GOOD FODDER

This month we catch up with Laura Bayley, the inspiration behind the unique County Down woodland café, Fodder.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START FODDER?

It all started with my Dad’s Dexter beef. When he retired, he bought a small herd of Dexter cows as a ‘hobby’. He started with six cattle which quickly grew to 126 and a small farm shop as an outlet to sell our Dexter beef. We wanted to offer customers a decent cup of coffee while they shopped, then cake and before we knew it things had taken off – soon we were selling our Dexter burgers, platters, soups and hotdogs... and so Fodder was born.

HOW DID THE FODDER CONCEPT DEVELOP?

The ethos of Fodder is to give our customers an opportunity to connect with the outdoors and surrounding woodland in a relaxed atmosphere, offering a simple menu of quality, organic and local ingredients. This ethos carries through to the farm shop which is situated in a shipping container-style hut with seating provided in Scandinavian tipis. My brother and sister-in-law also run their businesses Magnakata Tipis and Blue Moon Event Design from Finnebrogue Woods, so tipis were the obvious choice for the seating area – the perfect fit for Fodder.

During the winter month the tipis are decorated in fairy lights and the benches are covered in reindeer skins, the firepit is lit and the sides are closed giving the interior of the tipis a nice, cosy atmosphere. In the warmer months the sides can be lifted up to let the cool air in, and allows our customers to feel connected to the outdoors. People love the tipi experience year round.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO FODDER’S SUCCESS?