A SHOPPING club could be set up at a community-owned farm shop in Stokesley, where local bread, organic meat and vegetables are sold.

The shop at Mill Rigg is owned by the Larchfield Farm community, of Coulby Newham, where residents include adults with learning difficulties. The community follows ideas which emphasise the personal and spiritual benefits of communal life, practical work and agriculture.

It bought the Stokesley shop two years ago and is now considering ways of developing its activities there, in keeping with its principles. Ideas include forming a consumers' group in the immediate area.

For some years, the community has run a caf and bakery at its Coulby Newham farm, where the popular Larchfield loaves are baked. In more recent developments, it has sold frozen, and now fresh, organic meat.

Community resident and farmer, Mr Peter Smith, said the Stokesley shop had been bought partly as a way of strengthening the fresh organic meat trade.

"Previously, we only sold frozen meat from a small freezer. However, we wanted to sell fresh meat and work with a butcher from Guisborough, Stuart Hodkinson. So we have built a new cold store at Larchfield to keep the meat in.

"Our livestock mainly comes from Larchfield or from near Great Ayton. It is killed for us in Great Ayton by Lowthers' butchers.

"Selling fresh meat at two outlets has provided extra work for Stuart and his apprentice. We also employ two part-time shop staff at Stokesley and would like to have some residents working there, too - running a shop needs a lot of input."

Speaking about future possibilities, he said: "We might look at forming a consumers' group around Stokesley. This could mean discount prices for members - they could come in to the shop, help themselves, and weigh their own meat.

"At the moment, the majority of our customers are older people, who can probably remember what proper bread and meat tasted like. They often do quite a comprehensive shop.

"Sadly, some younger people have the perception that organic food or meat is expensive, but it is not. We have built our reputation for good quality mainly by word of mouth."

After growing up in Harrogate and working on an organic farm in Oxfordshire, Mr Smith joined the Larchfield community when it was founded in 1986. He is proud of its connections with local farmers, suppliers and customers.

"Our produce is nearly all produced in this area. We sell local meat, cheese, vegetables and milk. We do freezer meals and are looking at other products to sell."

The Stokesley shop sells some meat from Larchfield, where pigs, cattle, sheep and geese are kept, but the majority of pork and lamb comes from Mr Tim Hawman's organic farm at Easby Hall, near Great Ayton.

Turkeys are supplied from Thornbeck Farm, at Norton, while milk and cheese come from the Acorn Dairy, near Darlington.

In addition to the two farm shops at Stokesley and Coulby Newham, Larchfield produce is sold at some delicatessens.

The community has links to the Botton village community in the North York moors, which practises similar ideas.