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If you have trouble sourcing meat for your dinner during the new Covid regulations, or if you just want to stay well away from the crowds at the shops, a young farming couple have the solution.
Chris Woodhead and Zoe Colville are now offering meat from animals reared at their farm in Loose direct to the customer.
"It's a kind of farm to fork idea," explained Miss Colville.
They have been grazing their animals on land owned by fruit farm Pympes Court off Busbridge Lane for the past two years, and used to sell their meat to market, but Miss Colville explained: "During lockdown, so many people began walking past our fields and would stop to talk to us that we realised there was a tremendous interest in locally produced food."
So now they have branched out and set up their own Little Farm Fridge shop, where customers can buy their meat direct.
Last season, the couple lambed 700 ewes. They also have around 30 cattle, but their unique selling point is their goats - of which they currently have around 50 brown and white Boer and all brown Anglo-Nubians which they sell for meat, plus a number of pygmy goats that they keep as pets.
Miss Colville said: "A lot of people are interested in the goats because it's actually quite difficult to buy goat meat in the shops.
"When you can, it mostly comes from Spain. Increasingly people like to buy locally and reduce their carbon footprint and we also offer high welfare standards and full traceability."
The couple sell only female goats or castrates which do not have the very strong favour associated with billy goats, and taste more like mutton.
Miss Colville said: "We probably should have started the shop sooner, but we just didn't have time. But after we received so many inquiries, we decided we just had to make time."
Customers can order online at www.thelittlefarmfridge.co.uk and collect their order in person on Sunday, or the farm will deliver using a refrigerated van to local postcodes.
Miss Colville, 29, said: "We are flexible. People might be able to collect at other times by appointment, there's no nine-to five structure with farming, but we are just not here all the time."
The couple also look after animals on rented grazing land in three other locations: at The Downs in Wrotham, at East Hill, near Brands Hatch, and at Southfleet.
Mr Woodhead, 28, comes from a farming family, but Miss Colville has been converted after starting out as a hairdresser. They live in West Malling.
For inquiries, ring 07540 490561.
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