Bryn Cocyn - North Wales

Bryn Cocyn Farm is my uncle and aunt's farm in North Wales. It's to Patrick and Joyce that I owe so much of my interest in food and determination to get people to think more about the value of food and where it comes from.

"Have you any idea how much grass went into that butter?"

A story I've told many times is about my aunt telling off my young cousin for playing with butter and making me think for the first time about that anonymous pack of butter you pick off the supermarket shelf without any thought to what it is, where it's come from and the effort that's gone into producing it. 

Patrick and Joyce have farmed organically since the 70s and only sell directly to consumers through farmers markets and farm gate sales. Originally they produced lamb and beef but markets have allowed them to develop a more mixed way of farming producing organic vegetables - the most delicious tomatoes you'll ever eat, shiny chard and from their orchard an amazing diversity of apples, some of which are turned into juice.