The Bear and Blacksmith

By Claire Tall

“I think that the farming way of life is idyllic but also hard work, and producing one’s own food is more satisfying than anything else.”

The Bear and Blacksmith is a small pub situated in the heart of Chillington, a village in the South Hams, South Devon. My partner, Malcolm, and I are the landlord and landlady and Malcolm is also chef patron. Alongside the pub, we both run a 70+ acre farm where we rear sheep, pigs and poultry which supplies the pub all year round. We also grow a lot of the vegetables, fruits and herbs in a kitchen garden, next to the beer garden, where customers can watch the chefs picking produce for the kitchen.