A farming family business from Whixley, has been given a boost from a Defra Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) grant to help them diversify into pie-making.

The Voakes family, who keep 400 breeding sows and also grow sugar beet and cereals, have recently set up a business to bake premium quality pork pies on the farm - using pork from their own pigs. The RES grant has helped to fund a bake house and baking equipment, an office and a preparation room next to the farmhouse.

Andrew Voakes, who is also a trained butcher, is no stranger to the art of pie-making. For many years he produced and sold award winning pork pies - baked to a secret recipe - at his butcher's shop in Harrogate. James Voakes said: "We were looking into farm diversification and the idea of making pork pies from our own home-reared and quality assured pork was a logical combination of our skills - and the RES grant has helped us to turn the idea into reality."

Andrew Voakes said: "My pies are made to a traditional family recipe passed to me by my grandmother - and it must be something special as the pies have been voted supreme champion against stiff competition in regional contests several years in succession."

The brothers plan to market the new pies across the region through delicatessens, farm shops and butchers' shops, and at food events and agricultural shows across the country. Closer to home they will also be available in Whixley village shop, which has also recently been awarded a RES grant from Defra.

James Hodgson, a Defra rural development service adviser in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "This project is an excellent example of a well thought out diversification plan. The Voakes brothers have looked at their skills and assets and put the two together to produce a sound business proposition.

"The project is also a very good example of how new ventures like this can help to reduce food miles. The pigs are raised locally, slaughtered in a local abattoir and processed locally. We're particularly pleased that many of the pies will be sold locally too, through the community shop in Whixley, which has also benefited from RES funding."

Updated: 10:03 Friday, May 14, 2004