Tullyvernon Farm Shop is at the heart of the Clogher Valley community. From opening its doors in March 2023, the shop’s business has not only continued to flourish but has also expanded rapidly into a well established social spot for both the locals and the wider community.

Between the fluctuating fuel prices and the cost of living crisis, the importance of supporting local produce grows each day. Choosing to shop locally helps to sustain family-run businesses like Tullyvernon Farm Shop, who support local produce and keeps communities thriving, especially during these challenging economic times.

The Tullyvernon Farm Shop takes pride in supporting local suppliers, with produce sourced from across the region, including ice cream from Cookstown, coffee roasted in Belfast, fresh eggs from Fivemiletown, potatoes and honey from Ballygawley and Aughnacloy, apple juice made in Armagh, and pre-made dinners prepared in Tempo.

Owner, Naomi Smith commented: “We make our own traybakes and other things like sourdough bread and wheaten bread. Occasionally, we make our own ice cream. We are planning to start selling meat products from a local family and hopefully some of our own home reared beef in the future.”

Naomi and her husband Jonny, with their six children

placeholder image — Naomi and her husband Jonny, with their six children

Naomi further added her thoughts on supporting local producers in the farm shop: “ I think it's important these days to know where your food comes from and what is in it.”

Naomi and Jonny Smith are a farming family based in Co. Tyrone. While Jonny is out milking on their dairy farm and repairing milk tanks, Naomi is kept busy looking after their six children. Despite not being from a farming background, Naomi has settled into farming life and the close-knit community of Clogher.

With the inspiration of her kids, Naomi and her family started the ‘Little Smiths Farm Bakes’, which soon became a thriving success. “It was actually my kids idea to start baking homemade products for the shop as they love to bake with me, (they are mostly taste testers). We are keeping our traybake range small at the moment with, Rocky Roads, Caramel Squares and Brownies, but we intend to add more as time goes on. Our scones are a very big hit, but you have to be in early to get them as they do go very fast.”

As farm shops grew in popularity across Northern Ireland, Clogher still seemed to lack that aspect, and so following a holiday to England, the idea of Tullyvernon Farm Shop soon developed. "Jonny and I enjoy going on holidays to the Yorkshire Dales and came across a lot of small farm shops, usually selling their own milk, meat, eggs or ice cream. We thought it was a wonderful idea and it would be something different.”

The heart of the Clogher Valley, find the Tullyvernon Farm Shop on the Knockmany Road

The idea and use of an honesty box also came from the farm shops in Yorkshire, and has proved to be not only a massive success but also very flexible, as due to “other commitments, Jonny and I cannot be there all the time but I am able to monitor the shop from home. I do be in the shop quite a lot and If I am not in, there is a button customers can press for help if they need it.”

Naomi further shared that despite the challenges many similar businesses face, the shop has proven to be very enjoyable to manage, along with the opportunities to meet new people and the overall flexibility it offers: “I was from Monaghan before I moved here so I didn’t know many people. It’s a great way to meet new people. Jonny enjoys having a cup of tea in the evening with his friends so the social aspect of the shop has been lovely.”

Tullyvernon Farm Shop can be found on 91 Knockmany Rd, Clogher BT76 0XT, opened Monday – Friday from 8am-10pm.