Jamesfield farm lies just East of Abernethy. An organic farm itself, it now boasts an organic food shop and restaurant. In addition, it has acquired a couple of fine chefs in Craig Mellor and Darin Campbell. The restaurant looks like a modern barn on the outside, but, on the inside it’s fitted
out as a relaxed restaurant. From its tables, visitors are treated to a fine long, low, view of the Earn valley and many varieties of farm animals. There are cattle and sheep, but pride of place goes to the free-range hens – hundreds of them peck and wander and flutter around just a short distance
away.
For those city dwellers among us, after the sight of real live animals milling around, you won’t be disappointed by the menu. Oh, what a menu! From tea and a scone, to a full three-course meal, there really is, for the first time in any editorial, something for everyone! And for those of you with
a weakness for pastries; be warned, the pastries are terrific. The simplest meal might be of a baked filled potato; while a full meal will set you back about £20 – before you tackle drinks. Open from 11a.m. to 5:30 p.m. it’s great for elevenses, brunch, lunch and an early tea.

The food is excellent. Among what we had was an excellent goat’s cheese starter, with fresh fig and salad – the salad garnished with fine tangy watercress and a pleasant, not-too-heavy, dressing. The cheeseburger makes an excellent main course choice, as too the steak and ale pie – an
amazing lightness in the pastry. Star of the mains, however, was the veg, and simply boiled veg at that! – potatoes in their skins, carrot, cauliflower and broccoli. Boiled just enough, such was the flavour each had, that there was no temptation to sprinkle on the salt, and bearing testament to
the quality of the home grown organic produce. As befits an organic place, too, there was a good, interesting selection for the vegetarian.
The starters were good and the mains too. But the spuds – well, the chocolate tart was a masterpiece (not too sweet and packed in a crisp short-crust case) and the panacotta and peach “soup” was lingered over as long as possible to be regretted only as the last mouthful went down. On the way out the diner must pause at the spuds and carrots for sale. If he buys some of these can he produce just as good back home as he’s tasted here? Oh, yes, he’s sure he can but buys this and that, just in case.
A great place to spend an hour or two and lament the out-of-season tomatoes and strawberries flown in from Mexico and Spain that are becoming the staples of our supermarkets. And if that isn’t enough, it’s a beautiful part of the country wherever you might be coming from. Take a trip down Jamesfield, you might just enjoy it.

For more information, visit: www.jamesfieldfarm.co.uk