Skating Rink - For any bookings please go to https://icenorwich.com/
Listen in this morning 10-12pm @bbcNorfolk radio live this morning!News 6 July 2016 | Like/Comment- http://www.edp24.co.uk/going-out/ten_places_in_norfolk_where_you_can_pick_your_own_fruit_and_veg_1_4604806News 5 July 2016 | Like/Comment
If I had to pick a month, I'd say it was July; the month for soft fruit when all the hard earned farmer’s work over the winter months comes into fruition. Before the pickers arrive, in cool mornings, I'll walk the rows of raspberries, currants and table top strawberries contemplating the day ahead, my ear tuned into my favourite White House Farm bird, the yellow hammer. As one wise, silver-haired customer, who has been picking and jam making with us for years, pointed out, if you listen carefully, he enthusiastically sings to the tune of, a ‘'Little bit of bread and no cheese!' It makes me smile every time.
I consider myself incredibly lucky to be joining the family business in Sprowston on the edge of the ever expanding city, but it does come with its challenges. Revolutionising an established business and moving with the trends is no easy feat. Since the 70s when the business was at its prime, a whole heap of socioeconomic changes have occurred, impacting us in different ways.
For example, we’re no longer governed by our chest freezer: we have supermarkets with every fruit you can think of at our disposal year round.
PYO is no longer a necessity but a family day out. Plus the price of labour is vastly greater than it was 30 years ago.
So, in order to survive, we’ve had to change accordingly. We’ve added our café, farmshop and most recently a thriving butchery, but we’ve needed
to think creatively where fruit picking is concerned. We note the tremendous footfall each summer yet find ourselves disheartened by the small amount of fruit picked by customers. So this year, we’ve taken others’ lead and introduced an entry free, a minimum spend (to be deducted from fruit picked) to balance the hungry mouths that pass through.
Like all things on the farm, it’s an experiment and I hope it will deter the time wasters but reassure the core, trusted pickers that we are trying to ensure the PYO experience does not become a thing of the past. After all, you can’t beat it: sunny days, juicy, fresh berries that taste like no other, a spot of jam making - and my friend the ‘cheese bird’ singing in your ear!
Press 5 July 2016- VERY excited to host BBC Radio Norfolk live at the farm 10-12pm tomorrow morning. Tune in, or even come and talk to @Edd_Smith amongst the raspberry canes!News 5 July 2016 | Like/Comment
Beautiful from the Feast Norfolk team. Pick up in the shop for free, or read while you have a latte in the sun! Still lots of strawberries is anyone was wondering!News 4 July 2016 | Like/Comment
Amazing thunder over our new retail units last night. The sooner they have a roof on the better! Aiming to be done by Christmas. ;-)News 3 July 2016 | Like/Comment
Oh yes, strawberries are here in time for a Wimbledon weekend! Only at White House Farm, NorwichNews 1 July 2016 | Like/Comment
Table top strawberries are now ready... the finest crop and no back breaking work, just juicy, ripe delicacies! (Plenty on the ground for children.)News 29 June 2016 | Like/Comment
Catching aprons in the sunshine at White House Farm on Mum's washing day!News 28 June 2016 | Like/Comment
Norfolk samphire available in the shop this weekend, delicious in Nortons Dairy butter ;-)News 25 June 2016 | Like/Comment
The butcher may be on the mower but: Shoulder of lamb this weekend is only £5.99 kilo -£2.72 lb - Oh, and it doesn't come from Europe! ;-)News 24 June 2016 | Like/Comment
Aylsham Show nomination, thank you all! Judging day tomorrow, do you think we'll get the farmer scrubbed up?!News 22 June 2016 | Like/Comment
Aylsham Show nomination! So thrilled, thank you to all. Judging day tomorrow, do you think we'll get the farmer scrubbed up?!News 22 June 2016 | Like/Comment- Love this photo! ;-)News 21 June 2016 | Like/Comment
- Another Cartwright order has arrived; their biscuits do go rather well with afternoon tea! ;-)News 21 June 2016 | Like/Comment
Recent reviews
- “Went here to today and had a lovely time. We had a lovely lunch, jacket potatoes filled with tuna with scrummy hot chocolates followed by the most yummy lemon drizzle cake.” Sarah L.
- “Considering it was busy the service was excellent . We had a lovely browse around the shops.
Will definitely be returning.”Lily P. - “Great butcher, fantastic meat, great coffee and cakes!” Jim B.
- “A Hidden Gem, I love this place as it has so much to offer, a lovely coffee shop with a real fire, a butchers with great local meats. The BBQ chicken kebabs are great. There are new businesses outside, Hairdressers, Florists, Nursery (children's) - lots on offer.” Brian G.
- “Lived in Sprowston for 20 years but this was my first visit to White House Farm. Wish we'd gone sooner. Lovely farm shop with great produce. We bought a couple of egg and bacon baps and ate them outside in the sunshine with two very nice coffees. Friendly and prompt service. Recommended.” Jonathan G.
- “The sausage rolls are amazing! Can't leave without one.”Sarah
- “Great place - a wonderful family run this place and are always very welcoming. Coffee, cakes, and GREAT butchers.”Nathan
- “Lovely family run cafe and shop, staff are very friendly and even though they were extremely busy, they still provided excellent service! We had a fabulous lunch with delicious soup and amazing cakes!”Beth
- “Wonderful place! Pleasure to drink coffee here”Aldona
- “Amazing place! The staff are so friendly, the sausage rolls are awesome and the chocolate cake was to die for. Coffee was fab too.”Vanessa
- “Lovely little shop and a very warm welcome. Wish we had more places like this back home.”Becca
- “Went here to today had a lovely time. We had a lovely lunch, jacket potatoes filled with tuna with scrummy hot chocolates followed by the most yummy lemon drizzle cake. Considering it was busy the service was excellent . We had a lovely browse around the shops. Will definitely be returning.”Sarah
- “Love the sausages and meat. Always fresh and tastes so much better than from anywhere else.”Carol
- “Visited today for the farmers market, first visit in a while, and very impressed with all the new additions here. Well worth a visit, keep up the good work.”Gary
- “What a wonderful place! I wish I had visited sooner. Delicious lunch and some fantastic local produce on sale in the shop. Very friendly staff. Will definitely be back!”Leyla
- “A really good work force. Good customer service, and most of all the food is good too.”Mike
- “This is our third year buying our Halloween pumpkins from White House Farm. The children love it and we love picking up a little extra in the Farm Shop. The White House Farm apple juice is divine.”Amy
- “Great cafe and fantastic farm shop. And the bonus of lovely little shops in the new converted barns”Darren
- “You wouldn't believe the city is nearby... Lovely... ”Ctibor
- “Simply a lovely place. PYO Paradise! Friendly and very professional family enterprise. Superb food: even the sausage rolls are in a class of their own! Well worth a visit.”David