Local Food Heroes - Stephen Wheeler talks to Rob Keene of Over Farm Market
Rob Keene at Over Farm Market on the outskirts of Gloucester has been pioneering local food for nearly thirty years. He brought the concept of producing and retailing from a farm environment from America, where he travelled and worked before setting up Over Farm. “Farm shops here had traditionally sold a few bags of potatoes and some free range eggs”, he told me. “In America they had expanded the range of ‘home grown’ produce on offer, and bought in other locally produced food and drink, to complement what the farm had to offer”.
Rob now cultivates an amazing 80 different crops from root vegetables such as potatoes and onions, to legumes such as broad beans and peas, brassicas, soft fruits, squashes, and even a sustainable crop of Christmas trees. Crops though aren’t the only story at Over Farm. Rob’s family has introduced a menagerie of animals from water buffalo to pot-bellied pigs which children can visit whilst their parents shop. Ostrich eggs from Over Farms ‘flock’ of eight birds have been in demand over Easter. There are farm birthday parties, tractor rides to view the Severn bore, ‘pick your own’ and educational visits.
Rob is passionate about promoting local food. “I try to offer something different from the supermarkets,” he said. “Really fresh, seasonal food which is competitively priced, and an array of delicious local products from wine and cheese, to butchery and bakery - all from small businesses which wouldn’t necessarily have a supermarket presence.”
Rob has recently formed a marketing co-operative of several Gloucestershire farm shops called ‘The Big G’. “Our joint aim is firstly to promote local food and each others production,” he told me, “but longer term I can see us co-operating on purchasing and other services. A number of us recently saved money by group buying our fertilizer for the strawberry crops.”
Rob has the flexibility to plant slightly ‘niche’ crops which are always of interest to local chefs. I told Rob that finding English (let alone local) rainbow chard and spinach for restaurants was difficult. Rob immediately said that he would plant some for Mise en Place, which should be ready for the summer trade. A great example of local businesses working in partnership!
To see the actual article, click here
9th April 2010
Rob Keene from Over Farm
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