VIDEO: Barns Green family farm business rebrands and sends a ‘message to the universe’

Durwin Banks, of Muntham Farm, Barns Green near Horsham, who runs the company - which specialises in healthy linseed oil-based products - with his sisters Gay Banks and Wendy Dorkings, said: “It’s amazingly exciting because we are doing something that improves people’s health and we are sending a message off to the universe.

“I know that may sound a bit wacky, but as a result of this [business] we are meeting practitioners and all sorts of people who are interested in their health and healing.”

Durwin believes that the ‘energy’ of his interest in the health benefits of linseed-products attracted like-minded people and led to a ‘big bang’ of change for the company.

He explained: “I always knew it was a bit more than a business but I hadn’t really understood that and I met people who helped me understand.

“It was all sort of happening all at once - there was a kind of big bang and we knew things had to change we knew things had to change.”

The siblings have secured a LEADER grant - a Europe-wide funding scheme for projects benefitting rural economies or communities - to help with the £70,000 relaunch.

Durwin hopes to increase the company’s turnover to £1 million by tripling its regular customer base over the next five years.

The relabelling process was a ‘bit of a fight’, said Durwin.

Working with his graphic designer names went back-and-forth until a list of 30 possibles was produced.

The Linseed Farm was chosen because it encapsulated the words farm, fresh and linseed, said the enthusiast.

He said: “A name is such a complicated thing because everything [including labels and packaging] has to be changed.

“We wanted people to know that it comes from a farm and it’s something good for you.”

A new bakery is currently in development and a new website with new products is to go online within a few days.

The team have invested in new seed cleaning and pressing facilities as well.

Durwin spoke of the financial difficulties that followed after High Barn Oils was set up thirteen years ago.

His family have been farming linseed since 1890.

He was inspired to press linseed after hearing of a hemp pressing business.

“In 2000 we set up this shop [High Barn Oils], gradually as a family farm. Life was hard with very little money and I was looking for ideas.”

Durwin added: “It’s a big educational process. I had no idea about nothing of internet, websites, marketing, packaging or labels - we’ve come a tremendously long way from scratch.”