Enterprise Nation

We’ve been covering Chris Wildman and his home based business selling Yorkshire meat, for some time. Chris came to the Enterprise Nation forum in 2007 asking for advice on optimising his site. We go knocking on his door to ask how the site, and business, is performing.

How is the site progressing?

The site has progressed well over the last 12 months but we always have a few more ideas on our wish list! Farm & Farmer profiles will be added soon along with some new products including Yorkshire Chorizo & Yorkshire extra virgin cold pressed rape seed oil.  Also additional information about the Paganum story & family farming and butchery history, more information about our sheep's wool insulated packaging which everyone comments on.  Photographs are always needed to illustrate our products and the farm & animals so I’m trying to get more quality photos on the site & blog.

How is your site helping Yorkshire farmers?

As we are an uplands Dales Farm we know how difficult it can be marketing direct to the customer and Paganum gives an easy option for Farmers to sell their produce to a wide audience with all the marketing, administration and logistics covered by us so the farmers can get on with what they do best on the farm.  The sheep's wool insulation is also sourced from Yorkshire wool and processed in Yorkshire, in fact the vast majority of our supplies are sourced locally.

Are you based on a farm?

Yes we are based at Church End Farm, Kirkby Malham, Nr Skipton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, the fantastic limestone features of the dales like Malham Cove & Gordale Scar are on our doorstep and the Pennineway passes close by, we are very lucky to be based in such a beautiful part of the country.

What are your plans for 2010?

The Trade side of the business is growing along with our range of products and suppliers so we are trying to focus on growing the trade business whilst not forgetting the internet sales.  Web amends, improvements and additions will be implemented over the year, we are looking at the various options for feedback and product reviews and of course we try and keep our blog up-to-date (www.yorkshiredalesfood.com) with any Yorkshire Dales Food news, reviews, recipes, stories from the farm and general musings!  

We have had some success with social media, we actually often receive orders directly from Facebook and Twitter and have a great following of passionate foodies & food bloggers. On the product side we now produce our own traditional dry cure bacon from our home fed pigs, the sausage range is increasing and we are looking to install more facilities for increased bacon & sausage production.  

• Find out more about Paganum "The Yorkshire Dales online farmers market" on the main website  www.paganum.co.uk or the Yorkshire Dales food blog on www.yorkshiredalesfood.com or follow Chris on Twitter @cwildman