Winner
Chosen by our judges:
Manor Organic Farm, Long Whatton, Leicestershire
Shortlist
The top public vote-winners:
Bowthorpe Park Farm, Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire
Fosse Meadows, North Kilworth, Leicestershire
Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Co, Sparkenhoe Farm, Upton, Leicestershire
Manor Organic Farm, Long Whatton, Leicestershire
The winner is Manor Organic Farm in Long Whatton – a family-run farm that’s produced outstanding organic produce since 1989.
Our judges were impressed by Manor Organic Farm’s long-standing commitment to organic farming. Getting and maintaining Soil Association organic certification isn’t easy – indeed, no farm would bother to be organic if it were run for purely commercial reasons – organic is a labour of love and one that perhaps more food lovers should appreciate.
Manor Farm is not only fully organic but has an organic farm shop and bakery on-site. Therefore, no pesticides or nasties go near their own Longhorn beef and lamb, nor near any of the other carefully sourced products they sell in their shop.
It’s a wonderful farm and deserves the GFC Award for its steadfast commitment to organic farming.
The other finalists
Bowthorpe Park Farm
Bowthorpe Park Farm is another outstanding family-run farm, with a new farm shop on-site. Located near Bourne in Lincolnshire, it produces Lincoln Red beef and Jacob lamb. It’s also home to one of the UK’s oldest oak trees, reckoned to be 1,300 years old.
Fosse Meadows
Fosse Meadows – a past winner of this award – slow-rears free-range chickens to full maturity: 81 days as opposed to your typical supermarket chicken of 35 days. Their turkeys are grown to 24 weeks rather than the usual 12-16. Nick and Jacob’s commitment to slow-grown, free-range poultry means Fosse Meadows’ products are up there with the very best anywhere, as evidenced by the huge range of awards they’ve won over the years.
Leicestershire Handmade Cheese
The Clarke family makes arguably the world’s best Red Leicester (and other superb cheeses) by hand on their family dairy farm near Market Bosworth. This authentic, high-quality farmhouse cheesemaking results in outstanding products. You can visit the tearoom on Sparkenhoe Farm every Friday and Saturday (9.30am-2.30pm) and enjoy a magnificent cheese toastie.
