Our Golden Turkey accredited farmer Bill Homewood from Peach Croft Farm in Radley, Abingdon, has a family farm and was one of our founder members 35 years ago!
We discover more about our very experienced family of traditional Christmas turkey and geese farmer in Oxfordshire…
How long has Peach Croft Farm been in farming and what made you join our association to become a Golden Turkey Farmer?
For nearly eighty years my family has been producing traditionally reared British turkeys and geese guaranteed to be enjoyed at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Three generations of our family have been dedicated to rearing award-winning birds. 61 years… All my life! We were a founding member of the TFTA’s Golden Turkey Farmers just over 35 years ago.
Do you produce anything else on your farm? What do you do in the first 6 months of the year, when not producing turkeys
Our farm shop, Wells Farm Shop, sells lovely homemade produce as well as supporting local businesses with selling their products. They use the fruit and vegetables we grow on the farm to create their lunch menus in the farm shop. In the spring we have Asparagus growing which is extremely popular within the local community and beyond. This is either bunched or PYO. In the summer months we grow strawberries, these are again either in punnets or PYO and are perfect with cream! We also have 400 acres of arable crops growing, from wheat to beans.
As well as our traditional turkeys, we also produce geese for the Christmas market and they usually arrive around 6 weeks before the turkeys, so we have lots to keep us busy!
Has Peach Croft Farm won any awards for its farming business or food?
In 2012 we won Supplier of the Year to Fortnum & Mason. We also won an Innovative4 Food Award from Harrods in 2012. We also won a top award for our Farm from a local Farming Club.
Who else do you normally sell Golden Turkeys to?
We sell direct from the farm, and also to independent quality butchers & farmshops, in this county and beyond.
We love to help the local and wider community when we can.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Being able to work outside the majority of the time, with a small dedicated team.Producing high quality poultry with high welfare standards. I take great pride in seeing the birds at Christmas, produced to such high standards and our customers enjoying our produce.
What or who, inspires you?
Being grateful for every single day that we are given. I like to provide people with the highest standard of food and take great pride in British farming.
What was your first job?
Farming has been my first and only job!
What would you be doing, if you weren’t a farmer?
Thinking about becoming one!
Tea or Coffee?
Tea…with two sugars
Favourite Book or Film?
Notting Hill
Favourite Food?
Asparagus with butter and black pepper – or asparagus and mushroom risotto! Of course… one of our Golden Turkeys at Christmas!
Best way to relax after a stressful day?
Spending time with family, and dog training our black Labrador.
Which social media platforms do you use for your Christmas Turkey business?
Our main platform is Facebook. We find that engagements aren’t that high across Twitter. We are slowly trying to build our Instagram followers.
How has the Corona Virus Pandemic affected your farm life and business?
Are you planning to make changes in the way you promote your Christmas turkeys?
Our turkeys are known on reputation so that should hold us in a good position. We are considering some social media campaigns to help promote us.
Are you planning to offer a nationwide delivery service?
At the moment, we do a delivery within a 5-mile radius due to COVID-19.
In the past for our customers Christmas turkey orders, we have an overnight delivery service to anywhere in the UK.
Do you foresee any particular staffing problems this year, for the processing of the turkeys for Christmas?
Staffing may be challenging with social distancing still likely to be in place.
Further Details: https://www.peachcroft.co.uk
Facebook: @Peach Croft Farm
Instagram: @Peach_Croft_Farm
Twitter: @PeachCroftFarm
