Location

Ann and Richard Barber have farmed at Blackberry Farm since the seventies. They ran a very progressive dairy farm until recently, and now they have a beef operation with Charolais and mixed breeds. They run 50 cows and two or three bulls,

When they sold their dairy herd the Barbers purchased the Charolais from a neighbour as they are nice, quiet animals. They don’t have horns (polled) and have a good disposition. They find the Charolais cows are good mothers and the calves are fast growing and hardy.

The Barbers sell the calves as stockers at six to 12 months for someone else to grow on. They do keep keep a few animals for restaurant that Ann runs. They also provide beef for Grills Orchards Farm Shop, which is next door.

The restaurant, The Wedge and Bottle Restaurant, Frankford, serves home-cooked meals with sandwiches, soups, breakfasts, roast beef, turkey, soups and salads. The beef burgers come from Blackberry Farm.

“It is nothing fancy,” said Ann. “It is more like a cafe/diner.”

They also have a beautiful Arab stallion and breed ponies. Their daughter Holly is studying to get her equine qualifications.

Richard Barber is very interested in alternative fuels. He runs his farm factor on waste oil from the restaurant. They see the potential in small-scale energy production, for example, using water power.