Park Farm Butchers in Hawkhurst https://www.parkfarmbutchers.co.uk/ was opened in 2001 by Andrew Clarke and his son William, who supply the beef, lamb and pork from their 300 acre Wealden grassland Park Farm.
Park Farm has its own online farmshop. https://www.parkfarmonline.co.uk/ but is operating under Covid-19 restrictions as at 23/05/20. The farm is operating Click & Collect with delivery to these postcodes only: TN1 – TN6, TN9 – TN12, TN17 -TN22, TN30 – TN32. Delivery is £5 for orders under £25, free for orders above that.
The farm also supplies Farmdrop https://www.farmdrop.com as well as Cranbrook Farm Shop https://cranbrookfarmshop.co.uk/ and Salts Farm Shop at East Guldeford, near Rye on A259. http://saltsfarmshop.co.uk/
Andy and William have a suckler herd of around 40 Sussex cows, plus older stock and a flock of around 150 Romney ewes. They buy in locally bred Gloucester Old Spot weaner pigs, too.
Park Farm belongs to the Farm Assured Beef and Lamb Scheme and the Higher Stewardship Level scheme and the Clarkes manage 30 acres of wildflower meadow. They rear their cows, sheep and pigs on grass pasture (enriched by manure) plus hay, haylage and grass silage, which they grow and make themselves. The livestock have a short 25 minute ride to slaughter at an abattoir on a nearby farm.
In normal times, it is possible to buy a 50kg pig for a spit roast, which will serve 120 guests. Local Rye Bakery baps are used.
We buy Park Farm meat (mostly pork and lamb) from Salts Farm Shop, as parking van be tricky in Hawkhurst. It’s all excellent quality.
Salts Farm Shop also sells cheeses from High Weald Dairy which produces sheep and goats milk cheeses https://www.highwealddairy.co.uk/ (still producing cheese during the pandemic). Kent Crisps are sold https://kentcrisps.com/ (do try the ham and mustard flavour) as well as fruit and veg, much of which is local, in season. There’s a freezer full of upmarket ready meals from Cook as well. https://www.cookfood.net/ Salts Farm Shop has a café area in normal times, which serves Illy coffee. Next door is a small garden centre. The entrance is marked by two tall flagpoles with union flags, very close to the Camber turn off. In summer it gets busy, with a mixture of locals and tourists, including those self-catering in Camber and Rye.
Under Covid-19 the café isn’t open, but the shop is, with social distancing and amended opening hours. Click & Collect is available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and at the weekend. Local delivery ( 5 mile radius) is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
