CELEBRITY chef and real food enthusiast Rick Stein has been in Kirkby Stephen filming for his new series that highlights the great food being produced in the UK by local, independent farmers and businesses.

Rick visited Dianne Halliday, the largest employer in the Kirkby Stephen area at her farm. Country Fare produces quality baking using the finest ingredients and tried and tested recipes. The enterprise's ever-changing range of products, from cakes and biscuits to pickles and preserves, now supplies the ASDA stores at Kendal and Barrow, as well as local farmers' markets.

Dianne said: "Because of this wonderful business success I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Prince Charles. We also supply lots of local delicatessens farm shops and we also trade at farmers markets.

"Mr Stein came here filming for the afternoon, as we are going to be one of his next food heroes, in his TV serious in the autumn and also in his book."

As well as offering a unique home bakery service, which delivers products direct to your door, Country Fare also provides a complete outside catering service, available for all occasions.

It has been a remarkable year for Dianne and her family at Dalefoot.

"In the last 12 months we have won a silver and bronze award at the great taste awards in London. I won the best expanding business from the Rural Woman's Network and I have recently been runner-up in the NFU food awards.

"We are succeeding in what the Government are suggesting, we are farmers who have diversified."

May 14, 2003 08:30