Feeling Fruity!! (Kenyon Hall Farm (Croft))

Member Name: stebiz

Product:	Kenyon Hall Farm (Croft)
Date:	15/07/09 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice Fresh Good Quality Fruit and Veg

Disadvantages: Seasonal, Cost

Tod and Barbra Bulmer are the present owners of Kenyon Hall Farm, which has been in the family for 400 years. It was originally an arable farm but in 1978 the couple started planting strawberries in 2 acres of one of their fields, and the rest is history, as they say!!

It now boasts to be one of the biggest and most popular 'pick your own' farms in the North West with 30 acres of Fruit and Veg.

I have been to this farm on a number of occasions and feel qualified to give a good review.

First Impressions

Upon entering the farm I am impressed with the signs, saying what they sell, along with a harcore drive, with parking for I would guess 200 plus cars. Plenty of space for the amount of visitors they have. This parking is of course free. It is clean (well as far as farms can be) and has a small, basic, childs play area, to keep the littleuns entertained. On busy days they also have an ice cream hut open.

Shop

Well obviously you wouldn't be going here unless you are looking to spend some of your hard earned cash on some fresh produce. You will see a mixture of all kinds here. Most in grown on their farm, but you will also find some others which have been sourced from elsewhere. They also sell jams and cereal etc. The cereal is made from oats from the farm too.

If you are looking to 'pick your own' it is wise to phone them first, or check their website for availability. Most of the fruit is only available for a short period. It is particularly cheap either, but that isn't a criticism. At least you know it hasn't been flown 5000 miles across the world before it hits your fruit bowl.

Here are a few examples of the prices for this years fruit/veg (2009)

Rhubarb
Pick Your Own Strawberries £3.99/kg
Pick Your Own Gooseberries £3.80/kg
Pick Your Own Raspberries £5.00/kg
Pick Your Own Tayberries £5.00/kg
Pick Your Own Blackberries
Pick Your Own Red and Blackcurrants £3.80/kg
Pick Your Own Garden Peas £1.99/kg
Pick Your Own Sugar-Snap Peas £4.00/kg
Pick Your Own Mangetout Peas £4.50/kg
Pick Your Own Broad Beans £1.80/kg

As with most 'pick your own' farms, it is not uncommon for people to 'sample' the fruit as they are picking, although it does say that all fruit must be paid for. Besides weighing people before they go in and then again on the way out :-) I can see little they can do to enforce this. I guess they allow extra for this in the price you pay, but of course this can't be condoned. From personal experience my kids love sampling the food as they go around the farm. The fruit I have found is to the highest quality!!

Greenhouse

There is a huge green house (well it is more like a tent with a plastic covering) were you can browse the plants and herbs. We also used this when we got caught out in a heavy rain shower!! It is a huge area which I always thought they could do more too. I would guess that only 25% of it was being used to its full potential on the times we have been.

Directions

Half way between Warrington & Leigh on the A579 (Winwick Lane)
1 mile from junction 22 (M6) and 1 mile from Lane Head, Lowton.
If using a SAT NAV type in WA3 7ED. It will take you straight there!!

Overall

I was extremely happy with our visits at this well run farm. Like everything in life it would be nicer if things were a bit cheaper (our 3 large punets of strawberries cost us £17) but the staff are friendly, and there is plenty to do. I must warn though that you check on availability first. In the past we have been caught out by going to late in the season, and had to play hunt the strawberry!!

Summary: A great few hours out for the family!!