A FARMER who gave up his prize-winning dairy herd to switch to organic methods has opened a farm shop.

Ken Wade, who runs the 260-acre Larberry Pastures farm, between Stockton and Darlington, off Darlington Back Lane, near Longnewton Village, hopes the shop, with its emphasis on organic produce, will prove whether he made the right decision to change his farming methods.

He is also offering a plot of land to anyone who would like to grow organic vegetables to sell in the shop.

He said: "We are facing a big challenge, but we are going to market our own organic produce together with food produced by other, small speciality business in the North-East, not all of it organic, but of high quality. We are giving consumers in Tees Valley and beyond the opportunity to buy food they will rarely find in supermarkets, and they will know exactly where the produce comes from."

His wife, Merilyn, and daughter Eileen, have joined Northumbria Larder, a speciality food producers' association.

As well has organic beef and poultry, there will be a wide range of North-East produce on sale.