Pick-your-own farm with a farm shop
Run a larger pick-your-own site with several crops, a small farm shop and a team of seasonal helpers.
- £20k-90k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
562 UK companies in this field, 18% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 01250 “Growing of other tree and bush fruits and nuts”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A fuller pick-your-own farm with several crops across the season, parking, a pay point and a small farm shop or stall for ready-picked produce and local goods. Often run by a small team or family on owned or tenanted land.
Your first three steps
- Write a business plan covering land, crops, a season calendar and cash flow, and speak to a local farm advisor or an existing pick-your-own farm about what works
- Find suitable land to buy or rent on a farm business tenancy, and ask the local council about planning, access, parking and any signage rules
- Price up equipment, shop fit-out, insurance and irrigation, then plant a first crop and line up funding from savings, a loan or diversification schemes
Who pays
Families, groups, visitors from nearby towns, and shoppers who prefer buying produce straight from the farm.
How it makes money
Pay-by-weight picking, ready-picked sales in the shop, and sometimes extras like seasonal events, such as pumpkin picking in autumn, or a modest entry fee.
Skills that help
- Growing several crops
- Managing seasonal staff
- Planning cash flow across the year
- Retail and customer service
Watch out for
- Planning permission and change of use for a shop, car park or toilets, so check early with your local council
- Register a food business with your local council if you sell or prepare food, and check labelling rules
- Public liability insurance and employer's liability insurance once you take on staff
- Check rules on weighing and selling by weight, and on any chemicals or sprays you use
- Long lead times and high costs before the first picking season, so make sure you have enough cash to cover them
- Weather, pests and crop failure can hit income, so spread risk across several crops
- Business rates and possible tax differences for a farm shop, so get advice from an accountant
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: pick-your-own farm with a farm shop
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a pick-your-own farm with a shop?
Startup costs are typically around £20,000 to £90,000, depending on the land, crops, buildings and fit-out. These are estimates. There are long lead times and high costs before the first picking season, so make sure you have cash to cover them.
What should I check before opening a farm shop?
Check planning permission and change of use for a shop, car park or toilets with your local council. Also check food business registration and labelling, insurance, weighing rules, chemicals and sprays, business rates and tax advice from an accountant.
How much can a pick-your-own farm earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on crops, season, visitor numbers and shop sales. Weather, pests and crop failure can hit income, so spread risk across several crops. Expect at least about 35 hours a week.
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