About us
“Everything at Low Sizergh Barn, from the entrancing wildflower meadow in the car park, to the farm shop full of sumptuous local produce, exemplifies the Park family’s philosophy that a properly run farm can enrich the lives and environment of the whole community.”
Home Grown: Food Champions of England’s Northwest, Deirdre Morley p. 355
A family farm
Three generations of the family run the businesses at Low Sizergh Farm. Alison can be found running the farm shop, gift gallery and café, whilst her brother Richard runs the farm with his son Matthew. John jokes that he’s now the farm boy sent to run all the errands and Marjorie spends as much time as possible painting in her shed. More than 50 local people are employed with Paul Seward working on the farm for nearly 30 years.
We farm with the future in mind, looking after the soil, the landscape and wildlife whilst being part of a vibrant rural economy. Our main crop is the grass that the cows eat all year round and from which the cows produce milk. Most of the milk goes to Organic Herd, the farmer cooperative, to be made into butter and cheese. It is also for sale through the vending machine at the farm shop.
More than 40 businesses and providers of services within a 50 mile radius support the day to day running of the farm. Our farm shop is a market place for over 80 local suppliers, from big names (locally anyway!) to local growers who trade their surplus crops at harvest time.
We are proud to have the mental health charity Growing Well on site; their organic vegetables and salads are available through a crop share scheme, in the farm shop and in the cafe, where mixed leaves make up the most deliciously fresh salad.
(image copyright Michael Lishman)
We are aware of the bigger picture in which we run our businesses, and that helps us adapt to everything from the vagaries of the Cumbrian weather to future food security. We share ideas and information with local and national networks of farmer, food and farming organisations.
Being tenant farmers across generations we are aware that the farm has been here since the 13th century (when it provided food for the castle across the fields) and that it will be here long after we are gone. We run the farm and farm shop businesses as well as we can for today and for the future.
Over three generations, and with the hard work of many people who work here, the farm and shop have thrived. We have been fortunate enough to win many accolades and awards over the past decades. The most recent include:
- Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards 2024 Large Independent Retailer
- Cumbria Farmer Awards 2024 Tenant Farmer of the Year
- Cumbria Life Awards 2023 Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Business of the Year