Of dying traditions resurrecting as trending pastimes - Victualling

No matter how much we get used to shopping at the ‘The Big Four’ supermarkets, nothing will ever take the charm out of buying fresh vegetables from a local farm.  That’s why farmers markets are so popular (Love ‘em) and ‘Farm shops’ are gaining momentum (can’t afford to shop at them yet!!).

Now, imagine if you weren’t one of those ‘small’ grocers who were swallowed up the ‘The Big Four’. Imagine you lived in a scenic estate in Scotland that has been owned by your family for about 400 years.  What would you do to sustain that estate without having to divide it up and sell out to holiday home/resort builders? 

Without naming and faming (hate free publicity and all that), I must tell you that the F estate has come up with the most charming of all ideas. Yes, they have done the most predictable of all things. Built holiday cottages and rented them out. But wisely enough, they knew that that would attract only the tourists.  Which means business is going to be seasonal. So, how do you generate income by appealing to the locals?

Well.. you turn the granite steading in your estate that sits nestled amidst typical Scottish scenery of sprawling farmland, heather hills and rich woodlands into a farmshop.  You use your old family reputation to charm local farmers to sell their organic and better quality farm produce through that farm shop. Then you entice local artisans to sell their ware – paintings, handicrafts etc at the attached gift shop.  Then you tempt customers into taking a walk around your vast estate.  And come back to your tea house to taste the local food advertised as home-made. 

The F estate is the first farm shop of its kind that I visited and was suitably impressed. As a business postgraduate I have to admit that it is typical of a farm-shop that targets the leisure shopping market. Nothing that they sell is cheap!  However, I bet you a £1000 quid that none of the quaintly packed, uniquely flavoured preserves (chilli banana for example) or the locally produced flavoured beer is available in any of the supermarkets. (If you are a beer label collector, paradise peeps).  In fact, the preserve bottle labels can be kept as souvenirs too.  You know.. the types that can go into a shoe box that is stowed away only to be brought out years later when your grandkids visit?

And the more adventurous of the visitors can go beyond just walking around the estate.  You can go gaming. Hmm.  Pastimes of the landed gentry huh?  Btw,the best part?  The estate has advertised gaming as ‘Stalking’ by the way.  Kid you not.  Will get a photo of it when I visit again.  Activities offered: blah, blah, blah-di-blah and Stalking.  Hilarious.  (Like saying, we’ve got something for everyone - even the psychos!) Yes, yes. Am visiting again. And why not?