, who already supplies us with sweet and savoury biscuits. The pasta will then be made back at our shop, using a pasta machine from Italy. We are hoping to be ready at some point in the autumn, so watch this space," Matthew adds.

"Our other development for the end of the year is to launch an online shopping site, via our existing website, offering our own fresh vegetables and meat, alongside other produce from the shop. We will also be offering a ready-made and bespoke hamper service, allowing our online customers to design a yummy hamper of their own or to choose from one of our specially created selections," Matthew explains.

In the last three years Padstow Farm Shop has gone from strength to strength and has enjoyed great support from both locals and visitors to the area. This has enabled the Watson-Smyth family to continue its search for the most fabulous produce that Cornwall has to offer, as well as showcasing its own delicious goodies.

For further information contact Padstow

Farm Shop, Trethillick Farm, Padstow,

PL28 8HJ. 01841 533060, www.padstowfarmshop.co.uk