Covering 150 acres to the north-east of Godstone, Flower Farm is a unique and vibrant part of Tandridge. Lead by farmer Patrick Deeley, its 30 full-time staff help run the many diverse aspects of the business, whether that is working on the land or with the livestock, picking up a knife in the butchery, cooking in the kitchen, serving customers in the shop and cafe, or behind the scenes, creating the farm’s compelling marketing and social media content.
First and foremost a fully-working farm, Flower Farm’s shop is stocked with produce raised, grown and made on the premises, while much of its other wares comes from local food producers. Everything is available to order via the website, something which became a necessity during the pandemic.
When the shop had to close in 2020, Farmer Patrick’s team moved online, working hard to ensure local residents could order food boxes, which they then delivered. They also made up and distributed free boxes to keyworkers and local schools. At one point, they were making up to 500 deliveries a day.
Farmer Patrick was determined to get food to those who couldn’t get to the shops: “We delivered to those who were self-isolating, or who couldn’t travel, as well as helping support those who were looking after us, like the NHS and the fire service. My team and I rely on this community for our livelihood so we want to make sure that we look after it too, especially during uncertain times like the pandemic.”
Fresh, homemade and mouth-watering
The farm’s on-site kitchen is responsible for the mouth-watering range of homemade pies, quiches and sausage rolls, among other things, which sit on the delicatessen counter alongside cured meats, coleslaw and over 100 different varieties of cheese. Fresh fruit and vegetables fill another wall of the shop, with pride of place given to the farm’s own seasonal produce, as well as eggs from its free-range chickens. A pick-your-own area allows people to select ripe raspberries, strawberries, cherries, plums and blackberries, too.
There’s even a brewery on the premises, The Godstone Brewers, which makes and sells ale, stout, bitter and lager, and opens the doors to its tap room every Friday between 17:00-20:00. The farm’s popular pub garden is gearing up to open again, when the warmer weather arrives, and the first weekend in September will see the farm host its second charity mini-festival: a not-for-profit event to say thank you to Surrey and Sussex’s NHS staff.
It’s easy to see the genuine affection Farmer Patrick has for his business, his staff and his customers, but he admits to being happiest when he’s working in his fields:
“In the fresh air, surrounded by wildlife: Flower Farm is a fantastic place to be!”
Visit and order from Flower Farm’s online shop.
