About Us

We are based at our farms in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire and deliver all of our produce to homes through our veg box scheme.  Our offer is totally seasonal but without the premium price tag associated with farm shops.  

We deliver directly to your door in these counties South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire.

We are traditional farmers, growing, harvesting, baking, making and supplying traditional fresh food and produce to homes.  All of the bakery food is handmade everyday (no additives), the eggs are laid by hens who are free to roam the fields, the meat has full provenance, grass reared and is all hand prepared.  Our yogurts are made on the farm.... 

It's so difficult to tell you everything that we are passionate about but we are driven on by our amazing customers who continually make us emotional with their lovely comments - thank you :) 

History

The idea for Parsnips and Pears came about in 2009 over a dinner table conversation between founder Sara Barlow and her husband Stephen. Both were frustrated with the pressures that growers were under, having had first hand experience of the supermarkets refusing - and consequently wasting - perfectly good vegetables just because they didn’t meet the exact shape, colour and size requirements of the large retailers.

So over the next two years, Sara decided enough was enough. She wanted to change the perception that a wonky carrot wasn’t good enough, and set about to put plans in place to turn her seed of a business idea into reality. She began to research local suppliers who empathised with her cause, and who could provide quality, seasonal vegetables at a reasonable price. Sara then formulated a plan to get the business off the ground.

During the summer of 2010, she ran an extremely successful pilot scheme, and received some fantastic feedback from her customers. All were delighted with how affordable the boxes were, the level of personal service and the quality and taste of the vegetables provided. This gave Sara the confidence to go for it in earnest,  she decided to roll out the service around the farm. Parsnips and Pears is now expanding it's delivery areas week on week with coverage planned for most of the UK. 

The range of food and produce has expanded dramatically since the first small veg boxes, it now includes a full butchery, bakery, dairy, deli and gourmet ready meals made with their own produce.

Biographies

Sara Barlow is the founder of Parsnips and Pears, and began the business from the family farm in the Vale of Belvoir. She is supported by her husband Stephen.

Sara has always had the countryside in her blood, having grown up in a large farming family in Nottinghamshire. She was educated at Colston Basset school (which she now supplies with fresh produce), then at Nottingham Girls’ High School, and went on to complete an agricultural course at Brackenhurst College (now part of Nottingham Trent University). As an active member of Young Farmers, Sara was able to organise an opportunity to work abroad. Soon after, she moved to a remote farm in the Australian outback. Her year-long experience was one she’ll never forget!

Upon returning to the UK, Sarah’s career took a different path. She joined The AA, working across Southern England in after-sales training roles and then in internal communications. Next, a move back up to the Midlands saw Sara take on an overseas role with Jaguar Land Rover, resulting in extensive worldwide travel.

Sara went back to her farming roots in 2009, and that’s when the seed was sown for Parsnips & Pears. She wanted to give everyone the chance to buy fresh, local produce that is fairly priced for both customers and suppliers. In her spare time, she enjoys horse riding and gardening (the hanging baskets you can buy are all made by Sara herself!)