An organic farm overlooking the Salcombe estuary is home to a vibrant hub of creativity, and an award-winning café. It’s a perfect place to stop off and soak up the atmosphere
High above the Salcombe estuary, an unassuming cluster of farm buildings forms the heart of Village Farm: a 200-acre certified organic livestock farm owned by Susie and Robert Wells.
Benefiting from a mild climate, miles of hedgerows and herbal pastures that grow year-round, it’s home to a herd of Red Ruby cattle and a large flock of EasyCare sheep. It’s also home to a growing community of artists, makers and small businesses based in the old barn.
At the centre of this hive of activity is an award-winning café serving seasonal organic food under the direction of Lewis Glanville (formerly of Riverford Field Kitchen) and the steady guidance of John Taylor, who has steered the project from the outset. He’s not only the mastermind behind the café – John along with his wife Liz, also runs a smallholding and supplies the café with their own pork and eggs.
‘My work at Village Farm is about creating a friendly rural hub and sharing the joy of small-scale farming while sustaining my family in this remote and beautiful spot,’ says John. Joy is a word that crops up often here; Susie describes establishing the Artisan Centre with Robert as ‘one of the greatest joys of our lives’, and regulars are delighted finally to have a warm, welcoming place for a good coffee or a bite to eat (at prices that won’t break the bank) in this tucked-away corner of the world.
The café makes a mean flat white (I can vouch for that!) and offers a range of organic breakfasts and lunches. Managers Charlotte and Claire keep the place running smoothly – they are friendly and efficient and, importantly in a rural area, provide welcome local employment. The seasonal menu, devised by Lewis, is, as far as possible, local and sustainable. Vegetables and colourful salads come from Tom O’Connor of Green Man Growing, who cultivates his produce on the farm’s allotment and polytunnel using sustainable and regenerative methods.
Tom learned his trade in Canada and was given the chance to set up his small business at Village Farm. With a view across the Salcombe estuary that would stop anyone in their tracks, he potters away before delivering his daily harvest just 50 metres to the kitchen, where chefs Tom and Wendy turn it into dishes as pretty as they are delicious using the fresh tomatoes, basil, mixed leaves and aubergines all grown just up the lane.
In a remote area like this, especially off-season when the holidaymakers have gone and the estuary is free of yachts, somewhere like Village Farm is invaluable.
Locals gather for coffee, a Sunday roast or one of the regular Village Farm Feasts. Children enjoy craft sessions with Naturemake, a venture that encourages creativity through making miniature natural ‘scenes’ from beautiful kits. There are also weekend yoga and brunch sessions, a natural massage practitioner, Sophie Darling, and reflexology with holistic therapist Moira Laidlaw.
Upstairs, you’ll find Posh Totti, a boutique brimming with colourful clothing, while at the entrance sits Cathryn Grace, a florist deeply rooted in the South Devon landscape and known for exquisite wedding and event flowers. Her little shop offers arrangements, art, books and thoughtfully chosen ceramics. Part of the barn is given over to a workshop for boatbuilder and artist, John McShea, and a sustainable wood working company, Form and Function, which offers wood solutions – from skateboards to timber-framed buildings!
Anyone familiar with this area knows that Salcombe sits at its heart, its winding streets and sparkling harbour lined with elegant shops. The other side of the water, over here at East Portlemouth (or Bear Land, as older locals call it) is reached by the ‘pretty-as-a-postcard’ passenger ferry and is well worth a trip for a lazy beach day or brisk coastal walk. It’s quieter over here, and until recently there were few spots for lunch or coffee.
Village Farm lies at the top of the road into East Portlemouth, and if you’re feeling energetic you can hire electric bikes from the barn to explore further.
This part of the world is known as one of the most stunning stretches of the South West Coast Path. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise and home to one of Britain’s rarer birds, the cirl bunting, and the walking here is magnificent; Village Farm sits right at the heart of it.
Tucked between sea and countryside, beside the coast path, Village Farm is a hidden gem, it’s rustic yet refined, a place worth seeking out. In summer it’s busy with boaters; in winter with walkers, children, dogs, makers and growers. You’ll find locals, workers, artists and even the odd digital nomad.
Susie is passionate about sharing the farm’s ethos: ‘We’d love to show you,’ she says. ‘Come and see the wildlife and the environmental benefits of organic farming. Come for the views, the skylarks, the blackbirds and the cry of the buzzards.’
And afterwards, she adds, ‘round it off with some organic homemade fare in the café.’
I couldn’t agree more!
villagefarmdevon.com
For the love of the land
Susie, Robert and the team at Village Farm are planning a summer festival which celebrates countryside and rural life, focusing on farming and conservation, heritage and landscape, ‘and keeping traditions alive’.
The July 18 event will include talks by authors, a panel discussion, storytellers, farm and nature walks and workshops for both children and adults. There will also be a series of evening events, including a feast night with after dinner speaker, a Devon music and Ceilidh night, and a film night with Devon dishes. Susie says the festival, which she hopes will become an annual event, will be ‘a vehicle for creative expression of a common and deep theme - our connection to our heritage, the land and those who have lived, loved, passed this way before us.’ She adds: ‘Understanding of the processes that bring food to our tables can lead us to a greater reverence for the food and materials we use each day, so a central aim is to stimulate thoughts and ideas around farming and our food supply; to bring awareness and respect, to promote and value the power of choice about how and what we eat.’ Details will be announced on the Village Farm website
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