The Coldharbour Farm Field Kitchen has been open for two weeks and they have been so busy with customers that they are desperate to recruit more staff.

The café is situated on East Hill Strips just outside Ottery. St Mary, near Gittisham. It is situated on a working farm, which is still run by one of the owners and her family.

The café consists of a cosy building which has been decorated in an eclectic style. Antique milking pails, which came from Ottery St. Mary, sit alongside modern exposed lighting, bare chipboard flooring and a wall made out of an old sheep pen.

Outside there is a large decking area with tables and umbrellas and the stunning view stretches down the hill to Ottery St. Mary and beyond across the rolling fields.

A wide range of food and drinks are available. Breakfast offerings include the classic fry up using meat from the farm, an egg and avocado bap and bubble and squeak. Lunch choices include pulled pork bap, West Country Cheese Charcuterie Plate and grilled halloumi. Cakes are available throughout the day.

Andrea Broadhurst (left) and Beth Ashfield

Andrea Broadhurst (57) and Beth Ashfield (52) have been in business together for approximately a decade. Andrea, who grew up on Coldharbour Farm, built the old farm shop on the site of the dairy, and she asked Beth if she wanted to get involved. Neither Beth or Andrea have any chef training but they have always enjoyed cooking.

Beth said: "It grew very organically. We started off with an honesty box and we were making all our jams and chutneys, which we still do. At the end of the first year we had a the wood burner fitted and that is when we opened the first café.

"During the first lockdown, when we had to close the café, we put a shed on the grass and sold things that didn't need cooking, like salads and cakes.

"That's when we realised – this is an amazing spot and would be great for a restaurant. The views are incredible and it is so peaceful up here."

Andrea grew up on the farm and she still farms the land - her sheep and pigs in pens visible from the café's decking. Her parents own the Rising Sun in Sidford and Angela run the pub in the 1990s.

Before joining the Coldharbour Farm business, Beth worked in recruitment and then she took time off work to raise her family and care for her husband, who was unwell.

The owners only buy food produced in the South West, but much of the ingredients come from much closer to home. All the pork, lamb and mutton served in the café comes from the farm's pigs and sheep and other meats, honey and eggs are sourced from produces from as close by as possible. All jams and chutneys are made on site and in September they even launched their own gin – Flaming Barrel (named in reference to annual Tar Barrel event in Ottery St. Mary.)

The café has been open for two weeks and so far business has been very good. Beth said: "It has been absolutely heaving. We've been completely full in here – much busier than we anticipated. Now we just need more staff!"

"I love meeting people. We get to know our customers really well and we have lots of regulars. It's like a little community. And the people who work here are lovely."

Inside the cafe

The pair faced challenges opening the café, mainly because of its location is so rural. "Planning permission was a challenge, and getting power in here was impossible - we are completely off grid and we have 24 solar panels."

The café is open 9am – 4pm every day except Mondays and in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays, when they serve tapas. In August there are plans to have an outdoor field kitchen which will sell woodfired food.

Dogs are allowed inside the café and there is good disabled access.

More information is available here.