Thorneybank FarmShop

Thorneybank Farm Shop at Lower Thorneybank has been run by three generations of the Stephen family since Eric J Stephen began selling surplus vegetables from a roadside bench in 1979, expanding to a cart by 1982 and a permanent shop through the 1990s. Potatoes, eggs and home bakes were added from 1983, and in 2018 the family introduced self-service vending technology, among the first UK farm shops to do so, extending access beyond staffed hours. Catherine Stephen bakes in house, and the shop sells vegetables grown and picked on the farm alongside local eggs, meat and dairy sourced from neighbouring producers in Formartine. It sits on the road between Inverurie and Turriff, drawing passing trade as well as regulars from surrounding villages such as Rothienorman and Fyvie. The shop retains the character of its roadside-stall origins, functioning as a stop for fresh produce rather than a destination retail unit, and opens long daily hours reflecting that history.