I HAVE just read the first few pages of A Love For Food, the new cookery book from Daylesford Organic, and it is fascinating.

Founder Carole Bamford explains how her “local, seasonal and sustainable” food empire grew from a personal desire to “make a difference” and return to the food-growing skills and values of her childhood.

“I really did not mean for the project to have grown as it has done – one thing just led to another,” she says in the preface to the book.

In the early days of the organic movement, Carole was a pioneer, and Daylesford Farm, near Kingham, is proudly organic.

But it was a labour of love for the Bamford family, the owners of excavator, farm and construction machinery manufacturer JCB, when they bought the estate, which straddles the boundary of West Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, 21 years ago.

Carole said: “Everything comes back to the soil, and ours began to be rich and brown and alive with worms; a totally different colour to soil that has had chemicals in it.”

The Bamfords acquired a herd of dairy cows with the estate and Carole used the milk to make Cheddar cheese. They began baking bread too. And that was how the farm shop began life 10 years ago.

Carole said: “We were about to open about six weeks before Christmas, and it was so cold I rather panicked, worrying about all these people coming out to our wintry barn, so I thought ‘why not do some soup and a sandwich to keep them warm?’.

“I never intended to open a proper cafe, but again the project just grew.”

I am looking forward to reading more of this wonderful book, full of the simple and delicious recipes that Carole Bamford loves and which are made and sold in the shop and cafe at Daylesford and at its London outposts.

It is clear that this hugely successful business has solid roots, far removed from the elitist picture that is often painted of Daylesford.

True, the rich and famous do flock there when visiting the Cotswolds, but it is also at the heart of the local community, and enthusiastically embraced as such.

“We have our regulars who pop in every morning just to pick up a freshly-baked loaf,” said Camilla Wilson, Daylesford’s communications manager.

“You might bump into the odd celebrity or two, but it is just as likely to be the local villagers or tourists – we’re very much on the tourist map too, being out in the countryside with our shops, cafe, Hay Barn spa, and holiday cottages.”

I spent a pleasant morning out and about at Daylesford Farm with Camilla, meeting some of the people who are central to the business – such as Jez Taylor, who runs the market garden supplying the farm shop, cafe, cookery school and kitchens with organic fruit and vegetables.

After the worst growing year for 35 years last year, 2013 has been a joy, with nutritious and delicious British fruit and vegetables in abundance.

“We grow 70 different crops, with a focus on those that can be harvested by hand, because we can’t compete on anything that’s mechanically harvested,” said Mr Taylor.

“It’s the freshness element that people love – peas and broad beans, mange tout, gooseberries, strawberries, currants and tomatoes – they’re all big crops for us.”

Daylesford produces all its own meat, on the farm or from the Bamfords’ Wootton estate in Staffordshire, with the exception of pork from Laverstoke Park in Hampshire.

On our tour I met the cows, British Friesians and rare-breed Gloucesters, whose milk is used to make Double and Single Gloucester cheeses.

There were some friendly Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs and rare-breed chickens too.

This is very much a working farm and it has become familiar to TV viewers this year with ITV’s Saturday Farm.

The farm shop is a foodie’s dream. Everything is of the finest quality, and just take a sniff — the freshness oozes out.

“Some people say we are expensive, but how do you quantify expensive?” said Ms Wilson.

“We’re growing and raising sustainable, flavour-packed produce of the highest quality. I don’t think our prices are unreasonable for what we offer.”

The large, airy cafe is dominated by a wood-fired oven, where you can watch the chefs creating the day’s specials.

Sea bass was on the menu when I visited, and it was a light and delicious summer dish.

Camilla persuaded me to have pudding too — an equally divine crème brûlée. The cafe is also open on Friday and Saturday evenings for supper.

The cookery school is an important aspect of the Daylesford business, and the new head tutor Steve Brown is relishing the challenge.

“It is a real pleasure to work with such lovely people and fabulous ingredients,” he said.

“The cookery school is going from strength to strength – we want everyone to have an enjoyable and relaxing learning experience and we are looking at introducing evening and half-day courses too, for those who can’t spend a whole day with us.

“We’re committed to making sure participants are hands-on with every recipe. Food is so tangible and you must see, smell and understand it.”

The chef’s table is a popular way for a party of 12 family or friends to dine. They watch the creation of a four-course menu — and eat the results, of course, accompanied by matching wines.

Apart from the farm shop, you will find a wonderful array of desirable things to buy in the garden and gift shops, and a visit to the Hay Barn spa would round things off in the best way possible – with some precious ‘me’ time.

Yoga and pilates classes are held in the light-filled loft with views of the surrounding countryside, or indulge in one of the beauty treatments. I had the Bamford signature massage – 90 minutes of blissful head-to-toe massage and a facial.

  • Daylesford Organic, which is just off the A436 near Kingham, is open daily. For more details, see daylesford.com or call 01608 731700.
  • A Love for Food, priced £30, is available at the farm shop or online.