Northern Ireland’s first monitor farm has opened a newly refurbished tea room and farm shop following a £200,000 investment, supported by Ulster Bank.
Meadow Farm, owned by Downpatrick farmer Richard Orr and his father Jackie, first opened a farm shop in 1998 along the main Belfast to Downpatrick route where its own produce was sold direct to consumers.
Monitor farms are a specially recognised category of farm selected to share performance information and best practice around a nationwide network of host farms to improve food and quality standards.
Anticipating Rapid Growth
Commenting on the new developments at the farm, Orr said, "Our produce is seasonal and generally the farm shop was restricted to opening just two days per week as a way to keep associated running costs down. The investment in the tea room means we’ll have the staff and resources on site to keep the farm shop open up to five days per week. We’re anticipating this will result in rapid growth in sales of our own produce as well as that of other local artisan producers we hold stock of as we drive increased footfall to the site."
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