About Us
The Park family took on the tenancy of Low Sizergh Farm from The National Trust in 1980. Three generation of the family now work in the business. Life on the farm continues to be a passion and an inspiration for all of us.
Low Sizergh Barn: from fruit to fame!
In the mid 1980s dairy farmers received the news that milk quotas were to be introduced, Mum and Dad (John and Marjorie) reacted with a diversification plan to offset the impact of the limitations. Low Sizergh Farm opened its gates as a Pick Your Own Strawberry business.
Since then the farm has changed dramatically and now leads the way in farm retailing, organic dairy herd management and social enterprise. The Farm Shop opened in 1991 and a year later the Tea Room followed. In 2000 the Pick Your Own business was wound up and organic production took over, two years later Low Sizergh Barn was fully organic. In the same year the farm trail opened.
3 hectares of the site are dedicated to Growing Well a social enterprise that provides horticulture training, educational visits, and grows organic produce whilst supporting people recovering from mental health issues. It’s this enterprise that produces the farm fresh vegetables delivered straight from the fields to your family whilst also running a crop share scheme in the locality.
A family farm
The popularity of the site is rooted in the philosophy that the Park family communicates to every visitor – a properly run organic farm can enrich the lives and environment of the whole community and secure a vibrant rural economy for future generations.
Four members of the family run the business. Mum Marjorie and daughter Alison can be found running the farm shop, gift and craft galleries and tearoom, whilst son Richard runs the farm and Dad John jokes that he’s now the farm boy sent to run all the errands. Richard’s daughters Hannah and Emily have Saturday jobs in the tearoom and shop.
Along with their team of 60 staff in the retail facilities and 6 on the farm, the Parks are justifiably proud of their achievements. From John’s Lifetime Achievement Award from FARMA (National Farmers’ and Retail Markets Association) to accolades such as Farm Shop of the Month in the BBC Good Food Guide and a current shortlisting for the Taste of England Award there’s plenty for everyone to celebrate!