“Local craft ale was once a favourite, but ciders, particularly small-batch, are back,” says Greendale Farm Shop’s ruddy-cheeked Rich Jones, holding up a jerrycan labelled ‘Proper Job’. “It’s a Devon scrumpy made with our apples by Keith Hosein, an 80-year-old local farmer who still uses a hand crusher.”
A Devon farm shop stocked with cider is no surprise, but what is astonishing is Greendale’s multitude of local goods, from veggies, cheese, meat and preserves to pastries, sourdough, ice cream and souvenirs. All are either produced on site or are West Country sourced, filling a giant barn and outbuildings akin to a rustic mall. “The shop started 15 years ago, selling farm eggs from a roadside shed,” says Rich. “But during Covid we really became a community hub and have grown a lot since.” Not only has Greendale’s restaurant capacity doubled,
