Experience a Real Working Farm Shop & Restaurant
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info@strawberryfieldslifton.co.ukIt was not an uncommon sight to see customers walking out of the weigh and pay caravan weighted with buckets overflowing with ripe bright red strawberries. This was all down to the care and pride that the Mounce family and their team have invested into all aspects of their products and customer service. Many people from the area will have sampled the delicious strawberries which have been a feature of Lifton for the past 22 years – now becoming known as ‘Lifton strawberries’. The strawberry field’s produce became a familiar site on the barrow outside the Mounce family home which became a feature in the heart of the village. To the delight of local people, as well as passersby, the barrow remained there for the next 5 years and was laden with a range of seasonal produce.
From this point, the combined success of the farm barrow and the PYO led to the inevitable next step – a farm shop…..but where do you start with what seems like a good idea over a cup of tea? After numerous planning meetings, discussions with environmental agency, builders and not forgetting the day to day running of the farming business, on 1st June 2002, the doors of the Lifton Farm Shop opened to the public for the first time.
5 years on, the farm shop was in need of an extension due to high demand in the restaurant and a greater selection of home produced goods to display in the shop. The two wings either side of the original shop were built.
In 2009 the function suite was built to cater for private events, community meetings and primarily for more covers in the restaurant. This included building a feature bar, landscaped garden, high spec toilets and an extension of the open kitchen.
Through ensuring the quality of the food, produce and customer service the restaurant is very nearly always buzzing and full with happy customers and the farm shop is bursting with home grown and home reared produce with freshness a key factor. The 200 acre farm is devoted to the shop and the core activities continue to stock the shop and provide ingredients for the restaurant just as it did over 20 years ago.
YEAR |
WHAT HAPPENED! |
1982 | The farming enterprise started with a couple of pigs and the 13 acres being rented. |
1991 | The idea for Lifton Strawberries |
1992 | Lifton Strawberries were born and PYO open to the public! |
1993 | The Lifton Farm Shop Farm was bought. |
1993 | The famous Mounce barrow appeared outside the family home |
1997 | The snack van ‘Crazy Jo’s’ was open to the public. |
1997 | The land the shop sits on today was bought. |
2001 | Shall we build a farm shop? |
2002 | Lifton Farm Shop was open to the public! |
2002 | The first Halloween Extravaganza! All proceeds in aid to Children in Need! |
2005 | The first Lifton Farm Shop pasty was made! |
2006 | The Barn style restaurant was extended to meet customer needs |
2008 | Our South Devon suckler heard was bought |
2009 | Lifton Farm Shop function suite opened |
2011 | Solar panels up and running to produce our own electricity for the farm shop and restaurant. |
2012 | 10 year anniversary! |
2014 | Became 100% energy self sufficient through the erection of a 500kW turbine and 250Kw solar array |