It’s not every day that you get to enjoy a coffee and a cake with some friendly Highland ‘coos’.
But Kepplestone Farm Shop is not an ordinary shop, it is a thriving community hub that has been at the beating heart of Bucksburn for the past 100 years.
For what started out as an honesty box in the shed next to the farmhouse selling eggs and fresh vegetables is now one of Aberdeen’s most popular farm shops.
As the fourth generation of her family to help run the grassroots business, Jade Mitchell is proud to continue the local legacy that her great great-grandparents started.
Can you tell us about the incredible history of the farm shop?
Our family has been farming here for about 100 years.
It was my great great-grandparents that had the farm shop to start with.
It started out as an honesty box in the shed right next to the house just selling eggs and fresh vegetables like tatties mainly and some other veg.
What made you decide to shake things up?
In January 2020, myself and my mum Helen thought we would do the shop up to see if we could get more customers.
But then Covid came along so we closed as few months later to keep the family safe.
During this time, we decided to re-locate the farm shop and we opened it again in May last year and since then it has just gone crazy.
It has been really busy which has been great.
We’ve had lots of people visiting from Aberdeen and Inverurie and recently we had someone who travelled from Laurencekirk.”
What’s on offer?
We have tasty gourmet pies from the Breer Pie Co in Kinellar and delicious traybakes to brownies from Kintore based supplier Bakery Lane.
People are much more aware now of where their food is coming from and they like to support local which is really good instead of always going to Tesco and Asda.
We have lots of local produce in the shop and we try to support new local business as well by stocking their produce.
Do you think your rural upbringing has influenced your career?
The farm was a big part of me and my brother Lewis’s life growing up.
We’ve been pretty involved in helping for as long as we can remember.
The youngest member of the team is my one-year-old son, Jake.
He is normally at the shop with me every single day.
He loves all the attention from customers.
“I think having Jake has made me realise what is really important, family.
What do you love about Kepplestone Farm?
“I feel really lucky every day to be doing what I’m doing.
Just being outside in the fresh air with all the animals, is good.
I enjoy the quietness of not being in the town.
Tell us about your new outdoor seating area
The coffee pods are going really well.
“My boyfriend, Kev Philip, built them for us as he’s a joiner.
Before we just had picnic benches and then we decided to build the pods to give people an extra bit of shelter.
You also get a good view out into the field and the cows and you can see right into Dyce and the airport.
How you feel about being nominated for Best farm shop in the Aberdeen business awards 2021?
We are over the moon.
We also have plans but it’s a secret for the time being.
One thing that will never change at Kepplestone Farm is that family will always be at the front and centre of everything.
We’re family friendly and offer somewhere peaceful for people to go.
To find out more about Kepplestone Farm, go to their Facebook or Instagram page.
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