About us
Three generations of the McLauchlan family have been growing fruit here in Boxted, on the Essex-Suffolk border, since 1939. It's now Jim's turn to take the tractor wheel!
Here at McLauchlans of Boxted pick your own berry farm, in the heart of Constable Country, we use small-scale, traditional farming methods – even still driving one of Granddad Mac’s old tractors – with an emphasis on growing quality fruit.
All about the fruit
We choose varieties of fruit to grow for their flavour, not just for their shape or how long they keep in the fridge.
We grow the fruit straight in the ground and open to the elements – not in raised beds of in plastic tunnels – which means they’re not forced to fruit outside of their usual season. We believe this preserves the best the flavour, even though it puts us more at the mercy of the British weather.
We mark the plots with the variety names, and send crop updates in the season, so that you can learn about the crops and pop by when your favourite varieties are ready.
We enjoy helping children (and adults!) learn how fruit is grown, and the benefits of eating seasonal, fresh fruit.
Make sure to sign up to our weekly email so you don’t miss the season – it goes by in a flash.
Join the Team
We’ve had some brilliant people join on our team throughout the years. If you’d like to join us, keep an eye on the email newsletter, we’ll let you know in early May when we start recruiting.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Pick your own didn’t used to be much of a thing back in 1939 when Granddad and Granny Mac answered the call to ‘dig for Britain’ and move to Boxted to farm the land. They had a glut of fruit one year so put an advert in the local paper inviting people to pick. Loads of pickers turned up with massive buckets, keen to stock up their pantries with homemade jam – and it’s been a pick your own farm ever since!
Angela and Mac took over in 1979, and are still involved and live on the farm. Jim and Rebecca grew up on the farm, and Jim has been gradually taking over the reins since 2019.
Over the years, the farm is has become a staple part of the summer in the local area and we really enjoy seeing familiar faces coming back year after year, bringing children and often grandchildren. We hope you make fruit picking here part of your family tradition, too!
ALso on the farm
You might spot a whole load of logs up on the top field – that’s Jim’s ‘winter business’, One Man and His Log. He delivers seasoned firewood all around Colchester. There are bags of his firewood available in the farm shop too – great for fire pits if the summer evenings get a bit nippy!
The farm’s resident food truck, The Wandering Blossom, is run by Rebecca. No visit is complete without all the delicious yums she makes with fruit from the farm – ice lollies, cakes, and even strawberry lemonade. Her excellent, proper coffees keep the staff going throughout the busy season!