I was dismayed to hear that the council have received so many complaints from local residents about the negative impact that evening events and the sale of alcohol until the dizzy heights of midnight (I know!) will have on the community and so, before jumping in I thought I had better pull my finger out and try it for myself. On this, a rare child free day off work (no, it turns out I don't feel that guilty at all) I am as I type sitting in the barn that homes Castle Farm Cafe, with a hot water bottle on my lap, a candle flickering on my table and some truly delicious food on my plate.
It is cold today. I have just been to my Mum's house to wash my clothes and have a hot bath. On my own. Without a litany of requests being shouted through the door primarily involving reasons why the presence of a two year old is necessary to my enjoyment of the bath. I really did not think that the day could get any better (apart form the minor blips of reversing my car into a wall and then in a separate but equally embarrassing moment, of my car boot flying open depositing a travel cot, curtain fabric and my weekly shop on the main road. We wont mention these things again if you please). It turns out however that it can get better. A lot better.
As with the menu at Acorn the problem for me was what to chose. In the end I plumped for a warming bowl of the Soup of the Day which is aptly named Super Green and has Kale and pesto bobbing about in it making me feel both warm and exceptionally smug. On the side I could not resist a Westcombe Cheddar toastie. I am starting to think that it is biologically impossible for me to resist anything on a menu that has the words Westcombe and Cheddar next to each other, it really is amazing cheese and in this here toastie with onions it is heavenly. The menu looking amazing as it does mean that I will have to come back to try all of the dishes as they all sound so amazing. Whilst sitting here I have seen some beautiful arancini balls leave the open kitchen and some awesome looking pizzas have passed my table too. I have overheard a conversation about how amazing the banana bread is and another customer talking about the super green soup and what an amazing surprise it is to have gorgeous leafy green kale popping up on every spoonful.
It is cold today but I am already excited about spring and summer trips here to sit outside and look out over the valley eating all this amazing seasonal organic produce and supporting a local independent business that really brings something amazing to this little corner of Somerset. As our towns and even our villages become ravaged by the effects of supermarkets and chain stores it is more important than ever that we make the time, and yes sometimes a little extra effort, to support people like Castle Farm Organics and Castle Farm Cafe. I cannot think of a single way in which a local business providing locally grown organic food and hosting evenings of sauerkraut workshops and environmental film screenings, not to mention creating employment and a vibrant heart to a village that is not a pub or village shop can be negative. I for one think what they are doing is great and that more rural areas need business like this to bring people together in what can very easily become a drinking cheap Tesco wine on your sofa and only leaving to go to work existence. I only hope that when we come to create something at Dream Farm, our neighbours can see this too.
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| Truly super super green soup |
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| Pizza coming out of the oven |
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| Service area complete with Round Hill Roastery Coffee |
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| Beautiful views from Castle Farm |
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| Impossible to resist on a cold January day |
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