Five Acre Farm story

At Tobacco Factory, our core aim is to be a model of social, environmental and economic sustainability. We’ve always placed a strong emphasis on working with local independents and small businesses – from the suppliers of our menu ingredients, the local breweries whose beers we serve, and the local makers and producers at our Sunday market, many of which started their journey with us.

Our ‘Strike a light for Independents’ campaign was born out of this commitment to work with and support local independent businesses.

In early 2018, we decided to develop these values further by fully embracing the principles of the ‘farm to fork’ movement. We purchased five acres of land near Backwell, just to the south of Bristol, and set about establishing our very own farm which sits on a beautiful south facing slope, surrounded by mature trees and with views out across the Somerset countryside. The name ‘Five Acre Farm’ was irresistible, emphasising the small holding approach that is central to the spirit of the farm.

In Jonathan Boundy – formerly our Café Bar Manager who had been enthusiastically growing his own vegetables for some years – we had the perfect person from our team to take on developing and running the farm.

We grow following organic principles to produce nourishing food in a way that protects soils and biodiversity.

farm shop

In 2019 we opened our farm shop on the ground floor of Tobacco Factory on North Street. Alongside the delicious produce from our own farm, we also have lots of other local producers and growers in store, who all share our values for local, seasonal and sustainable food.

As well as our fruit & veg boxes sampling the very best seasonal produce from our farm, you can do your weekly shop from our range of:

Dairy – local Bruton Dairy milk from the churn, delicious cheeses from local suppliers, butter and eggs as well as lots of non-dairy alternatives
Pantry – flour, cereals, pulses, grains, pasta, tinned goods, preserves, oils, spices, condiments and local honey
Fruit & Veg – always fresh and seasonal, we grow everything under the sun (literally) from tomatoes and peppers, to cucamelons, leafy greens and lots of varieties of mushroom! Pop in to the shop to see what’s on offer each week
Drinks – tea, coffee, juices, soft drinks, craft beer, wine and spirits
Bakery – delicious homemade cakes and savoury snacks from our farm kitchen on the deli counter, as well as loaves and pastries from Mark’s Bread
Plants & gardening supplies – shop our range of house plants, seeds, gardening tools and peat free compost
Toiletries & household essentials – sustainable toiletries including soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant and skin-care. We also have a refill section of essential cleaning products, as well as a range of wooden cleaning tools
Homewares & gifts – head to the shop to find the perfect gift, we have something for everyone with books, puzzles, ceramics, candles, chocolate, pampering products, reusable coffee cups, water bottles and lunch boxes, and we also sell cards! Why not pop your gifts in one of our tote bags too, to be used again and again!

Five Acre Farm Shop is open Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 9am-4pm, entrance on North Street or through Tobacco Factory Yard Bar.

You can also shop online for local delivery or collection. Read more about our store here.

our menus

The ‘farm-to-fork’ approach involves a close relationship between the farm and our executive chef, Charles Mooyaart. The menus at Tobacco Factory and Grain Barge revolve around produce coming from the farm, ensuring that we make the best use of what’s in season throughout the year.

We had a chat with Charles to discuss his food passions and his vision for Five Acre Farm, Tobacco Factory and Grain Barge…

“Having our own farm creates a completely different environment for planning menus. Everything we plant has different growing times, so we make our dishes based around what’s in season at the farm. We only get what’s growing at that moment, which on the one hand is limiting, but on the other means we need to be more creative with what we have. Having gone to the effort of growing our own, so we want to show it off to our customers!”

Read the full conversation with Charles, and more on the farm-to-fork movement here.

JON GOODMAN

HEAD GROWER

Jon Goodman has been the Head Grower at 5 Acre Farm since September 2021. He is responsible for organising the crop planning and working alongside the rest of the team to keep all our vegetables happy on their journey from seed to plate. He has worked in organic veg growing for over 10 years, including previously running his own market garden business. He really really likes growing and eating salads!

Grace Glennie-Smith

Flower Grower & Farm Stall Manager

Grace is our resident Flower Grower and Farm Stall Manager. She is the newest member of the farm team and can normally be found knee-deep in dahlias in the farm flower patch, where she has been busy bringing on a bountiful crop for our Pick Your Own visitors. When she’s not growing you can find her playing the piano, out for a country walk or feeding her mild addiction to peanut butter!

Mel Taylor

Farm Shop Manager

Mel is passionate about all things food, especially if it’s seasonal, local and sustainable or chocolate flavoured. Mel has worked across the local food industry, having worked for companies including Better Food and Bath Ales. Most recently she worked for herself as one half of Gopal’s Curry Shack.

Mel comes to us with a wealth of experience including an enthusiastic and amateur approach to growing your own at home. Mel is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the amazing produce that comes form the farm and our farm kitchen.