Press Release – 16th November 2007
A farming family from West Lancashire has harvested another crop of awards.
The Neales from Burscough have just been named in the North West Fine Food Awards after scooping the regional Best Brassica and Best Vegetable categories.
The family will be taking part in the first ever Ormskirk Farmers’ Market this Friday, November 9.
With their fragrant fennel and delicious Romanesco Cauliflower the Neales convinced a select panel of judges and will now go on to complete in the finals next February – where they could be named as overall Best Producer.
The North West Fine Food Awards have been running for the last five years and are hotly contested, attracting hundreds of entries each year. They are judged by an expert panel of 24 judges including leading North West chefs, national food writers and guest judges.
The Neales have been farming on Martin Lane for generations and are currently in the process of developing a large farm shop, tea room and Bed and Breakfast in a newly renovated 18th Century brick-barn.
Known as “The Farm Burscough” the new attraction is another step in the family’s diversification process which has seen them develop from purely wholesale farmers into one of the best know producers selling direct to the public at farmers’ markets across the region.
Bill Neale said: “It is great news to win another award for our produce. Having turned from wholesale to retail over the last few years we have built up some wonderful customers and also been able to concentrate on growing a bigger variety of crops in smaller numbers.
“That has meant the quality of our crops has got better and we are able to offer top quality produce at the farmers’ markets and from our farm door.
Daughter, Cathy Grice, added: “We will be opening our new shop soon so more people will be able to come and try our award winning products for themselves.
“We have had a small self-service shop at the farm for a few years but when our barn renovation has been completed we will be stocking a much bigger selection of veg, chutneys, free range eggs, meat, bread, jams and preserves.
“Our new tea room will also use produce from the farm in the meals we serve and our free-range eggs will also be a favourite feature of our country breakfasts.”
The award comes as another boost for the Burscough family who made international news last Christmas with their secret cooking method for “wind-free sprouts.”
They have also triumphed before in the North West Fine Foods Awards after achieving the Best Lemon Curd in the region earlier this year and also two separate awards for their potatoes in both 2006 and 2007.
