Diddly Squat Farm Dunkers British Shortbread - 180g

A thousand acres of diddly squat

Clarkson bought about a thousand acres near Chipping Norton in 2008, land that was formerly part of the Sarsden estate. A local villager contract-farmed it until his retirement in 2019, and after that Clarkson began farming it himself. He renamed it Diddly Squat, slang for the least amount, or nothing, as a comment on its productivity. Then came Clarkson's Farm on Amazon Prime Video, and the place became internationally known. Not bad for a farm whose own name sets expectations at zero.

Forty tonnes of potatoes later

The farm shop was Clarkson's idea after he accidentally produced 40 tonnes of potatoes, which is as good a reason to open a shop as any. He and Lisa Hogan opened the Diddly Squat Farm Shop in 2020, and it is known for drawing very long visitor queues. It also faced a two-month closure after a council dispute over the roofing material used on the building. A row about a roof. You could not make it more English if you tried.

From the field to the high street

In 2024 Diddly Squat Farm Shop products became available nationwide via Amazon Fresh, the first time they were sold on the UK high street. Products are produced on the farm itself or by neighbouring businesses in the Cotswolds. The farm's barley went its own way, as Hawkstone Lager, after a cut in government farm subsidies in 2021. So now a bit of the Diddly Squat story can sit in your own cupboard. No queue required. Kettle optional, but strongly advised.