Park Fruit Farm ~ Farm Shop

We sell all our fruit (40 varieties apples, 4 varieties pears, 10 varieties plums, raspberries & blackberries) from our farm shop when in season. We also sell other produce from other local farms. Therefore all produce available from our farm has all either been grown on the farm or has been grown very locally. We understand the importance supporting local producers, as we ourselves like to be supported. Our customers tell us of their pleasure in being able to buy local, fresh, high quality produce direct from the farm at reasonable prices.

 All the FRUIT sold at the farm -  is grown on the farm. (40 varieties apples;  4 varieties pears; 10 varieties plums, damsons  - PYO and ready picked; raspberries and blackberries -  PYO, ready picked fresh and frozen.)

We press our own fresh pressed apple juice from our own apples, mixed and single varieties which is available completely pure and untreated straight from the press. We also make our own cider and cider vinegar from our own apple juice.

Produce from 8  other local farms is sold at the shop: Local Potatoes from Thorpe-le-Soken; Local fresh vegetables from Beaumont-cum-moze; Local Plants and fresh vegetables from a smallholding in Kirby-Cross; Local Honey from Tendring; Locally made Jams and Chutneys from Tendring;  Local Fresh free range eggs from Little Clacton; meats from Wick Farm, Tolleshunt Major; mushrooms from Gt.Bromley.

Home Baked Sweet and Savoury Dishes : We bake our own sweet and savoury dishes, using our own fresh fruit  e.g. Cakes, Apple Gateaux, Pies, Tarts and Flans etc. These are often available  freshly baked or frozen. However,  it is best to order to ensure we have what you require. A full list of the produce we bake is available from the shop, or if you require something different not on the lost, or cooked in a different way, please ask.

Recipe leaflets : Apple and fruit recipe ideas  to bake yourself are available on leaflets.

The availability of fresh fruit and vegetable varieties depends on the season. For a full list of fruit varieties grown and their season please see the fruit varieties page.

       Vegetables: availability of fresh locally grown vegetables varies with the season. The following is available at our shop when in season, and when cropping allows: Grown at Beaumont : Red, White, Savoy and Celtic Cabbage, Sweet Heart Cabbage, Primo Cabbage, Beetroot, Onions, Carrots, Calabrese, Parsnips, Radishes, Spinach,Turnips, Celeriac, Leeks, Spring Greens, Brussel Tops, Brussel Sprout Sticks, Brussel Sprouts, Runner Beans, Cauliflower,  Broccoli, Calabrese, Spring Onions, Marrows, Courgettes.  etc ! Grown at Daylin Farm, Kirby: Celeriac, Marrows, Tomatoes, Runner beans. Grown near Colchester: Wet Walnuts.

        Potatoes  grown at Thorpe, the following are normally available when in season, Desiree (Main crop, Red skin, good for most cooking requirements, i.e. baking, boiling, roasting and chipping)   Maris Piper (Main crop, White skin, good for most cooking requirements, i.e. baking, boiling, roasting and chipping) Nadine (White skin, good for roasting, baking, boiling and chipping) all  available in 2kg, 5kg bags, and later in the season in 1/2 sack, i.e. 12.5kg and full sack 25kg. Maris Bard new potatoes, available this early summer. Cara (main crop, occasionally available).

        Honey    We sell honey produced by a local beekeeper from Tendring. In Blossom time he brings his hives to the farm for a few weeks to help the fruit trees in pollination.  1lb jars of honey (runny and set),  gift 'bear' jars, and occasionally  honeycomb honey is sold through our shop.  The honey  varies in flavour, consistency,  and colour  depending on the type , (i.e. the flowers visited by the bees). Some of the honey will be from apple blossoms from the farm, this is normally the darker, runny honey. The honey is pure, untreated and unblended. It has a smooth flavour and is very popular locally. Untreated honey retains in tact many of the trace elements, nutrients and oils from the flowers which the bees have visited. These trace elements of local flowers are meant to have many health benefit, and are reputed to help ward off many modern day ailments. 

Jams and Chutneys: a local lady farmer from Tendring makes really good jams and chutneys. Most of the fruit  and vegetables she uses she gets fresh, direct from local farms, including plums and damsons she picks herself from our orchards, or we pick it ready for her. We sell the jars of  chutney and jam from our farm.

Cider Vinegar : We make cider vinegar on our farm from pure apple juice with no additives. It is a very long process, first of all the apple juice is  fermented in oak barrels out to dryness.  The cider is then transferred to special vinegar barrels where a secondary 'fermentation' is carried out by encouraging the development of a natural 'mother vinegar'. The natural process slowly turns all the cider alcohol into vinegar acid. Once this has happened completely,  the vinegar is bottled for sale. The vinegar is still 'live' i.e. un-pasteurised when we sell it, which means it retains its natural goodness and rich flavours. It is used in cooking for salad dressings and vinaigrette dressings, for a marinade ingredient and many more uses. It is also reputed to have very many health benefits about which many books and articles have been written.

        Plants   We sell a small assortment of garden plants grown on a very small, local nursery at Kirby Cross. The species availability is dependant on season. I.e. Primulas in  winter,  Herbaceous Perennials from late March to early May, trailing basket plants and bedding plants from mid April, and Heathers in Autumn. 

        Cider    A natural cider is made in the traditional East Anglian way from a mixture of dessert and culinary apples, grown on the farm . These apples have a lower tannin content than the West country cider apples and therefore give a more fruity,  and sharper taste more akin to a dry white wine than the better known ciders. It is made  from pure apple juice with no other additives, and uses the natural yeasts found on the fruit.  It is fermented in oak barrels and is continually racked off the sediment, as the yeasts settle out. It is important the cider is kept sealed from the air, and is always handled carefully. The cider is allowed to mature in the oak barrels, which allows it to mellow to a rich flavour. At present, we only make small quantities. It is best drunk in small quantities, preferably served in small glasses. It is sold in 750cl glass bottles (wine bottle size), in 1/2 gallon containers, or in 5 gallon polypins (with deposit required).

        Logs    As the fruit trees get older,  they sometimes need to be cut down and replaced with younger trees. The older trees, we cut up and leave to dry for firewood. There is usually  apple wood logs available to buy. We sell in sacks, to collect yourself

        Farm Walks   People are welcome to walk around the farm on request (at the farm shop) during blossom time in April an May,  and at other times by prior arrangement. The farm can be quite muddy so please bring your wellies! There is a good network of public footpaths in the local area which cross some beautiful countryside, especially towards Holland Brook and towards the seafront if you wish to walk around the farm as part of your walk, please feel free to ask. Special tours of the farm are given on apple day. 

       Apple day This is normally held on the nearest Saturday and Sunday to the 21st October each year. This year  we had apple tasting of over 40 varieties of apples, competitions, apple recipes for tasting and guided farm tours, juice pressing demonstrations,  juice tasting of over 5 different varieties pure, fresh from the press, we also had a Farmers' Market: with stalls manned by the local farmers: locally grown mushrooms...including unusual mushrooms; pork meats and sausages, with tasters, a full range of locally grown vegetables including butternuts, pumpkins, wet walnuts...as well as the usual fresh cauliflowers, cabbages,  etc. The local beekeepers' association gave hive displays, and our local beekeeper brought frames from his hives with the honey comb still inside so that people could taste spoonfuls of honey direct from the hive. He  also  answered questions on honey, beeswax, and beekeeping etc. Stalls included the local jams and chutneys...with tasters! There was a range of plants grown at a local nursery, and a birds of prey demonstration. The weekend was very popular. Next year, 2004  we hope to arrange a similar weekend event.  The event is all held inside the farm buildings...so that bad weather is not a problem!...the orchard tours, however are of course outside and take about an hour each...on Saturday a tour is given once in the morning starting at 11am, and once in the afternoon starting at 3pm. On Sunday, the morning tour starts at 11am and the afternoon tour starts at 2.30pm. Please bring your wellington boots if you wish to go on the tour!. 

Telephone 01255 67 4621 (shop hours) e mail s.elsworth@farmline.com  

From July to Christmas -we are open 7 days a week , 9-5 Mon to Sat, 10-4 Sun

New Year to mid May - Monday to Saturday .9-5.