Funding a farm shop
After being rejected for a loan from high street banks, a Northamptonshire farming family turned to FOLK2FOLK to fund their new farm shop.
The family at Barnowl Jerseys were seeking a loan to fund their farm diversification project: the creation of a farm shop. Their vision included in-house pasteurisation, development of a range of homemade ice creams and a completely fitted out butchery and retail farm shop.
After being rejected for a loan from high street banks, a financial broker recommended FOLK2FOLK and they were able to successfully obtain the loan they required.
Barnowl Farm Shop is now a family run farm shop located on a Jersey dairy farm in Northamptonshire and sells raw (unpasteurised) and pasteurised jersey milk, Jersey cream and ice-cream made on farm, seasonal fresh produce, locally made food products.
The wider local impact of the loan can be seen in the employment of local tradesmen and suppliers, as well as four new members of staff with further employment invest/opportunities once the butchery is open.
Heidi Reader, of Barnowl Jerseys, explains that securing the loan has helped ensure the herd remains milking and enabled the first stage of their family’s succession plan: “Without this opportunity there is a high chance that this would not be the case,” she says. “Our neighbours and local community are as excited by our farm shop development as we are.”
Barnowl Farm Shop, complete with icecream and butchers, is now open! www.barnowlfarmshop.co.uk
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A variation of this article first appeared in the October edition of the CLA’s monthly member magazine Land & Business. Find out more by visiting www.cla.org.uk/about-us/members-area/land-business-magazine.
