Reporter Alice brought her Swedish parents to Diddly Squat Farm Shop (Image: Alice Sjoberg)
When my parents told me about their plans to visit me here in England from Sweden, I immediatly knew I wanted to take them to Diddly Squat Farm Shop. Despite never having visited myself, I knew my dad, a long-time Top Gear fan, would enjoy the opportunity to explore Jeremy Clarkson’s store.
What took me by surprise, however, was how much I also enjoyed our day out. The journey from my home in Worcestershire was slightly more stressful than anticipated due to my mother’s worries about driving on the left side of the road, but we arrived safely and were directed to a parking area.
Despite arriving an hour and a half after opening time, there was ample parking available in a nearby field, just a minute’s walk from the farm shop.
We certainly weren’t alone in our experience, as we joined a lengthy queue of eager visitors waiting to enter the small shop. With a big sigh each, we took our place at the end of the line, hoping the wait wouldn’t be too long.
READ MORE
‘I visited Clarkson’s Farm – don’t make this mistake to avoid disappointment’ [OPINION]
Clarkson’s Farm’s Lisa shares snippet of life at Diddly Squat [WATCH NOW]
Alice and her parents waited an hour and six minutes to get inside the shop (Image: Alice Sjoberg)
The pleasant, sunny weather initially added to the enjoyment of our day, with temperatures reaching 25 degrees by the time we got there.
However, the sun soon began to take its toll, resulting in my dad and I sporting lobster-red look for the rest of the day, despite putting on sunscreen that morning.
One of my main gripes with the farm shop was the lack of shade while queuing. Although it’s pleasant to bask in the sun, many found it unbearable not having any shelter during the hour and six minutes we waited to get inside.
It would be beneficial to have some form of sun protection, such as a marquee, particularly on exceptionally hot days. This would work well when it’s raining too.
The farm shop had everything you’d expect and more (Image: Alice Sjoberg)
Outside the shop, there was a table laden with locally grown fruit and vegetables – including strawberries, courgettes of various colours, spring onions and broccoli.
To the left of the entrance, there was a ‘cow juice’ milk vending machine for customers to purchase milk directly from local farmers, although this was not in operation when I visited.
Despite the initial dread of the long queue, it was well worth the wait to enter the shop. Although it was slightly smaller than I had anticipated, it offered everything I expected and more.
There were locally sourced meats and dairy products, as well as popular Hawkestone ciders and lagers and Diddly Squat gin. They also had cupboard staples like chutneys, jams, crisps, and fudge.
Whilst I could have easily spent a lot more time perusing around the shop, the queue system made me feel a bit rushed to get to the till.
The meats and cheeses were tempting, particularly the sausage rolls, but I had to leave them in the store due to our plans for the rest of the day.
However, I did manage to pick up some gin for my granddad’s upcoming birthday, an empty Diddly Squat milk bottle, a jar of piccalilli pickle, and a fridge magnet.
My parents also couldn’t resist bringing home some souvenirs. They bought locally roasted coffee and a ‘bee juice’ (honey) handmade soap bar.
Alice said her burger was the best she’d ever had (Image: Alice Sjoberg)
I initially thought the farm wouldn’t have much else to offer, but I was pleasantly surprised. As lunchtime had rolled around as we finished our shopping, we decided to try out the bar behind the farm shop, having heard good things about their food.
Initially, I was a bit disappointed with the menu, which seemed to only offer burgers or brunch items with different variations of eggs and bacon. Nevertheless, I chose a halloumi burger whilst my parents both went for a ‘Big View’ burger.
When our meals arrived, I was shocked. My halloumi burger was cooked to perfection, with a slice of roasted aubergine and harissa mayo providing a perfect balance of flavours, complemented by chilli and tomato chutney.
My parents were equally impressed with their burgers, which featured an aged beet patty topped with cheddar, homemade burger sauce, caramelised onions and pickles.
More than a week has passed since our visit – and I find myself still reminiscing about my burger, potentially one of the finest I’ve ever savoured.
My only gripe was the rather small paper plates they were served on, which made tackling it with the wooden cutlery somewhat challenging.
That aside, this burger alone is enough to tempt me into making the hour-long journey back to the farm, particularly as the queue for them was significantly shorter than the one for the shop. I’ll definitely be back for another!