Lauren's Saline Shaw Farm Shop venture aims to keep it local

Originally brought up on a farm in the North-east of the region, Lauren Seath (29) and her parents Scott and Lesley, now farm Saline Shaw, near Dunfermline – a 350-acre grassland unit which the family purchased back in 2013.

With a 500-ewe flock of pedigree Lleyns and a successful wedding florist business already keeping Lauren busy, she always had a diversification plan which would help educate the general public on farming, while marketing home-grown produce at the same time.

“I have always had a passion for the industry and could see an opportunity for selling our own home-grown lamb,” said Lauren, who is a past member of SSS YFC.

Home produced lamb packs have kept the shop busy for direct sales through the pandemic

“A farm shop and cafe are a great combination as the shop helps educate the public on where food comes from and the café gives customers the chance to enjoy some of the local produce when they are there. I think it’s also good to give locals somewhere to dine on their doorstep as well as providing jobs for the local community.”

It’s been a long process for Lauren, though. Her new venture didn’t become a reality until last September, after being faced with hurdles in the planning permission and then Covid-19.

“I was lucky to secure LEADER funding at the end of 2018 which was obviously a huge boost and we set about for planning permission straight away,” added Lauren. “After several delays along the way, we were finally granted permission in November, 2019 and started building. Everything was going really well and we were almost ready to open when the pandemic struck.

A welcome in off the road to the Saline Shaw Farm Shop and Cafe, with its Scandinavian building design

“Fortunately, we were able to open the doors for a few months before Christmas and we couldn’t believe how busy we were, particularly with local farmers who stopped for a coffee and bacon roll on the way home from the market. The second lockdown then came into place and we've been in the unknown ever since.”

Despite the new farm shop and café being shut, the sheep enterprise has certainly been a huge help to Lauren during the pandemic as her home-reared, quality assured lamb boxes have been really popular since the pandemic began.

The family previously ran Mules but changed the breeding policy a few years back to suit the farmland better. Most of the flock is bred pure to lamb in April. Some 200 of the ewes are crossed with a Texel cross.

At the moment, Lauren is putting two lambs away each week for selling in lamb boxes which are delivered straight to the customer’s door in the Clackmannanshire and Fife area.

“I love how this whole crisis has made people want to buy local produce,” said Lauren. “We’re getting people who wouldn’t normally be interested in coming to a farm shop, so that’s great.

“I’ve given customers the option to build their own lamb boxes so that there is no fixed price and they aren’t having to pay £100 for a lamb box which might include cuts that they may not want. Most customers are spending £20-£30 on a box and we aren’t left with much, so it seems to be working well for both parties.”

With the lamb sales continuing to be a huge hit, Lauren is hoping to invest in a few Aberdeen-Angus, or Highland cattle to hopefully sell through the farm shop when its back open. She reckons its these types of native bred cattle which draw attention to the public, as the eating quality is seen as superior.

Lauren has made sure to support other small and local businesses when it comes to selling produce through the farm shop, with pork and bacon bought in from Fife butcher, Puddledub, and black pudding and haggis sourced from The Farmer’s Son.

The shop all set up and raring to go once the restrictions are lifted

Free-range eggs come from a farm just two minutes along the road and the fruit and vegetables are also bought in from local producers.

The Wild Hearth in Comrie supplies bread and pastries, and Lauren also caters for both the cheese and ice-cream lovers, with a regular order made to Snowdonia cheese each month, and ice-cream bought from Woodys Ice-Cream, Mauchline.

Art prints, gifts and homewares from Claire Wilson Art and Tamsin Thomson Art are also available to buy through the farm shop, as are fresh flowers and plants from Lauren’s own florist business.

Lauren has gone for the field to fork approach in the café, using locally sourced produce within her menu which was developed with assistance from executive chef, Mark Heirs. As well daily specials, home bakes of scones, sponges and traybakes are also made by a local lady in the farming community.

One of the more popular items on the menu - a reallsy tasty burger with home-made beefy chips

“I’ve gone for a rustic look on the outside of the building, using timber wood and stonework together to create a Scandinavian feel,” commented Lauren.

“The farm shop and café area are spacious and bright which has helped hugely with social distancing, allowing people to move around and dine comfortably.”

The business employs around a dozen staff which are all from the local area – an aim which Lauren had right from the beginning.

Moving forward, Lauren has more exciting plans in the pipeline which, enigmatically, are yet to be revealed and she hopes to have stands at agricultural shows in the future to showcase the very best of Scottish produce. Saline Shaw Farm Shop is also the sponsor of the food and drink marquee at Stirling Agricultural Show.

“I launched my dream business in the middle of a pandemic so if we can survive this, then we can literally survive anything,” concluded Lauren.

“It has never been more crucial for people to support small and local businesses, especially after so many have weathered the storm and have come out the other side. Farm shops are a great way to promote our industry and I hope we can welcome old and new visitors to Saline Shaw soon."

When the cafe was allowed to open up it proved a popular stop for passers-by

* Saline Farm Shop and Café is situated on the B913, just off the A907. Once hospitality restrictions are lifted, visitors are welcome seven days per week from 9am-4pm, with plans to open later in the summer, providing Covid-19 restrictions allow. It's a dog friendly café, with outdoor seating overlooking the Ochil Hills.