Tena and John Roberts
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The Bearstone Fruit farm is a family run business. Tena, John and Johns father produce pick your own soft fruits and seasonal vegetables. Spraying is kept to the minimum and hoeing is done by hand and the produce is hand picked. Napley Farm produces corn for brewing and lambs for the local livestock market..

John has lived at Napley farm all his life. Tena moved up from London to do her degree in English and Music at Keele University. She now teaches part time at Market Drayton Junior school. Also included in the picture is daughter Samantha.

When John left school his parents bought the farm next door to start him up in a PYO fruit farm. They began by selling a few strawberries out of a van at the roadside. The season lasted only 4 weeks. With the advent of new varieties the picking now lasts 8 weeks. There was a time in the 1970's when PYO farms were widespread but many have since closed down.

The Fruit farm is very productive. Aside from the fruit vegetables grown include carrots, peas, beans, broadbeans and fresh garlic in season. Tena and the family also make jam and freeze some of the excess fruit. Fambo potatoes are supplied direct to a Stoke Fish and Chip shop. Where there were once 4 or 5 full time employees John now manages the whole farm on his own with the help of the family and casual local labour. The tractors and ploughs are bigger, the scale of operation is wider and regulatory requirements are formidable. His day's work varies from managing the business to mucking out.

It is a feature of their customer base that some families have been coming for over 30 years, with grand parents now bringing their grandchildren and customers set out their picnics on the tables provided. Tena & John appreciate living in such attractive countryside. There is no commuting and they enjoy the fresh air and working together as a family. They have planted lots of trees and there is a pool which the undisturbed habitat of swans, geese and moorhens. The River Tern runs through the farm

Tena is asked for advice about cooking fruit and vegetables by her customers and may produce a recipe book. They have offered work opportunities to young people from the Grove School and the John Talbot School in Whitchurch. They receive organised parties of young children from the local primary schools.

Looking for
Offering to
Tena & John would like to draw from the network a collaborative marketing plans that customers can come into the locality and make various purchases either from one point or from a variety of visits of interest in the locality. Perhaps a universal leaflet.
. They offer the possibility of working with others to promote local foodconnections They are very willing to publicise what other members offer.

List of other members with a special interests in

Contact:

E-mail robertsworzel@aol.com

Telephone 01630 672120